Concrete Demolition in Austin
Saw-cut, break-out and haul-off for slabs, footings, kerbs and walls.
About concrete demolition
Concrete demolition starts with the cut. A saw-cut edge gives the new pour something square to tie into; a broken edge does not, and it usually has to be cut back afterwards anyway. On partial removals the cut line is chosen so the remaining slab keeps its support and its joints still make sense.
What is underneath the concrete governs the method. Post-tensioned slabs, live conduits, water lines and reinforcement all change the approach, and locating services before cutting is not optional. Interior demolition adds dust, noise and vibration control, and a route to get the debris out without damaging the rest of the building.
Volume and disposal drive a large part of the effort. Concrete is heavy, and the number of loads leaving the site is often the real measure of the job. Clean concrete can frequently be recycled as crushed base rather than landfilled.
Finally, demolition should leave the site ready for what comes next: sub-grade at the right level, edges square, and the area clean enough to form and pour without a second mobilisation.
What concrete demolition work involves
Conduits, water, gas and post-tensioning identified before a blade touches the slab.
Cut lines set so the remaining concrete keeps its support and the new work has a square edge.
Concrete broken and reinforcement cut free, sized for whatever is carrying it away.
Debris loaded and removed; clean concrete separated where it can be recycled.
The exposed ground trimmed and compacted, ready for the next pour.
Materials, finishes and specifications
General trade practice for concrete demolition. The figures on your job are whatever ends up on your written scope.
- Cutting
- Walk-behind saws for slabs, hand saws and ring saws for detail and vertical work
- Breaking
- Hydraulic breakers sized to the element; hand tools where vibration has to be limited
- Reinforcement
- Cut free rather than pulled, so the surrounding concrete is not damaged
- Dust control
- Wet cutting or extraction, particularly on interior work
- Disposal
- Clean concrete is commonly recycled as crushed base; mixed debris usually is not
Project types
What decides the price of concrete demolition
No two jobs price the same. These are the things that move the number, and they should each appear as a line on a written quote.
- Area and thickness of the concrete
- Reinforcement, and whether the slab is post-tensioned
- Interior or exterior, and how far debris has to travel
- Access for machinery and trucks
- Dust, noise and vibration restrictions
- Length of saw-cut required
- Disposal and recycling of the material
- Sub-grade preparation left behind
What to ask before you hire
- Ask for the contractor's licence number and current insurance certificates, and check them yourself.
- Insist on an itemised quote rather than a single lump sum — thickness, reinforcement, prep, finish and haul-off should each have a line.
- Ask whether the crew on site works for the company or is brokered out, and who your point of contact is on pour day.
- Ask what the sub-base preparation is, what reinforcement is specified, and how joints will be laid out. Vague answers are the warning sign.
- Ask what happens if the work fails later, and whether that answer is written into the contract rather than said on the doorstep.
- Ask for recent references for the same kind of work in your area, and call one.
What goes wrong on these jobs
- Cutting into an unmarked conduit or water line.
- Broken edges that have to be re-cut before the new pour.
- Vibration damage to finishes elsewhere in an occupied building.
- Debris volume underestimated, so the job stalls waiting on trucks.
- Sub-grade left at the wrong level for the replacement slab.
Straight answers
A cut edge is square and keeps the remaining slab intact. A broken edge usually has to be cut back before anything new can be poured against it.
Yes, with dust extraction or wet cutting, vibration control, and a planned route for the debris.
Clean concrete is often crushed and reused as base material. Concrete mixed with other debris generally cannot be.
Want this quoted?
Send a few details and we will come and look at it.
What happens after you call
- 01
Site visit
We come out, walk the job, and look at access, levels and what has to come out first.
- 02
Written scope
Thickness, reinforcement, sub-base prep, finish, joints and haul-off, itemised so it can be compared line for line.
- 03
Prep and scheduling
Permits where they apply, then excavation, formwork and any inspections booked in sequence.
- 04
Pour and finish
Place, consolidate and finish to the spec on the quote — broom, smooth, salt or stamped.
- 05
Walkthrough
We walk the finished work with you and go over how to look after it while it cures.
Questions about concrete demolition
Where these crews work
Other work these crews do
Commercial Concrete
Slabs, pads, ADA ramps and site concrete for commercial builds.
Foundations & Excavation
Footings, stem walls and site prep for new construction.
Flatwork & Driveways
Sidewalks, patios, aprons and warehouse floors.
Commercial Renovation
Tenant improvements, retail build-outs and ADA upgrades.
Home Renovation & Repairs
Remodels, concrete decks and residential repair work.
Flooring Services
Tile, laminate and vinyl plank flooring installed clean and level.
Ready to talk about concrete demolition?
Send a few details and photos, and we will take it from there.