Free tool · Cost

Demolition Labor Estimator

Our published demolition labor is $65 an hour per laborer and $95 an hour for a foreman, with a 4-hour minimum. Two laborers and a foreman for an 8-hour day come to $1,800 in labor, before equipment, consumables or a dumpster. We quote each demolition case by case, so treat this as an estimate at published rates.

No sign-up · works on your phoneUpdated September 22, 20267 sources

The job

Laborers$65/hrUp to 20 in this tool.

Hours on the job, per personhr4-hour minimum.

Foreman on the job$95 an hour, same hours as the crew.

Equipment

14" gas-powered handheld radial power saw with diamond blade$375, as publishedTow-behind compressor jack hammer with #60 hammer$475, as published#30 electric demo hammer with chisel, spade or breaker bit$150, as published

Add a dumpsterAt the published dumpster rate sheet.

Estimate at published rates

Estimate

$1,800

Labor and equipment

Billed hours

8hr each

3 people on site

Labor

$1,800

Equipment

None picked

An estimate, not a quote

We quote demolition case by case. This adds up the published labor and equipment rates for the hours you entered. Consumables are billed where used and aren’t priced publicly: masks, gloves, floor protection, painters plastic and tape for dust protection, blades for sawzall/grinder.

How this was calculated

Laborers2 × 8 hr × $65/hr$1,040

Foreman1 × 8 hr × $95/hr$760

Total$1,800$1,800

Minimum applied: 4 hr per person
Equipment counted: Once per job
Consumables: Not included
Dumpster: Not included

How the minimum and the equipment prices apply to a multi-day job is our call on the quote. Ask us. See the demolition page and the rate sheet.

Worked example

Two laborers, a foreman, a jack hammer and a concrete bin for one day

Say the job is breaking out concrete, and you figure a crew of two laborers and a foreman for 8 hours with the tow-behind jack hammer, plus a 12-yard bin for the clean concrete. The hours are your estimate; we don’t publish how long jobs take.

Laborers: 2 × 8 hr × $65/hr = $1,040
Foreman: 1 × 8 hr × $95/hr = $760
Equipment: Tow-behind compressor jack hammer with #60 hammer, $475, as published = $475
Dumpster: 12-yard, clean concrete (10 cubic yards (fill line inside dumpster). No rebar, no brick.) = $775

Estimate: $3,050, plus whatever consumables the job uses. Shorten the same job to one laborer for 2 hours and the 4-hour minimum still bills 4: 1 × 4 × $65 = $260.

Reference

Our published demolition labor and equipment rates

From our rate sheet, read September 23, 2026. Consumables are billed where used and not priced publicly.

Eco Waste demolition, clean-up and haul-away rates: labor, equipment and consumables
Item	Published rate	Note
Basic labor	$65 per hour	4-hour minimum
Foreman labor	$95 per hour	4-hour minimum
14" gas-powered handheld radial power saw with diamond blade	$375	Published price; ask whether it is per day or per job
Tow-behind compressor jack hammer with #60 hammer	$475	Published price; ask whether it is per day or per job
#30 electric demo hammer with chisel, spade or breaker bit	$150	Published price; ask whether it is per day or per job
Consumables	Billed where used	Masks, gloves, floor protection, painters plastic and tape for dust protection, blades for sawzall/grinder

How to use it

In 5 steps

1Enter how many laborers the job needs. Each is billed at $65 an hour.
2Tick the foreman if one runs the job ($95 an hour).
3Enter the hours each person is on the job. Anything under 4 is billed as 4.
4Pick the equipment, and add a dumpster if the debris needs one.
5Call or text us with photos for the real quote.

What this estimate covers, and what it doesn't

It covers the parts of a demolition we publish a price for: labor by the hour, three pieces of equipment and, if you add one, a dumpster at the standard rate sheet. It leaves out consumables (masks, gloves, floor protection, plastic and tape for dust, saw and grinder blades), which are billed where used. It also leaves out costs that aren’t on our rate sheet: an asbestos survey, abatement, permit fees and the South Coast AQMD notice fee. Check those with the demolition notice checker.

