01Trade cost
Demolition and abatement cost in Canada
Selective or full demolition, disposal and hazardous-material abatement. Disposal tipping fees and unknown conditions behind the walls are the two things that move the number.
02The rate
Commercial hourly
$70 – $120
Billed rate, national band
General hourly
$60 – $105
House-scale work
Commercial $/sf
$4 – $9
5% of hard cost
General $/sf
$14 – $21
From the residential band
The cost per square foot above is not a separate dataset. It is 1% of the curated new-build hard-cost band and 5% of the curated fit-out band that the market pages already publish, so this page can never contradict them.
03General versus commercial
The two segments, side by side
| Segment | Hourly | New build $/sf | Fit-out $/sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / residential | $60 – $105 | $3 – $4 | $14 – $21 |
| Commercial | $70 – $120 | $2 – $3 | $4 – $9 |
Why commercial demolition and abatement bills higher
Commercial demolition requires a designated-substance survey, licensed abatement, waste diversion reporting and often a permit. Residential demolition rarely does.
What the quoted rate covers
Normally: Selective removal as scoped; Loading, haulage and disposal; Site protection and dust control. Normally not: Designated substance survey and licensed abatement; Structural shoring during removal; Utility disconnection and capping; Diversion reporting for green certification.
Buildlor facts
- Demolition and abatement is 1% of hard cost on a new build.
- Demolition and abatement is 5% of hard cost on a fit-out.
- Hard cost is typically 60 to 75 percent of an all-in budget, so a trade's share of the total is smaller again.
04What moves the number
Cost drivers
- Tipping fees vary widely by municipality and are a direct pass-through.
- Asbestos, lead and mould in a pre-1990 building can exceed the demolition itself.
- Occupied buildings need hoarding, negative air and after-hours work.
- Salvage and diversion targets add sorting labour, and sorting is labour.
05By market
Demolition and abatement cost by city
Every market below carries a curated cost factor, so the trade rate moves with it. Markets we publish a dedicated page for are linked.
| Market | Commercial $/sf | General $/sf |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto, ON | $4 – $10 | $15 – $23 |
| Montreal, QC | $4 – $9 | $13 – $20 |
| Calgary, AB | $4 – $9 | $14 – $21 |
| Ottawa, ON | $4 – $9 | $14 – $22 |
| Edmonton, AB | $4 – $9 | $13 – $20 |
| Winnipeg, MB | $4 – $8 | $13 – $20 |
| Mississauga, ON | $4 – $9 | $15 – $23 |
| Vancouver, BC | $5 – $10 | $16 – $24 |
06Questions
How much does demolition and abatement cost per hour?
Demolition and abatement is billed in a band, not at one rate. Commercial work bills above general work for the same hour because of documentation, inspection and coordination. The bands on this page are national baselines; the market table shows how they move by city.
Why is commercial demolition and abatement more expensive than residential?
Commercial demolition requires a designated-substance survey, licensed abatement, waste diversion reporting and often a permit. Residential demolition rarely does.
What share of a construction budget is demolition and abatement?
1% of hard cost on a new build and 5% of a fit-out, on the division splits Buildlor publishes. Those shares are how the cost per square foot on this page is derived.
Is this a quote?
No. Buildlor is a data publisher, not a contractor. These are indicative benchmarks for the stage before you tender, and every page states what it excludes.
Buildlor Construction Cost Index · Last updated 2026-01-15 · Maintained by Buildlor Cost Desk
Not advice — Buildlor is a data publisher. We do not bid, price, estimate, or build work, and nothing here is a quote, a tender price, or construction advice. Figures are indicative order-of-magnitude benchmarks for early budgeting and must be confirmed by a qualified cost consultant, quantity surveyor, or general contractor before you rely on them. About Buildlor