Demolition Cost Calculator 2025/26

For residential buildings, you generally do not need planning permission for demolition, but you must notify the local authority under a 'prior notification' procedure before demolishing a dwelling or a building larger than 50m³. Commercial buildings over 1,000m³ require the same prior notification. Listed buildings require listed building consent before any demolition. In all cases, an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey (type R&D) is legally required before demolition starts under CAR 2012.

A Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) asbestos survey is required by law (Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) before any demolition work begins. It is a thorough, intrusive survey that identifies and quantifies all asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in the building so they can be safely removed before demolition. The survey must be carried out by a UKAS-accredited surveyor. The cost is typically £500-£2,000 depending on building size, and the results determine the scope and cost of any asbestos removal required before demolition.

Demolition waste is classified under the European Waste Catalogue (EWC) codes. Clean inert materials (brick, concrete, uncontaminated soil) are the cheapest to dispose of and can often be crushed and reused on site as hardcore. Mixed or contaminated materials attract higher disposal costs and require licensed carriers and licensed landfill facilities. Hazardous waste (asbestos, contaminated soil) requires specialist licensed contractors and disposal at specifically licensed sites. All demolition waste movements must be recorded on duty of care waste transfer notes.