Demolition. We’re not here to teach you how to strike lightning with a hammer, but we can help you prepare for your next demolition job. From the required permits and regulations, we got you covered in informing you about everything you need to know.
The Seattle-King County region has done a great job over the years to stick to the regulations and importances that are needed in order to maintain the system. It’s time to set you up for your demolition project.
This guide outlines steps for demolition to meet requirements and maintain safety through the process.
Legal Requirements and Permits
A demolition permit starts each project in Seattle. The City maintains standards that projects must meet before work begins.
Permits become mandatory for removals, with these exceptions:
- One-story structures under 120 square feet with pier blocks or slab on grade
- Detached garages or structures near residences when part of existing projects
- Interior non-structural elements (termed “soft demolition”)
Before submitting permit applications, address these requirements:
Environmental and Safety Requirements
Demolition permits must be up to date on the environmental and safety requirements. Make sure you start with a 15-day rat abatement period that is licensed by a pest control company, before any work starts.
Next, you want to get your documentation of completion for the rat abatement.
Then start with the inspection, and make sure to get your inspection verified by a professional.
Finally, implement all control measures to make sure environmental concerns are covered.
Historic Preservation Review
Always check with your Department of Neighborhoods to verify that your building is ok to be demolished. Next, make sure to gather an approval certificate for the demolition.
The Department of Neighborhoods Preservation Program will verify these things:
- Maintains landmark status
- Exists in a historic district
- Approval certificates
- Preservation assessment
- Contains elements requiring documentation
Pre-Application Process
Complete these steps:
- Submit Building & Land Use Pre-Application through Seattle Services Portal
- Provide site plans with measurements and details
- Schedule site visits for projects affecting over 750 square feet
- Create demolition plans showing:
- Structure locations
- Tree protection measures
- Site boundaries
- Access points
- Utility locations
- Drainage systems
Permits remain valid for 18 months, with renewal options in one-year increments for additional fees. Requirements vary by location within Seattle-King County. Verify specifications with jurisdictions.
Asbestos Inspection and Management
Asbestos inspection initiates demolition projects in Seattle. Regulations require material removal before demolition begins.
Survey Requirements
Owners must obtain asbestos surveys from AHERA-certified building inspectors who will:
- Locate asbestos materials throughout structures
- Document conditions and positions
- Create removal plans
- Specify handling procedures
- Establish containment requirements
- Detail disposal methods
Notification Process
Projects exceeding 120 square feet require you to have:
- Asbestos/Demolition Notification submission to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
- Payment of filing fees
- Waiting periods before work starts
- Documentation of notifications
- Verification of receipt
Professional Removal
Homeowners are able to remove asbestos from their residential properties alone, however it’s much more preferable to get it done by a professional due to the fact that they cover a lot more.
Here’s a few things professionals provide:
- Safety equipment and protective gear
- Removal protocols and containment
- Disposal handling
- Documentation systems
- Site monitoring
- Air quality testing
Waste Management
Asbestos materials must be contained in approved packages with labels that identify their contents. They are transported by licensed carriers and disposed of at authorized facilities. Documentation is maintained through a chain-of-custody process, making sure there is verification of proper disposal.
Compliance Documentation
Records must be maintained for survey results with locations, notification forms and responses, disposal manifests and receipts, contractor certifications, worker qualifications, site monitoring data, and air quality results.
Safety Planning and Site Preparation
Safety planning requires procedures before work begins.
Site Security Measures
Make sure that there is an implementation of fencing around perimeters, signs indicating hazards, access controls at entry points, lighting, staging areas, material storage zones, and worker check-in systems.
- Fencing around perimeters
- Signs indicating hazards
- Access controls at entry points
- Lighting for visibility
- Staging areas for equipment
- Material storage zones
- Worker check-in systems
Utility Disconnections
Complete the following steps when disconnecting utilities:
- Electrical termination by Seattle City Light
- Gas line shutdown by Puget Sound Energy
- Water/sewer disconnection through Seattle Public Utilities
- Verification of service ends
- Documentation of disconnections
- Marking of utility locations
- Protection of remaining services
Adjacent Property Protection
To manage debris effectively, establish barriers to contain spread, document all conditions, set up monitoring systems, and define clear communication procedures. Develop response protocols to act swiftly, put in place protective measures, and create inspection schedules to ensure regular oversight.
- Barriers preventing debris spread
- Documentation of conditions
- Monitoring systems
- Communication procedures
- Response protocols
- Protection measures
- Inspection schedules
Emergency Response Planning
Emergency response plans must include marked evacuation routes, worker assembly points, emergency contacts, first aid stations, equipment placement, response procedures and communication systems to ensure swift action during incidents.
Site Safety Protocol
Written site safety protocols should specify protection equipment requirements, daily safety meetings, weather condition responses, equipment operation rules, dust control methods, monitoring systems and reporting procedures.
Environmental Considerations
Environmental protection in Seattle requires implementation of control measures throughout demolition.
Dust Control Requirements
Air quality regulations require water misting systems to operate during work, debris chutes to connect to covered dumpsters, wheel washing stations at exits, scheduled street sweeping, wind screens on fencing, monitoring equipment, air quality testing, documentation of measures, response procedures for varying conditions, and maintenance schedules for all systems.
