Demolition Contractors in Decatur, GA

Decatur is small and crowded, and demolition contractors in Decatur have to work carefully. The city covers about 4.6 square miles and counted 24,928 residents in 2020, a density of about 5,423 people per square mile. Its 11,205 housing units include block after block of early 20th-century bungalows, and many of the projects we see here are interior gut-outs, rear additions coming off and old garages being replaced rather than whole-house teardowns.

Decatur's tree canopy rules apply to demolition

Decatur takes its trees seriously. Under the city's Tree Canopy Conservation Ordinance, demolition, building and land development on residential or commercial property are subject to tree removal permit requirements and must meet tree plan requirements. Before filing a building, site development or similar permit that removes trees or disturbs the critical root zone of a protected tree, owners need a pre-application meeting with the city arborist. A removal permit requires a certified arborist's assessment report, and the city says processing typically takes up to 10 business days.

For a demolition, that means we plan equipment access, the dumpster spot and the haul path around the root zones of the trees that are staying, and we build the arborist step into the schedule.

Historic districts and bungalow streets

Decatur has several historic districts, including the MAK Historic District with its early 20th-century Craftsman homes, the Ponce de Leon Court Historic District, a single street of bungalows east of the Square, the South Candler Street and Agnes Scott College district, and Winnona Park. Historic Oakhurst, an early 20th-century town later annexed by Decatur, is also lined with bungalows. If your property sits in a designated district, ask the city about review before planning to remove anything visible from the street.

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What comes out of an old bungalow

Gutting a 1910s or 1920s house usually means plaster and lath, old knob-and-tube wiring, cast-iron drain lines, layers of flooring and sometimes asbestos in old duct wrap or floor tile. We test what needs testing before we start, then remove materials room by room so the framing and anything you are keeping are protected. Plaster dust travels, so we seal off the work area and keep the debris path short.

Small lots, close neighbors

With houses this close together, we pick compact equipment, keep the street clear and haul out debris as we go. For garage teardowns and rear additions, much of the work is done with small machines and by hand.

A county seat since 1823

Decatur was incorporated on December 10, 1823, and is the DeKalb County seat; the Historic DeKalb County Courthouse still stands on the Square. The city handles its own permits. Call (470) 260-8440 and tell us what you are planning.