Do not demolish a storm-damaged building in Florida until your insurance company has inspected it and you have their sign-off in writing. That is the single rule that decides whether the demolition gets paid for. Your policy almost certainly requires you to give the insurer a chance to see the damage before you change it, and a house that is already gone cannot be inspected. We have done insurance-paid teardowns after fires, floods, and wind, including a two-story house fire in Sanford, and the jobs that go smoothly are the ones where the owner documented first and demolished second.
Step One: Document Everything Before Anyone Touches It
The day it is safe to walk the property, photograph and video everything: every side of the structure, the roof, every room you can safely reach, the pool, the fence, the driveway, and the debris field. Do it before any cleanup, before the tarps go on, and before a neighbor with a skid steer offers to help. Those photos are the record your claim stands on, and the record we use to write an accurate quote.
Step Two: Report the Claim and Wait for the Inspection
Report the loss to your insurance company right away, then let their adjuster inspect and document the property before demolition. Ask them to note in writing that the structure is a total loss, or that the damaged portion has to come down, and that demolition and debris removal are part of the claim. Keep every email. A verbal okay on the phone is not something you can hand a claims examiner six months later.
Emergency Demolition Versus Planned Demolition
There is one exception to waiting. If the structure is an immediate danger, a wall about to come down on the sidewalk, a building the city or county has posted as unsafe, then safety comes first. Your policy requires you to protect the property from further damage, and making the site safe falls under that. Even then, photograph it first, tell your insurance company before we start if there is any way to, and keep the county notice in your file. Here is how the two paths differ:
| Emergency Demolition | Planned Demolition | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Structure is an immediate danger, or the county has posted it unsafe | Structure is stable, just not worth repairing |
| Insurance inspection | Photograph first, notify the insurer, then make it safe | Wait for the adjuster to inspect and sign off in writing |
| Permit | Emergency permit or county order, still required | Standard demolition permit, 3 to 6 weeks in Central Florida |
| Asbestos | State notice still required, counties can expedite storm-damaged structures | Survey and 10 working day state notice before work starts |
| Scope | Only what makes the site safe | Full teardown, haul-off, rough grade, final inspection |
Keep the Demolition Invoice for the Claim
Demolition and debris removal are usually part of a storm claim, so treat the paperwork like money. Our invoice breaks out the permit, the disconnects, the teardown, the loads hauled, and the grading, with dates and dump weights. Hand that to your insurance company with the before photos and the adjuster’s written sign-off, and there is nothing to argue about. Keep the county notice and the asbestos survey with it.
What Still Applies After a Storm
- The permit. A hurricane does not waive the demolition permit. Counties often expedite storm-damaged structures, and we file the day you sign.
- The asbestos notice. Florida still requires the Notice of Demolition to the Department of Environmental Protection. A storm-damaged house built before the 1980s still gets the survey.
- Utility disconnects. Downed lines make this more important, not less. Power, gas, water, and septic all get confirmed dead before the machine touches the structure.
- The final inspection. That is what closes the permit and proves to the county, and your insurance company, that the job was finished right.
What We Need to Schedule a Storm Demolition
- Your before photos, or a walkthrough with us so we can take our own.
- The written go-ahead from your insurance company, or the county unsafe-structure notice if this is an emergency.
- Whether the property is on septic or a well, and whether the house has gas.
- What you want saved: the slab, a driveway, trees, a fence, the pool.
- A signed contract. We pull the permit, order the disconnects, and schedule the asbestos survey the same day.
We are owner-operated and own every machine we run, John Deere 50D, 85G, and 130G excavators, a 333G track loader, a semi with a 40-foot lowboy, and a 30-yard dump trailer, so after a storm we are not waiting on a rental yard. We carry $4,000,000 in demolition and excavation insurance and $2,000,000 in workers compensation and can send the certificates to your insurance company the same day. We do structure demolition, pool removal, concrete removal, and grading. We do not do interior demolition, land clearing, or mobile home removal.
Storm Damage Demolition Questions
Can I demolish my house before the insurance adjuster comes out?
Not unless it is an immediate safety hazard. Your policy requires you to give the insurance company a chance to inspect. Photograph everything, report the claim, and wait for the written sign-off. If it is dangerous, make it safe, document that, and tell your insurer.
Does homeowners insurance cover demolition after storm damage in Florida?
Commonly, yes. When a covered storm, fire, or flood makes a structure a total loss, demolition and debris removal are usually part of the claim. Check your policy and get the adjuster’s sign-off in writing before you schedule the teardown.
What do I need to give my insurance company after the demolition?
The before photos, the adjuster’s written approval, the demolition permit, the itemized demolition invoice with dump weights, and the county unsafe-structure notice if there was one.
Do you still need a demolition permit after a hurricane?
Yes. A storm does not waive the permit or the state asbestos notice. Counties often expedite storm-damaged structures, and we file the day you sign.
What counts as an emergency demolition?
A structure that is an immediate danger to people or neighboring property, or one the city or county has posted as unsafe. The work is limited to what makes the site safe, and it still gets documented first.
How fast can you start after a storm?
For a true emergency, as soon as the site is safe to work and the utilities are confirmed dead. For a planned teardown, the permit sets the clock, 3 to 6 weeks in Central Florida. We own our machines, so once the paperwork clears we are not waiting on anyone.
Free Estimate
Call Us for a Free Estimate
Tell us about the job and we’ll come walk the property. Written number, no obligation, usually same-day reply. Call 407-443-2863.