Fire-Damaged House Demolition & Cleanup
Burned houses taken down and cleaned up to a clear slab, an empty basement or bare ground, working around whatever you want kept.
Done Right the First Time
After a house fire, the fire trucks leave and the hard part starts. What is standing is not safe to walk through. Rain gets into it, the smell hangs over the yard, and people slow down on the road to look. Meanwhile you are living somewhere else, talking with an adjuster, and trying to work out whether to rebuild. The burned house sits in the middle of all of it, and nothing moves forward until it is gone.
Fire damage is a big part of the demolition work Pistol Ridge Land Services does across central Kentucky. Trey has 30 years of experience and runs every one of these jobs himself. He works the burned structure down with a full-size John Deere excavator and thumb, sorts the brick, block, metal and charred timber as he goes, and cleans the footprint with a tracked skid steer. We have pulled burned houses down around standing stone chimneys and cleaned basements out to the walls.
Where the job stops is up to you. Some owners want a swept slab they can rebuild on. Some want the basement emptied and the walls left standing. Some want everything out and the ground graded smooth so the lot can be sold or seeded. Tell Trey which one when he looks at the house, since it changes the work and the quote. If you have not decided, he will talk through what each choice means for a rebuild.
What a fire cleanup includes
- Burned houses, garages and outbuildings torn down
- Brick, block, metal and timber sorted apart
- Careful work around a chimney you keep
- Slab cleared and swept for a rebuild
- Basement emptied down to the walls
- Lot graded smooth when everything is out
Keeping the chimney, slab or basement
A fire often leaves good masonry behind. A stone chimney, a concrete slab or block basement walls can outlast the house that burned around them. If you want one kept, say so before work starts. Trey takes the structure apart beside it in small bites and keeps the weight of the big machine off the slab edge and back from the basement wall. One caution: heat can crack concrete and block in ways that are hard to see. Have your builder or an engineer look at it before you count on it. For the basement side, see basement clean-outs.
Insurance, investigators and timing
We are not part of your claim, and we cannot tell you what your policy covers. In general, an owner should not have anything moved until the insurance company, and the fire investigator if there is one, say they are finished with the site. Ask your adjuster what they need before a tear-down, and get the answer in writing if you can. Many ask for a contractor's quote, and Trey can look at the house and give you one to pass along. Local officials sometimes set a deadline for a burned building to be made safe, so ask your city or county office as well.
Before the machine shows up
Utilities come first. The power, gas and water have to be disconnected by the providers, even if the fire already took out the meter. Ask your local building office whether a permit is needed; our demolition permit guide shows who to call. A single-family home is generally exempt from Kentucky's asbestos survey rule, but confirm it for your building. Take out anything you want to save while it is safe to do so, and point out the well, the septic tank and any buried lines. None of the debris can be burned. For what moves the quote, read our house demolition cost guide.
Fire Damage Demolition Jobs We've Done
Real photos from Pistol Ridge job sites. See more work.
From First Call to Final Pass
Reach Out
Call or send the form and tell us where the job is and what needs doing.
Walk the Site
We look at the ground, the access and the scope so there are no surprises.
Get a Quote
You get a straight quote and a plan for the work.
We Dig In
The machines roll in and the job gets done right.
Fire Damage Demolition FAQ
How soon after a fire can a burned house be torn down?
Once three things are settled. Your insurance company, and any fire investigator, have said they are done with the site. The utilities have been disconnected by the providers. And your city or county office has answered the permit question. After that, call us and Trey will schedule the work around weather and ground conditions.
Will my insurance pay to demolish my burned house?
That is between you and your insurance company, and we cannot answer for them. Policies differ on whether tear-down and debris removal are covered and how much. Ask your adjuster directly. If they want a contractor's quote for the demolition and cleanup, Trey will look at the house and give you one to pass along.
Can you save the stone chimney when a burned house is torn down?
Often, yes. We have taken burned houses down around standing stone chimneys. Trey works beside the chimney in small bites and keeps the machine from leaning on it. Whether a chimney that has been through a fire is sound enough to keep is a question for a mason or your builder.
Can I rebuild on the old slab or basement after a fire?
Sometimes. We can clear a slab or empty a basement to the walls so it can be looked at. Heat can damage concrete and block in ways you cannot see from the yard, so have your builder or an engineer check it before you plan on it. If it fails, we can take it out.
Is debris from a burned house handled differently from a regular tear-down?
It is messier. Burned debris is mixed together, with ash, charred wood, metal and brick in one heap, so there is more sorting. Metal and clean masonry are pulled apart from the rest, and the mixed material is loaded out for a landfill that accepts it. It cannot be burned again to get rid of it.
More reading: What Does It Cost to Demolish a House in Kentucky? · Do You Need a Permit to Tear Down a House in Kentucky?
Fire Damage Demolition Across Central Kentucky
Based in Finley, between Campbellsville and Lebanon. Pick your town, or call and ask if we cover it.
Demolition
Houses, barns, outbuildings and fire-damaged structures taken down safely and cleaned up to a clear slab or bare dirt.
Learn more →Barn Demolition
Barns, tobacco barns, sheds and outbuildings taken down, with the tin and timber cleaned up.
Learn more →Pond Digging
New ponds dug and shaped, and existing ponds cleaned out and reworked.
Learn more →Ready to Get Dirt Moving?
Call Trey or send the details. You'll get a straight answer on what the job takes.