Who can do demolition. The CSLB’s C-21 classification is the California contractor license for demolition: a C-21 contractor “raises, lowers, cribs, underpins, demolishes and moves or removes structures, including their foundations” (16 CCR §832.21). It doesn’t cover rebuilding what stays. Since January 1, 2025 the minor-work exemption lets an unlicensed person take a job only if the total, labor and materials, is under $1,000, the work needs no permit, and they employ no one. A demolition that needs a permit is not minor work.

Eco Waste Inc. holds CSLB license #947447, classification C-21 (Building Moving / Demolition), issued May 18, 2010. Check the record on the CSLB site. For the order a demolition happens in, read Planning a Demolition in Orange County.

FAQ

Demo labor: questions

How much does demolition labor cost in Orange County?

Our published rates are $65 an hour per laborer and $95 an hour for a foreman, with a 4-hour minimum. Two laborers and a foreman for 8 hours is $1,800 in labor. We quote each demolition case by case.

Is there a minimum charge for demolition labor?

Yes, a 4-hour minimum. A one-person, 2-hour job is billed as 4 hours: $260.

What does the estimate leave out?

Consumables, which are billed where used and not priced publicly. It also leaves out costs that aren't on our rate sheet: an asbestos survey, asbestos abatement, city permit fees and the South Coast AQMD notification fee.

Do I need a licensed contractor for demolition?

For most jobs, yes. The CSLB's C-21 classification covers demolition. Since January 1, 2025 an unlicensed person can only take a job under $1,000 total that needs no permit and uses no employees (AB 2622). A permitted demolition doesn't qualify.

Is Eco Waste licensed for demolition?

Yes. Eco Waste Inc. holds CSLB license #947447, classification C-21 (Building Moving / Demolition), issued May 18, 2010. The record is public at cslb.ca.gov.

Something not answered here? Call or text — it’s quicker than guessing.

(949) 701-0206 Send it in writing

Sources

Where these numbers come from

[1]Eco Waste rate sheet, revised 07/01/2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)Labor $65/hr basic and $95/hr foreman, 4-hour minimum; saw, jack hammer and demo hammer prices; consumables billed where used. Read September 23, 2026.
[2]CSLB license record #947447 (opens in a new tab)Eco Waste Inc., C-21 Building Moving / Demolition, active, issued May 18, 2010. Checked September 22, 2026.
[3]16 CCR §832.21, Class C-21 Building Moving/Demolition Contractor (opens in a new tab)The C-21 scope: "raises, lowers, cribs, underpins, demolishes and moves or removes structures, including their foundations." read 2026-09-22.
[4]CSLB, C-21 classification (opens in a new tab)Same scope, and it "does not include the alterations, additions, repairs or rehabilitation of the permanently retained portions." read 2026-09-22.
[5]CSLB Industry Bulletin #24-07: minor work exemption rises to $1,000 (AB 2622) (opens in a new tab)From January 1, 2025: $500 to $1,000; the work can't need a permit and the unlicensed person can't employ anyone. read 2026-09-22.
[6]CSLB news release #24-21 on AB 2622 (opens in a new tab)"The $1,000 includes all costs associated with the project." read 2026-09-22.
[7]CSLB, Building Official Information Guide (opens in a new tab)Still said "less than $500" when read 2026-09-22; the 2024 bulletin is newer.

Last reviewed September 22, 2026. Spot something wrong? Text (949) 701-0206 and it gets fixed.

Related tools

Planning a Demolition in Orange CountyLicenses, permits, the asbestos survey, the SCAQMD notice and utilities, in the order they happen.

Know what you need? Book the bin.

12 to 40-yard roll-offs and $29 dumpster bags across Orange County. Call or text with the size, the city and the day — Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 4.

Text us (949) 701-0206