What House Demolition Costs in 2026 | Bastrop County Demolition

As of October 2026, three national cost guides, Angi, HomeGuide, and Fixr, publish house demolition ranges. Each gives a per-square-foot figure and covers add-ons, too. Those are national figures, so they aren’t quotes for a teardown in Bastrop County.

We give you our own number for a Bastrop County teardown after a walkthrough. The size of the house, what it’s built from, and its foundation affect that number. So do asbestos, permits, utilities, and disposal.

What the published guides say

Angi, updated August 3, 2026, lists $6,000 to $25,000 for house demolition, $15,800 for an average 2,000-square-foot home, and $4 to $17 per square foot. It puts a 1,500-square-foot home at $6,000 in rural areas and $25,500 in densely populated cities because rural sites are easier to reach.

HomeGuide, dated February 9, 2026, lists a national average of $14,000 for house demolition, a range of $6,000 to $25,000, and $4 to $10 per square foot. Its figure reaches up to $25 per square foot with asbestos or lead.

Fixr, updated January 31, 2025, lists $7,500 to $15,000 for house demolition, $10,000 for a 1,500-square-foot home on a slab, and $5 to $10 per square foot. The three ranges differ, so read each with its date.

Published national house demolition figures by source
Source	Updated	Range	Per square foot
Angi	Aug. 3, 2026	$6,000–$25,000 ($15,800 for 2,000 sq. ft.)	$4–$17
HomeGuide	Feb. 9, 2026	$6,000–$25,000 (average $14,000)	$4–$10, up to $25 with asbestos or lead
Fixr	Jan. 31, 2025	$7,500–$15,000 ($10,000 for 1,500 sq. ft. on a slab)	$5–$10

Size and what the house is built from

Total size is a primary cost driver. The Angi demolition calculator, updated August 3, 2026, publishes a demolition cost range of $4 to $17 per square foot. Angi says wood-framed homes cost less to demolish than brick, concrete, or steel homes. Angi also says stone accents or heavy tile roofs need more equipment and labor.

Fixr’s published demolition cost range, updated January 31, 2025, runs from as low as $3 per square foot for older homes without foundations to as much as $12 per square foot for newer homes with full basements. Angi says rural sites cost less than dense urban sites because access is easier.

Foundation, slab, and site work

Angi (updated August 3, 2026) publishes a foundation removal range of $1,000 to $5,000. HomeGuide (February 9, 2026) publishes a range of $2,000 to $6,000 for a concrete-slab foundation and a demolition range of $3 to $7 per square foot when the foundation stays in place. Fixr (updated January 31, 2025) publishes a foundation removal range of $1,000 to $25,000, with slabs well below basements in cost.

The Angi demolition cost calculator (updated August 3, 2026) publishes ranges of $1,300 to $5,600 for site grading and soil stabilization, $1,950 to $6,250 for tree and landscaping removal, and $150 to $500 for temporary fencing.

Mobile homes, outbuildings, pools, and concrete

Published national ranges for jobs besides a whole house include:

Mobile home demolition: $3,000 to $7,000 (Angi, 2026) or $2,000 to $5,000 (HomeGuide, 2026).
Shed or barn removal: $250 to $3,000 (Angi, 2026).
Garage demolition: $1,000 to $5,000 (HomeGuide, 2026).
In-ground pool: $2,500 to $10,000 for a partial fill-in or $4,000 to $16,000 for full removal (Angi, 2026). See the pool guide.
Concrete removal: $3 to $8 per square foot, disposal included (HomeGuide, 2025).
Interior demolition: $2 to $8 per square foot (HomeGuide, 2026).

Asbestos

Fixr (updated January 31, 2025) puts a teardown with significant asbestos in siding, roofing, flooring, or insulation at two to three times regular demolition, with a published range of $10 to $30 per square foot. It also puts inspection and testing at about $500. Angi’s 2026 demolition calculator publishes an asbestos removal range of $1,000 to $2,900.

Under the Texas Department of State Health Services asbestos rules, a single house coming down by itself doesn’t need an asbestos survey. If other buildings on the lot come down too, it does.

Permits, utilities, and disposal

The Elgin fee schedule for FY 2025-26 lists the demolition permit fee as $0.00. The Smithville fee schedule (Resolution 2023-09-513) lists the demolition permit fee as $50.00. The City of Bastrop’s Residential Demolition Checklist says the permit fee is invoiced after the application is accepted for review and lists no amount. Angi (updated August 3, 2026) says demolition permits often require water, sewer, and gas lines capped in advance by a plumber or the gas company, with that work paid separately.

Angi (updated August 3, 2026) publishes a range of $300 to $1,800 for debris disposal when it isn’t in the contractor’s quote. Fixr (updated January 31, 2025) publishes a range of $400 to $800 per truckload for debris removal and a range of $200 to $1,000 for septic tank demolition.

What we look at on a walkthrough

We look at these details before we price a Bastrop County teardown:

The house’s square footage and number of stories.
Whether it’s built from wood frame, brick, or block.
The foundation type and whether the slab or piers come out.
Any other structures, a driveway, or a pool included in the same job.
The septic tank, water well, overhead lines, and tree cover around the house.
The house’s age and whether you’ve already had an asbestos survey done.

What house demolition costs