You might ask yourself what does Junk Removal and Demolition have in common? Well they have lot’s in common and actually can sometimes go hand in hand. Whenever there is a demolition job going on, of course you are going to have trash and debris that is created as the job progresses. In order to have progress move along you must first have demolition and knock down what needs to be rebuilt. Concrete, stucco, wires, re-bar it all amounts to trash that has to be junked away. Junk removal crews arrive at these sites and carry away all the leftover junk to clear out and make way for new construction.

On their off time you will also find a few demolition crews that double as a junk removal crew. Who better to clean up and make junk disappear than the professionals that can create it in the first place? A great team of hard working professionals can double as both and have the skills necessary to do a great job instinctively for both options in this industry.

Always ask around and see if you can get a referral for a great Demolition Company in Los Angeles that can help you out with your upcoming project.

Deconstruction is  a demolition service where parts of a building (or all of a building) is un-constructed or deconstructed. A demolition contractor looks at a building and says, OK, how can we slowly and methodically un-construct this building? Then asks, how many of the building materials can be reused? Then a demolition contractor begins a slow process of recovering materials from a home.

An experience demolition contractor removes fixtures from a home. A demolition contractor may also remove tile and flooring to be reused elsewhere. Beams and lumber can be recovered as well. So can copper piping and even wiring. Anything that isn’t damaged (and even a few things that are) can be recovered from a building or home under deconstruction.

Deconstruction is a slower process than traditional demolition. But demolition contractors often realize substantial savings from deconstruction because they can oftentimes reuse or resell items in other projects. Deconstruction is also more environmentally friendly than traditional demolition techniques that dump huge amounts of construction debris in landfills. Some cities (the city of Los Angeles for instance) are even offering expedited permitting for those who choose deconstruction over demolition.

Is deconstruction for you? It’s hard to say. You should consult with your demolition contractor. Not every building or house demolition is a candidate for deconstruction. Your demolition contractor can advise you further about the advantages and disadvantages of deconstruction.

This local team is strong and will use every tool available at their disposal in order to get that Apartment Building demolished and removed from your land plot. With heavy machinery and a great team effort you will be pleased with what the crew will accomplish for you.

They also make it very easy for you to get in contact with them through their website or phone number. You can give them a call and read up on all the projects they have done and the experience the the team brings to the table. Your Demolition job will never get handled by a better group of Demolition experts than this team available to you.

1. A Written Estimate

A written estimate, signed by the demolition contractor, that clearly outlines the expected costs of your demolition project.  A written estimate is the first part of hiring a demolition contractor. You should never hire a demolition contractor without receiving a written estimate first.

2. Proof of Insurance

Proof of Insurance can be obtained from your demolition contractor’s insurance agent. This verifies that your demolition contractor is insured for the demolition work he is doing. Also make sure you’ve check his contractor’s license and verified his surety bond as well.

3. Contract

A contract between you and your demolition contractor should clear spell out the work to be performed, the time frame for that work to be done in, and a schedule of payments to be made. A contract should also include any required clauses (various states have various required clauses that must be in any contract) and an outline of how disputes with your contractor will be resolved (mediation, arbitration, etc).

If you have these three things from a demolition contractor you are ahead of the game and headed for a much better experience than those who haven’t secured this information.

Demolition contractors wh are desperate for business often will hire writers (either in the U.S. or overseas, mostly from India) to pump out hundreds of fake reviews to be posted on various review sites. Many demolition contractors will also ask their employees (or retain an employee full time) to write reviews for their company. 

So how do you separate out the fake reviews from the real reviews?

1. Generalities

People who have had a specific experience generally speaking have very specific memories to go along with that experience. Think back to losing your virginity. How would you describe it if your life depended on it. Would all you have to say is, “Well I lost my virginity and it was great. Highly recommend!”? Probably not.

Generalities and brevity are your first clues when it comes to spotting fake demolition contractor reviews. Regardless of whether someone had a great experience or a terrible experience, they’ll probably go into some fairly deep and sharp specifics relating to their experience with that particular demo contractors. A person who just had their pool removed and had a good enough experience to warrant taking the time to write a review will have more to say than just a single sentence.

A lot of unspecific, one or two line reviews is a pretty decent tell that you are dealing with a lot of fake reviews.

2. The combative good review

This scenario generally plays out something like this. A demolition contractor is hired by a homeowner to remove some concrete. He pulls a classic bait and switch, and charges her a lot more than what he estimated. That person, rightfully, goes to the internet to warn others off that particular contractor.

A day or a week later a new review pops up. And its from a guy who also had some concrete removal done and had a completely opposite experience of the last reviewer. Even to the point of calling that reviewer out specifically.

