Backwell is a licensed house demolition company serving Central NY. Whole-house teardown, foundation removal, asbestos abatement self-performed. Free written estimates. Serving Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Oneida, Cayuga, Cortland, Wayne, and Jefferson counties.
House demolition in Central New York involves more than knocking down walls. Older housing stock in Onondaga, Oswego, and surrounding counties almost universally contains asbestos materials, and rural properties frequently have septic systems requiring decommissioning before a structure can come down. Backwell handles the full scope: asbestos survey and abatement, utility disconnects, permits, structural demo, foundation removal, backfill, and site restoration. One contractor, start to finish.
Call (315) 400-2654 for a free written estimate.
A complete house teardown in CNY typically covers:
Pricing depends on square footage, stories, foundation type, asbestos findings, and site access. Typical ranges in CNY:
The single largest variable is asbestos. A pre-1980 home with original floor tiles, pipe insulation, attic insulation, and roofing shingles can require abatement at the higher end of that range. We provide a firm written estimate after a site visit.
The most common reasons Backwell gets called for house teardowns in CNY:
Before any work begins, NYSDEC requires an asbestos pre-demolition survey by a licensed inspector. Backwell coordinates this. The survey identifies all regulated materials (floor tiles, pipe insulation, roofing, siding, joint compound, etc.) that must be removed before structural demo starts.
We coordinate with National Grid (gas and electric), municipal water and sewer, and any other utilities to obtain documented service disconnections. This has to happen before we put a machine on the structure.
We file for the demolition permit with the town or city building department. Permit requirements vary by municipality. Most require contractor insurance certificates, proof of utility disconnects, and owner authorization. In some cases a survey or site sketch is required.
If the survey found regulated materials, abatement proceeds next. Our licensed crews remove ACM under containment, following NYSDEC and EPA NESHAP protocols. Air monitoring is conducted and a clearance report is issued. Backwell holds NYS DOL asbestos handler and contractor licenses and performs this work in-house. Most CNY contractors sub asbestos out to a separate firm, which adds weeks and a second mobilization. We do it ourselves, which compresses the schedule.
Cat 320 or 336 excavators with demolition shears take down the structure. Crews sort debris into categories (metal, wood, concrete, landfill) during the teardown. Material is staged and hauled to a licensed C&D facility.
Unless the owner wants to keep an existing foundation for a rebuild, we remove the full concrete or block foundation with the excavator. Crushed concrete is hauled off or crushed on-site for use as structural fill base.
The basement void is backfilled with clean structural fill, compacted in 12-inch lifts. This prevents future settlement and brings the site to grade.
We spread 4–6 inches of topsoil over the disturbed area and seed for erosion control. If the site is going straight to construction, we can leave it at compacted subgrade grade instead.
Most demolition contractors in Central NY do not hold their own asbestos licenses. When you hire them, asbestos abatement is subcontracted to a separate company, which means:
Backwell holds NYS DOL asbestos handler and contractor licenses. Our own crews perform survey coordination, abatement under containment, air monitoring coordination, and NYSDEC notification filings. The abatement is sequenced directly into our demolition schedule, not bolted on as a separate project. For most jobs this saves two to three weeks.
Backwell runs Cat 320 and Cat 336 excavators equipped with demolition shears and hydraulic thumb attachments, a Cat D6 dozer, and a fleet of dump trucks. This is production demolition equipment, not a rental-yard machine sourced for one job.
We schedule site visits within a week of contact for most CNY locations. Written estimates are provided after the visit, not over the phone. Ron handles estimates personally.
Backwell handles house demolition across 8 counties in Central New York:
$9,000–$18,000 for a single-story home. $14,000–$28,000 for a two-story. Add $5,000–$30,000+ if asbestos abatement is required, which it usually is for pre-1980 construction. We provide a firm written estimate after a site visit.
Yes. NYSDEC requires a pre-demolition asbestos survey for any structure being demolished in New York State. The survey must be performed by a licensed asbestos inspector before work begins. Backwell coordinates the survey as part of our process.
Most residential teardowns in CNY take two to four weeks from permit issuance to site restoration. If asbestos abatement is needed, that typically adds one to two weeks. Because Backwell self-performs abatement, we sequence it directly into our demo schedule rather than waiting for a separate sub.
Yes. We file the demolition permit application with the town or city building department and handle all inspection coordination. We also file required NYSDEC asbestos notification paperwork.
We remove it completely and backfill the void with compacted clean fill. If you are planning new construction and want to keep a poured concrete foundation, we can work around it. We will confirm the plan before starting.
If the property has an on-site septic system, it needs to be decommissioned before demolition. This involves pumping out the tank, crushing it in place or removing it, and properly abandoning the leach field per county health department requirements. Backwell can include this in the project scope.
Get a free written estimate: Call (315) 400-2654 or email Ron directly.
After Backwell completes site work on a redevelopment or multi-family project, owners often need property management. RenPro Commercial Property Management is our sister company in Syracuse handling office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use buildings. Property managers can also try our software at RenPro.com. See our full network.