ABOUT OUR COMPANY
Top Company To Demolish Ontario Cottages
At ALMAR Demolition we have over 20 years of experience, so we’re experts at making the process as safe and smooth as possible. Every demo comes with our hassle-free cleanup, to make sure the area is safe and ready for your next project. No matter if you’re looking to completely demolish your cottage to make space for a new build, or gut your cottages kitchen for a reno, we can do it all!
We understand the impact that demolitions have on the environment, always making sure to follow the strict local regulations. We work with development companies throughout Muskoka, offering demolishing services to tear down old cottages to make way for future. That’s why we’re the go-to for affordable, professional cottage demolition services in Souther Ontario.
- WSIB registered
- Over 20 years of demo experience
- Our team of demo contractors are fully licensed and insured
How a Cottage Demolition Runs
- Site visit first, and it matters more here. Cottage properties come with narrow lanes, seasonal roads, soft ground, septic systems and water access. How equipment gets in is the first question, not the last.
- Confirm the permit and the shoreline rules. Cottage country adds a layer over the usual municipal demolition permit: conservation authority rules and shoreline setbacks can apply near water. Check with the municipality and the local conservation authority before booking.
- Survey for hazardous materials. Older cottages are prime candidates for asbestos, in board, tile, shingles and pipe wrap, plus vermiculite in the attic. Testing first, abatement by a licensed contractor.
- Disconnect everything. Hydro, propane and the well or lake intake all have to be isolated. Septic tanks need to be pumped and decommissioned to the right standard rather than just buried.
- Take the structure down. Sequenced so nothing falls toward the water, the neighbouring cottage, or the trees you are keeping.
- Haul out and restore the ground. Debris trucked off the property, foundation or piers dealt with, and the site graded so it drains and does not shed silt toward the shoreline.
What Makes Cottage Demolition Different
The demolition is ordinary. The logistics are not. Plan around these:
- Access: seasonal roads, weight restrictions, narrow lanes and sometimes water-only access
- Ground conditions, since soft or sandy ground can limit what equipment can travel on it
- Septic system decommissioning, which has its own rules and is not a demolition task
- Wells that need to be properly abandoned rather than left open
- Shoreline and conservation authority rules that can apply near water
- Trucking distance, because every load has a long round trip to a facility
More Demolition Services
ALMAR handles the whole range across Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario. A few that often go with this one:
- Complete demolition
- Residential demolition
- Commercial demolition
- Low-rise building demolition
- Emergency demolition
See the full list on our demolition services page, or check the areas we serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to demolish a cottage?
Yes, in the normal case a demolition permit comes from the local municipality, the same as anywhere else. Near water there can be an extra layer, because conservation authorities regulate work close to shorelines and in flood-prone areas. Confirm both before you book. ALMAR does not apply for permits as part of the service, but can assist for a fee.
What happens to the septic system and the well?
Both need to be decommissioned properly rather than covered over. A septic tank is pumped and dealt with to the required standard, and an unused well should be abandoned by a licensed well contractor. Tell us what is on the property at quote stage so it is in the plan rather than a surprise.
Can you get equipment to a remote property?
Usually, though it dictates the method. Seasonal roads, weight limits and soft ground can mean smaller machines and more trips, and water access changes the job completely. That is why the site visit matters more on a cottage than on a city lot.
Should I worry about asbestos in an old cottage?
Older cottages are exactly the buildings where it turns up: board, floor tile, shingles, pipe wrap and vermiculite insulation. If the building predates the 1990s, get a designated substance survey before anything is disturbed.
We Demolish Cottages Throughout Southern Ontario