Casually Searching for Demolition Man

[Bertfish]

...and Stallone isn't available.

As part of my ongoing fiasco I am calling a house rehab I'm looking for ways that I can affordably farm out a bit of work. I'm a single guy on a single income and this project is really stretching me thin. With my regular 40 hour work week its also taking forever.

I need all of the plaster and lathe removed from about 1300 square feet of floor space. Ceilings are roughly 9' tall. Attic is full of blow in insulation which is going to come down with the ceilings as well.

I've had two guys look at the job. It isn't easy by any means and will be dirty work. That being said the prices I have gotten have been staggering. Maybe its my ignorance of the cost of things, I don't know, but it hasn't been anything I can afford.

Thought someone here might be interested in some horrible demolition work or know someone who is. I'm well out of college now or I'd find some poor college/high school kids who want some side work. Then again with the motivation of your average kid today it might be a real waste of money.

I can pay cash of course. Worst case I just take months to do it myself but I'm trying to take some of the pressure off.

 

[Jason21237]

May know someone interested but a few questions for you. Are you going to get the dumpster to remove the stuff? Does anything need to be preserved or just straight strip down to studs? Are you wanting all nails pulled? Is there a door big enough to get a wheelbarrow in and out of? How much are you looking to pay just in general? You can pm me if you want.

 

[Bertfish]

I can get dumpsters, rather pay for them myself honestly and not pay mark up.

Saving window trim because its original. I plan to remove anything I want to keep prior to a crew starting. Then its strip it back to studs. Makes it easier on the folks doing the work since there are no questions.

I can pull nails later. 90% of them come out with the lathes anyways.

I've got normal exterior doors but they all go down steps. That being said most everything is tore up anyways so we might be able to lay out some boards or something to make a ramp.

As for price I really have no idea. That's part of my issue; I never hire anyone for everything. Quote I got today was $4200 (and I had to supply the dumpsters) which reasonable or not is way beyond what I can afford.

 

[wbw2123]

I just went through this with our house. 1200 sqft of wood lath and horsehair plaster. You're picking the right time of the year to do it.

I had my brother, still in college, helping and paid him very well for the terrible work.

My advice, don't use anyone you want to stay friends with. The work is terrible and will seem like it's never ending. 1200 sqft took over 2 weeks for two guys to gut the house into dumpsters. He really wanted to hate me at the end of that job.

If you can't afford a demo contractor, around here the day laborers gather at the home depot. Find the ones that don't speak English, they seem to most often work the hardest. Hire two at a time, no more, no less. Two you can manage and they actually work faster together. Three are harder to manage and tend to work slower than two would. The going rate down this way is $10-15/hr. Feed them lunch and pay them at the end if the day. Be prepared to take then back if they won't work. Pay them for the short hours, but take them back quickly. Don't try to argue or badger them into working, just take them back and give them the $30...cause you'll know within the first hour or two. That way you don't get a bad reputation and can keep hiring others. If it's not too hot out, you should be able to get the same ones a few times. Dumpsters, wheelbarrows and grain shovels will make the work go faster. Do not try to bag it, and keep nothing in the house that you don't mind burying in dust.

I tried Craigslist twice for laborers and both times I was disappointed with the effort.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to share my experiences.

 

[wbw2123]

As for price I really have no idea. That's part of my issue; I never hire anyone for everything. Quote I got today was $4200 (and I had to supply the dumpsters) which reasonable or not is way beyond what I can afford.

$4200 is an okay price. (2) dumpsters x $400 plus (2) men x $15 x 80 is already $3200. You could try to a save your beer and gun money for few months and pay the contractor.

Eta: I have done it all, but know there are some things not worth my time or effort to do. Plaster demo is rapidly moving toward that list. Don't be afraid to try it per my previous post, but know it's going to suck big fuzzy ones.

 

[DCSCO]

I just went through this with our house. 1200 sqft of wood lath and horsehair plaster. You're picking the right time of the year to do it.

I had my brother, still in college, helping and paid him very well for the terrible work.

My advice, don't use anyone you want to stay friends with. The work is terrible and will seem like it's never ending. 1200 sqft took over 2 weeks for two guys to gut the house into dumpsters. He really wanted to hate me at the end of that job.

If you can't afford a demo contractor, around here the day laborers gather at the home depot. Find the ones that don't speak English, they seem to most often work the hardest. Hire two at a time, no more, no less. Two you can manage and they actually work faster together. Three are harder to manage and tend to work slower than two would. The going rate down this way is $10-15/hr. Feed them lunch and pay them at the end if the day. Be prepared to take then back if they won't work. Pay them for the short hours, but take them back quickly. Don't try to argue or badger them into working, just take them back and give them the $30...cause you'll know within the first hour or two. That way you don't get a bad reputation and can keep hiring others. If it's not too hot out, you should be able to get the same ones a few times. Dumpsters, wheelbarrows and grain shovels will make the work go faster. Do not try to bag it, and keep nothing in the house that you don't mind burying in dust.

I tried Craigslist twice for laborers and both times I was disappointed with the effort.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to share my experiences.

this is the way its done. Everyone works hard and labor is paid.