People are often oddly territorial about the companies they love and hate. I’ve seen grown men get into fights about whether Canon or Nikon made a better camera, for instance. But when it comes to demolition contractors this is often a swarmy tactic used to drag down a legitimate review and make their company look better than it probably is, which leads us into …

3. The Five Star bandit

Internet reviews are never perfect. People have outsized expectations of what a business can and can’t do. And when those expectations aren’t fulfilled they often take to the internet and holler about it. So when you are reading reviews of anything, even demolition contractors, its pretty normal to find one person that had a bad experience. However, a lot of bad reviews with similar complaints probably form a pretty accurate portrait of a bad contractor.

But, wait, a minute, there is one guy who really loves this one demolition contractor! Could he be a lone wolf crying in the wilderness? 

No. Mostly likely that single good review was put their by  a demolition contractor who felt like his business was on the ropes from bad (and I would guess accurate) reviews. So he made an account (or his brother or his mother) and posted an accurate review … of himself. 

My rule of thumb is mostly good reviews mixed with some mediocre and one or two bad reviews equals accurate. A lot of bad reviews also equally accurate. One good review isn’t enough to shift the weight of the people’s gestalt.

4. Reviews Live from New Dehli!

One of the darker corners of the internet is the space where demolition contractors who want to quickly build a good reputation or combat a string of lousy reviews buy internet reviews. The going rate for skilled U.S. Based reviewers is around $25 to $50 a review, and these reviews can be hard to spot.

But bad demolition contractors typically didn’t become bad demolition contractors by spending money, so instead of opting for good old American English Majors turned Yelp Fakers, they spend $200 on an Indian content farm that promises them hundreds of internet reviews that read better than the King’s Speech.

And what they get is, “Hello good sirs of the Pages that Yellow. I hired the above nice gentlemen to demolush a pool in my bath room. His work was of a superlative nature. Would highly recommend upon the altars of Vishnu. Praise be to the four stars!”

One immediate tip off of a fake review is misspellings and tortured phrasing. Misspellings aren’t uncommon on the internet (gasp) but look for obvious 8th grade and under misspells. Then look at the phrasing.  Grammar was assassinated a long time ago by that coward known as the internet but people have a distinct way of talking about things in America. And typically this colloquial phrasing is completely lost to the reviewers in New Dehli.

5. The copy paste

The copy paste review has gotten rarer because internet review sites realized that their existence hung upon their credibility. But every so often a proton torpedo slips past and lands in the reactor shaft of life. Every so often copy and paste internet reviews get posted.

These are easy to spot.

For instance, “I love these guys! I would high recommend! Very professional pool demo!” — Gary

Followed by, “I love these guys! I would high recommend! Very professional pool demo!” — Larry 

Yeah, that’s a fake.

In conclusion, there is no real way to verify every review you read. Chances are that some of the best reviews you read may be carefully constructed bits of artifice made in the foundries of a copywriter’s forge. But if you practice a certain amount of discernment and a skeptical eye, you can keep from getting fooled 80% of the time.

There are a lot of demolition contractors in Los Angeles. Large demolition contractors who handle full commercial demolition, small demolition contractors that handle just residential demolition, and plenty of demolition contractors in between that handle both residential and commercial demolition projects. So how do you find the right demolition contractor in Los Angeles? Here are 5 things you need to do before hiring a demolition contractor in Los Angeles.

1. Get Three Estimates

Before you hire a demolition contractor in Los Angeles get three estimates from three separate demolition contractors. Treat the estimation process like a job interview. Use this opportunity to get a feel for how a demolition contractor works and what his level of professionalism and experience is. 

2. Check A Demolition Contractor’s License and Bond

You can verify that a demolition contractor’s license is up to date by check with the California State Contractors Licensing Board. The CSLB can verify that your contractor’s license is up to date. They can also assist you in verifying a demolition contractor’s bond as well.

3.  Verify Your Demolition Contractor’s Insurance

Verifying your demolition contractor’s insurance is easy. Ask your demolition contractor for the name of his insurance agent. Call the insurance agent and ask him or her to fax you a Proof of Insurance certificate. Also make sure that a demolition contractor’s insurance covers the type of demolition work you need performed. Frequently, insurance only covers certain types of demolition work, or limits the type of work that can be performed.

 4. Ask a Demolition Contractor for References

A demolition contrator in Los Angeles should be able to supply two to three recent work references. These should be references for jobs performed in the last couple of months and should include names of those who had the work performed and numbers so you can contact them yourself.

5. Draft a Contract

You and your demolition contractor should sit down and draft up a work agreement. This agreement needs to outline the type of work to be done, the time it needs to be done in, and who pays in the event of an accident. 

If you do these five simple things you will find a better demolition contractor and have a better demolition experience than you would have otherwise.

Before you hire a demolition company in the Los Angeles area there are five questions everyone should ask their demolition company. These questions will help you determine whether you have the right demolition company for your project.

