I just graduated from Le Cordon Bleu  and know i have the skills to change the way you look at fine dinning in America. I will be the next Mario Batali or Wolfgang Puck that will make an impact in the world of foodology. First though, i had to start at home and have the right workplace for me to accomplish my unquestionable amazing dishes. With not much very space in my kitchen i decided to go the DIY route and demolish my kitchen to have it furnished with high end appliances and the largest food island you have seen this side of the Valley. 

This was much more work than expected and to be honest, i thought i would be able to do it all on my own. I started to prep the kitchen demolition and grabbed my trusty sledgehammer. Upon first strike i was hoping to demolish a lone standing column. As i did, not only did it get electrocuted because of exposed and not grounded wires, but i also almost knocked down a load baring column that made my ceiling slump and make a scary noise. Unfazed and confident in myself, i started to tear down a wall to open up the space. After a few swings, my sledgehammer kept making a clanking noise. Once the water was squirting me in the face i realized i had just knocked down a water pipe as well. 

This was a calamity of sorts and i couldn’t go on any further. I called up the best Los Angeles Demolition Company and let them handle the rest for me.

The internet is a great way of finding demolition services in Los Angeles. What used to be a two day slog of thumbing through Yellow Pages can now be accomplished in a single day or less by using Bing! and Google to find demolition services in Los Angeles. You can also find demolition services in Los Angeles by thumbing through social networks like Twitter and Facebook. 

Call Your Homeowners Association …

Some neighborhoods and developments have homeowners associations. Chances are those homeowners associations can provide you with guidance on where to find demolition services in Los Angeles. They may have a couple of names of frequently used or trusted demolition services, or be able to refer you to a source that can find the right demolition services in Los Angeles for you.

A Few Tips to Remember …

When hiring demolition services to do a job get a couple of estimates. Demolition services in Los Angeles should be able to give you a written estimate that outlines the costs of your job. Also make sure the demolition services you use is licensed, bonded, and insured by the State of California.

Luckily finding demolition services in Los Angeles is pretty easy. There are plenty of demolition services in Los Angeles, and there is one just perfect for you and your job.

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.

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. 

The first step is to ask your demolition contractor for two to four references. These references should be for similar jobs done in the last three to six months. Asking for references is pretty standard practice in construction and demolition. If your demolition contractor refuses to provide references then find another demolition contractor. If your demolition contractor provides letters of reference be sure to make a follow up call to the person who wrote that letter. Letters of reference can be easily forged, unfortunately.

Another tip is to check your demolition contractor’s references against their online reviews. If the references and the reviews correspond than you’ve probably found a good demolition contractor. If a demolition contractor has good references but generally poor reviews you may want to look around for another demolition contractor.

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.  

Asking a demolition contractor for recent references is standard practice but many people feel awkward about asking. Don’t. Any demolition contractor in Los Angeles should happily provide you with recent work references. Any demolition contractor that says they won’t provide references, can’t provide references, or delay providing references is a contractor you don’t want to deal with.

So how many references should you ask your demolition contractor for? You want at least two recent references from jobs done in the last three to six months. You should also ask for a credit reference. Why ask for a credit reference? Because a demolition contractor with poor credit, even if his work is good, can leave you holding the bill for payment to workers and subcontractors.