 

[Bertfish]

You two aren't the first to tell me to get day laborers. My concern is less about their ability to work and more about a revisit later in the evening from a bunch of folks who want to steal what's mine. Maybe unfounded but, again, I never hire anyone for anything.

$4200 also didn't include dumpsters and he insisted he needed "the biggest cans available" which is probably a 30 yarder. I know it can be done in less space, they just didn't want to take the time to really pack it down and make sure the thing was full before moving on.

 

[travistheone]

just nut up and do it. went through this myself. get pumped up like you are about to hit a set of squats and dont stop. rip it out with small prybar. run down the line. put ramboard down on the floor and drag 50 gallon rubber maid around with you. bag it up and let it sit in the corner. get a mexican (before trump wins) to carry the bags to the dumpster one day.

it isn't that hard just requires some energy. wear a respirator. n95 dust mask ok. n99 or half face respirator better. prepare for black boogers. watch for falling marbles.

 

[Bertfish]

just nut up and do it. went through this myself. get pumped up like you are about to hit a set of squats and dont stop. rip it out with small prybar. run down the line. put ramboard down on the floor and drag 50 gallon rubber maid around with you. bag it up and let it sit in the corner. get a mexican (before trump wins) to carry the bags to the dumpster one day.

it isn't that hard just requires some energy. wear a respirator. n95 dust mask ok. n99 or half face respirator better. prepare for black boogers. watch for falling marbles.

Done it before several times. Less of a willingness issue more of a time issue. Although it does suck and I'd rather not do it at all

 

[Fox123]

Just remember:

 

[Sportstud4891]

If you can't afford a demo contractor, around here the day laborers gather at the home depot. Find the ones that don't speak English, they seem to most often work the hardest. Hire two at a time, no more, no less. Two you can manage and they actually work faster together.

For those that do this, I hope you never complain about the nations illegal immigrant problem else you will be the definition of hypocrite.

I always make it a point whenever I'm getting a quote, to specify English speaking American citizens. Some contractors don't like it. I don't care. If the illegals can't find work, they won't come here. The quote will be higher however, the quality of work is better. And I feel better about supporting an American. If I can't pay for the work I suck it up and do it myself.

 

[wbw2123]

For those that do this, I hope you never complain about the nations illegal immigrant problem else you will be the definition of hypocrite.

I always make it a point whenever I'm getting a quote, to specify English speaking American citizens. Some contractors don't like it. I don't care. If the illegals can't find work, they won't come here. The quote will be higher however, the quality of work is better. And I feel better about supporting an American. If I can't pay for the work I suck it up and do it myself.

You are making a gross misrepresentation if you assume that every non-English speaking day laborer and contractor is a illegal immigrant. This shows that you fail to see the bigger picture that has befallen our trades in this country.

Sorry Bertfish for the thread-jack.

 

[Bertfish]

You are making a gross misrepresentation if you assume that every non-English speaking day laborer and contractor is a illegal immigrant. This shows that you fail to see the bigger picture that has befallen our trades in this country.

Sorry Bertfish for the thread-jack.

No need for the apology. I can't say I disagree with either one of you really. Truth is a bunch of your day laborers may well be illegals. But to just assume they all are is just as wrong. Might just be folks who choose to work that way, we don't know. Work a man's day, make a man's wages. I'd hire anyone from any nation or ethnic group or income bracket or whatever so long as they work for their pay.

I'm really not looking for a massive amount of work for free. I understand things cost and this is a nasty job. But for $4k I have no choice but to handle it myself.

 

[Laddertowr]

Any Vo-Cal schools in your area you can talk to about using your project and needs as a training ground for students?

 

[Bertfish]

Any Vo-Cal schools in your area you can talk to about using your project and needs as a training ground for students?

Never thought about that, interesting idea.

 

[chevellenut71]

Just go grab a couple of day labors 10 to 15 bucks an hr and be done with it. Im sure if you ask some local contractors in your area they will tell you where to go.

 

[Bertfish]

Just go grab a couple of day labors 10 to 15 bucks an hr and be done with it. Im sure if you ask some local contractors in your area they will tell you where to go.

Girlfriend's Dad says the Dundalk Home Depot is often loaded with them. Never been there to see myself.

 

[parttimer]

Call your local volunteer firehouse. Sometimes they want areas to demo as a way of teaching the junior members how to do overhaul and wall breaching. They can turn it into a drill for the members that have never had to deal with L & P walls before. They probably will not do the whole job for you but they will do a good amount of it and they you can offer some of the harder workers some cash or a donation to the VFD for them to finish the rest of the job.

 

[Rich1911]

Get the day laborers - who do you think is going to do it for any contractor you hire - certainly not the contractor...

 

[Bertfish]

Call your local volunteer firehouse. Sometimes they want areas to demo as a way of teaching the junior members how to do overhaul and wall breaching. They can turn it into a drill for the members that have never had to deal with L & P walls before. They probably will not do the whole job for you but they will do a good amount of it and they you can offer some of the harder workers some cash or a donation to the VFD for them to finish the rest of the job.

Another decent idea