Are You Licensed By the State of California?

The default answer to this question should be “Yes” followed by “Here’s my license number.” If the answer is No. Or It doesn’t matter. Or Yes but I can’t give you my license number for some reason … Then walk away and find a licensed demolition company.

Are You Insured and Can You Provide Proof of Insurance?

Most demolition companies in Los Angeles will claim to have insurance, but you need to verify that they have enough insurance and that their insurance policy covers the type of demolition work you are hiring them to do. All you have to do is ask your demolition company to provide the name and phone number of his or her insurance agent. Call the insurance agent and have him or her fax you a Proof of Insurance Certificate.

Can You Provide Three Recent References?

Any good demolition company in Los Angeles should be able to provide three to four recent (within the last three to six months) references. These should be work references from satisfied client. You should be able to call each client and check on the quality of the contractor’s work. These references should also serve as credit references as well.

How Many of These Demolition Projects Have You Done?

There is no magic number when it comes to how many demolition projects a demolition company does before he is “good”. But you ideally want to hire a demolition company that has a lot of experience in both demolition and in the particular type of demolition service you are asking him to perform.

What Happens If I’m Not Satisfied? 

This could also be called “Write a good contract”. You need to clearly outline what happens if you are not satisfied with a contractor’s work and how any disputes with your demolition company will be resolve.

If you ask your demolition company these questions you’ll be better prepared and better informed.

So how do you avoid a getting baited and switched by a demolition company in Los Angeles?

Tip #1: Always Get a Written Estimate

Unless it was written down, it never happened. So when  demolition company tells you a job is going to cost X have them put it in writing and have them sign it. While written estimates are not iron clad (and demolition jobs can run into legitimate cost overruns), they do offer you proof that the demolition company in question quoted you a certain price.

Tip #2: Get a Contract in Writing

A contract that spells out specifics protects you and protects the demolition company your contracting with. A good contract should delve deeply into specifics. What kind of demolition service is provide? How are the payments to be scheduled? What happens if there is a legitimate cost overrun? And what happens if a demolition company doesn’t perform the work to your satisfaction.

Tip #3: Don’t Reward Bait and Switch Demolition Companies.

The worst thing you can do is reward a demolition company that does pull a bait and switch by allowing them to do a job. If a demolition company insists that a job will cost more than estimated and refuses to stand by their original estimate send them packing. Yes, this will cost you time and money in the short term, but it sends a clear message that bait and switches won’t work. 

Tip #4: Report Bad Demolition Companies.

If you discover a demolition company in Los Angeles involved in a bait and switch scheme report them to the Better Business Bureau and the California Contractors State Licensing Board. While bait and switching isn’t against the law, it is an unethical practice that both the state of California and the Better Business Bureau frowns upon.

The main thing to remember when it comes to finding a demolition company is to stay vigilant and to never take anything on a handshake agreement. 

1. A demolition company in Los Angeles that refuses to give a written estimate. A written estimate is standard fair for almost every demolition job. If a demolition company in Los Angeles says they don’t do estimates, or just gives phone estimates, or charge large amounts of money for demolition estimates move along and find a better company. 

2. A demolition company in Los Angeles that does not have a demolition contractor’s license. A demolition company that operates without a license is an invitation to disaster. Using a unlicensed contractor opens up you and your family to potential legal liabilities, and could cause damage to your house.

3. A demolition company in Los Angeles that doesn’t have insurance. Much like a contractor’s license, demolition companies are supposed to carry adequate insurance. If your demolition company doesn’t carry insurance or refuses to provide proof of insurance time to walk away.3

4. A demolition company in Los Angeles that has poor credit, or has been sued multiple times. A demolition company in Los Angeles that has poor credit can leave you liable for paying workers and subcontractors.

5. A demolition company in Los Angeles that has poor internet reviews. Internet reviews, both positive and negative, should be taken in context and with a certain grain of salt. But if a demolition company has mostly negative reviews than its time to find a different demolition company. 

You need a contract with a demolition contractor that spells out specifically the work to be done. Whether you are doing a swimming pool removal, a bathroom demolition, or a whole house demolition your contract should spell out the exact demolition work to be performed.  

A contract with your demolition contractor should also include specifics about the hauling and disposal of construction debris. Many people have been left with a pile of construction debris because the contract they had with their demolition contractor left them holding the bag. Ideally, your demolition contractor should handle construction debris hauling and removal. Whether they rent out a dumpster or subcontract to a hauling service.

Any contract with your demolition contractor also needs to spell out exactly how your demolition contractor gets paid. A good contract spells out a payment schedule and how payments are made.

You should also have a clause in your contract with a demolition contractor that spells out what happens if you demolition project isn’t done to specified standards. And who is liable if the demolition contractor damages your property.

The key to drafting any contract is specificity. So be specific and be thorough.