Perry, Jefferson County
Topeka Demolition in Perry, Kansas
Houses, garages, slabs and small commercial buildings in Perry and the valley between Topeka and Lawrence.
- Topeka and 10 towns within 20 miles
- Written price before work starts
- Permit, sewer cap and landfill steps explained
- Local, licensed, insured contractors
Topeka Demolition connects owners in Perry, a Jefferson County city of about 850 people on US-24 roughly 17 miles east of Topeka, with local contractors for house and garage demolition, concrete and slab removal, and small commercial teardowns along the highway.
Breaking out a failing driveway costs $640 to $2,087; pouring new concrete over the old one on Perry's slow-draining clay only buys a few years before the new slab cracks along the old joints and both have to come out.
Typical price range
$9,500 to $20,100
The published Topeka range for house demolition (HomeBlue). Concrete removal runs $640 to $2,087 and garages $1,600 to $6,000 in the same market.
Calls answered Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Common Perry jobs
- Heaved driveways and sidewalks on older lots
- Detached garages and sheds past repair
- Older houses cleared for new construction
- Small commercial buildings along the highway
Valley clay that drains slowly
The USDA soil survey maps the ground at Perry's center as Muscotah silty clay loam, a somewhat poorly drained, very rarely flooded soil with smectitic clay. It holds water and moves with the seasons, which is why slabs here crack and heave. When old concrete comes out, it is worth adding a compacted rock base under anything new and grading the lot to shed water before it reaches a foundation.
Between two lakes and two cities
Perry sits near the dam of Perry Lake, completed in 1966, and on the highway between Topeka and Lawrence. Work here is mostly residential, with some highway commercial. Debris is usually hauled west to a licensed landfill near Topeka, and clean concrete can go to a recycler.
Permits in Perry
Perry is in Jefferson County. Inside city limits, city hall is the first call about permits and utility shutoffs; outside them, the Jefferson County planning and zoning office. Commercial buildings add the State's asbestos steps, covered under commercial demolition. Driveway and slab work is covered under concrete removal.
Concrete jobs done once
On clay that drains slowly, new concrete fails the same way the old concrete did unless the base changes. When an old drive or patio comes out in Perry, the contractor can strip the soft soil, add a compacted rock base, and grade it to carry water away from the house before the new concrete is poured. Ask the concrete finisher and the removal contractor to agree on the base thickness and the grade so the work is done in one pass.
Slabs with wire mesh or rebar take longer to break and add 50 to 75 cents a square foot by one national estimate. Clean concrete can go to a recycler, which usually costs less than landfill tipping.
Highway commercial buildings
Small commercial buildings along US-24 come down under the same State rules as anywhere in Kansas. An asbestos survey comes first, and written notice goes to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at least 10 working days before an asbestos-related demolition project. Utilities, including any fire line, are disconnected by the providers, and old fuel tanks at former service stations are closed under State rules before the site is cleared.
Getting a Perry price
For concrete, measure the area and note whether you know if it has rebar or wire mesh. For a house or garage, have the size, the foundation type and any deadline. Photos help a contractor bring the right breaker or excavator to the walk-through and get a written price to you faster.
Questions people ask
How much does demolition cost in Perry?
Perry is priced in the Topeka market: published figures run $9,500 to $20,100 for a house and $640 to $2,087 for concrete removal.
What are the signs a Perry driveway needs to come out?
Sections that have heaved or sunk, wide cracks, spalling, and water running toward the house.
Why do slabs crack so much in Perry?
The Muscotah silty clay loam there drains slowly and swells and shrinks with moisture, which moves concrete over the years.
Who issues permits for Perry?
The City of Perry inside city limits, and Jefferson County's planning and zoning office outside them.
Can broken concrete from Perry be recycled?
Clean concrete usually can be, which can cost less than a landfill. Mixed loads go to a licensed landfill.
Get a demolition price in writing
Tell the contractor what is coming down, where it is, and what should be left behind: bare dirt, a slab, or a seeded lot.
Call (785) 268-2537