How to Choose a Demolition Contractor for Large Commercial Projects

Looking to have a property demolished? Then you already know how important it is to find the right contractor. In this post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know before making your selection.

Factors in Hiring a Commercial Demolition Contractor

There are a variety of key factors that you’ll want to weigh before selecting a commercial demolition contractor. Here’s an overview of many of them:

Staying on budget and on schedule is a priority for most owners. After all, everyone has deadlines and expectations that they want to meet. If a certain property is going to be rebuilt and redeveloped, it’s important to stay in line with these development plans. Some contractors may want to begin right away, while others may have to wait for labor to roll off other jobs before they can begin – something that can impact the timeline. Another factor that impacts the timeline is equipment availability. Does the firm own its own equipment or will it have to rent? Depending on availability, this could impact timing.

Establishing a clear timeline and budget is an important step in any demolition endeavor – and having the confidence in a contractor to execute and stay on time and within budget is paramount.

Does the demolition contractor (or contractors) you’re considering have a reputation for working safely? Aside from weighing metrics like EMR (Experience Modifier Rate), you’ll also want to get an understanding of how a contractor prepares for a job and the type of personnel they’re staffing a job with. Generally speaking, the safest workers that go through the most training tend to be union trades. It’s also important that every job site is secured properly, standards and requirements are met, and any abatement work is carried out prior to demolition beginning so as not to leave workers at risk or create an environmental hazard.

For reference, the average EMR in construction is 1.0. Anything less is considered above average. At Alpine Demolition, we boast an EMR of 0.83, which is considered above average in construction – and we’re always working to improve that number.

At Alpine Demolition, we’re proud to have logged more than 1.5 million total work hours, 1,900 projects, and boast a 95 percent customer satisfaction rating.

A final factor that’s worth considering is any value-added service (or services) the contractor provides. For instance, on-site concrete crushing is one value-added service that can save an owner both time and money when it comes to transportation and disposal costs. Furthermore, concrete crushing is a process that upcycles existing concrete into other projects, so there’s an environmental benefit to this service as well.

Tip for Selecting the Best Commercial Demolition Contractor

The above section is a good starting point for making your contractor selection. But there are certainly other factors that you’ll want to keep in mind while making your selection as well. While we cover many of them throughout this piece, it’s important to weigh some of the intangibles. For instance:

Make sure you know the answers to these questions to help in your decision.

Experience Matters

You can’t underestimate the importance of experience when it comes to weighing large commercial demolition contractors. At Alpine, we’re proud to have more than 30 years of experience in the demolition industry – and our workforce only consists of highly skilled union tradesmen and women with extensive training and knowledge of everything needed to get a demolition job done safely and successfully

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor

In addition to weighing many of the factors that we listed above, there are a variety of other questions that you’ll want to ask when selecting a demolition contractor. For instance:

Contact Alpine Demolition Today

For more information on how to choose the right demolition contractor for your next job, contact Alpine Demolition today. As a leading full-service commercial demolition contractor in the Chicago area, we’ve got the experience, workforce, and intangibles to get your project done on time and on budget. Contact us today to learn more about how we’ve become Chicago’s first choice for commercial demolition.