Stormwater Management
Water protection requires the placement of an array of things, such as:
- Catch basin filters in positions
- Sediment barriers around perimeters
- Construction Stormwater Plans (CSECP)
- Maintenance of control systems
- Documentation of inspections
- Testing of water quality
- Response plans for issues
- Reporting procedures
- Monitoring schedules
- System updates as needed
Noise Control Measures
Noise Ordinance specifies this:
- Work hours: 7 AM to 7 PM weekdays
- Sound barrier placement
- Equipment maintenance schedules
- Noise monitoring systems
- Reporting requirements
- Response procedures
- Communication protocols
- Documentation methods
- Testing schedules
- Mitigation plans
Tree Protection
Preservation requires:
- Fencing at drip lines
- Root zone designation
- Soil protection measures
- Documentation systems
- Monitoring procedures
- Response protocols
- Maintenance schedules
- Inspection requirements
- Reporting methods
- Update procedures
Hazardous Materials Management
Handle materials by conducting lead paint assessment and removal, identifying and extracting PCBs, decommissioning storage tanks, following material testing procedures, implementing containment systems, adhering to transport protocols, documenting disposal, maintaining chain-of-custody records, meeting site testing requirements, and using verification methods.
Pre-Demolition Assessment
Assessment identifies challenges and establishes procedures.
Structural Evaluation
Analysis requires identifying load-bearing elements, assessing collapse hazards, documenting construction type, mapping structural dependencies, planning support requirements, conducting material testing procedures, evaluating connections, analyzing load paths, identifying weaknesses, and developing response plans.
- Load-bearing element identification
- Collapse hazard assessment
- Construction type documentation
- Structural dependency mapping
- Support requirement planning
- Material testing procedures
- Connection evaluation
- Load path analysis
- Weakness identification
- Response planning
Site Survey Requirements
Document property boundaries with markers, underground utility positions, surface features and grades, drainage patterns and systems, structure locations and conditions, access point positions, material storage areas, equipment staging zones, protection requirements, and monitoring locations.
- Property boundaries with markers
- Underground utility positions
- Surface features and grades
- Drainage patterns and systems
- Structure locations and conditions
- Access point positions
- Material storage areas
- Equipment staging zones
- Protection requirements
- Monitoring locations
Material Testing
Conduct tests for concrete core sampling, soil contamination levels, material composition analysis, load capacity verification, foundation condition assessment, structural integrity checks, material strength testing, chemical composition analysis, hazard identification, and documentation requirements.
- Concrete core sampling
- Soil contamination levels
- Material composition analysis
- Load capacity verification
- Foundation condition assessment
- Structural integrity checks
- Material strength testing
- Chemical composition analysis
- Hazard identification
- Documentation requirements
Documentation Requirements
Maintain records of building conditions with photos, construction drawings, modification records, structure deficiencies, environmental findings, test results, survey data, inspection reports, communication records, and update procedures.
- Building conditions with photos
- Construction drawings
- Modification records
- Structure deficiencies
- Environmental findings
- Test results
- Survey data
- Inspection reports
- Communication records
- Update procedures
Project Planning and Timeline
Planning requires coordination through project phases.
Phase Scheduling
The timeline includes permit acquisition (4-6 weeks), utility disconnection (2-3 weeks), asbestos removal (time varies by scope), demolition phase (1-4 weeks), site cleanup (1-2 weeks), inspections (1-2 weeks), along with documentation periods, review phases, update cycles, and verification steps.
Resource Allocation
Plan distribution of:
- Equipment requirements
- Labor force needs
- Material handling capacity
- Waste management systems
- Traffic control personnel
- Safety monitoring staff
- Inspection teams
- Documentation personnel
- Support services
- Emergency response teams
Equipment Requirements
Selections are based on structure size and type, site access conditions, environmental limits, noise restrictions, material processing needs, transport requirements, storage capacity, protection systems, monitoring equipment, and support machinery.
- Structure size/type
- Site access conditions
- Environmental limits
- Noise restrictions
- Material processing needs
- Transport requirements
- Storage capacity
- Protection systems
- Monitoring equipment
- Support machinery
Critical Path Management
Monitor the progress of:
- Permit approval deadlines
- Inspection requirements
- Weather-dependent tasks
- Utility coordination
- Compliance verification
- Documentation submission
- Testing completion
- Material removal
- Site restoration
- Final approval
Waste Management and Recycling
Seattle requires recycling and waste management procedures.
Separating Materials By Type
Separate:
- Wood/lumber types
- Metals by category
- Concrete/masonry
- Hazardous materials
- Construction debris
- Recyclable items
- Salvage materials
- Disposal waste
- Containment materials
- Processing waste
Recycling or Dumping Process
Meet 70% recycling rate through:
- Material documentation
- Facility certification
- Percentage tracking
- Compliance reporting
- On-site sorting
- Transport verification
- Processing documentation
- Rate calculations
- Progress monitoring
- Update procedures
Transportation Logistics
Manage removal through:
- Route approval
- Schedule coordination
- Load requirements
- Street maintenance
- Traffic control
- Documentation systems
- Transport verification
- Time management
- Safety procedures
- Emergency response
Site Restoration and Cleanup
Restoration requires completion of requirements.
Post-Demolition Tasks
Here are the post-demolition tasks you should do before starting your demolition project.
- Debris removal processes
- Grade establishment
- Erosion control implementation
- Utility verification
- Inspection procedures
- Documentation requirements
- Testing protocols
- Verification steps
- Update procedures
- Final approval
Ground Preparation
Stabilize the site by performing soil compaction procedures, installing drainage systems, applying control seed, conducting soil amendment processes, implementing area restoration methods, fulfilling testing requirements, setting up monitoring systems, following documentation procedures, completing verification steps, and establishing maintenance plans.
Environmental Verification
Make sure to conduct air quality testing, soil contamination checks, stormwater system inspection, tree protection verification, environmental cleanup confirmation, documentation review, compliance verification, update procedures, final approval, and maintenance planning.
Site Security
Site security measures must include fence installation, sign placement, structure protection, lighting systems, access controls, monitoring procedures, documentation requirements, inspection schedules, update processes and maintenance plans.
