Montgomery, Ohio Demolition Under Mature Trees and on Rebuild Lots

The teardown-and-rebuild pattern

A typical Montgomery teardown is a ranch, a split-level or a modest two-story from the middle of the last century, sitting on a lot that would comfortably hold a bigger house. The buyer usually wants the location more than the building. The old house comes down, the foundation is removed so the new one can be placed where the architect wants it, and the lot is handed back to the builder rough-graded and ready.

Because the demolition is only the first chapter, its timing matters to everyone downstream. The builder's surveyor, the excavator digging the new basement and the utility companies setting new service all depend on the site being cleared and the old connections properly terminated. Coordinating the demolition contractor with the builder from the start avoids paying twice for the same dirt work.

Working around mature trees

The trees are a big part of why people want to live in Montgomery, and they are also one of the trickiest parts of a demolition here. Roots from a large oak or maple can spread well beyond its branches, and compacting that ground with a loaded excavator or a parade of trucks can injure a tree that looks perfectly fine for a year or two before it starts to decline.

• Decide early which trees stay, and mark them before any equipment arrives.
• Fence off the root area of each keeper so trucks and stockpiles stay out.
• Ask whether low limbs over the driveway need pruning by an arborist before the machine works beneath them.
• Plan one haul route that avoids the roots of the trees you value most.
• If a neighbor's tree hangs over the work area, talk to them about it before the start date.

What mid-century houses are built from

Houses from this era tend to be wood framed with brick or stone veneer, aluminum or wood siding, and either a full basement, a crawlspace or a slab. They are lighter than the solid masonry houses in the city, but they come from a period when asbestos-containing products were common. Floor tile and its adhesive, siding shingles, pipe and duct wrap, textured ceilings and some roofing may contain it, and older paint layers can contain lead.

That is why state and federal environmental rules generally require an asbestos inspection before a building is demolished, plus a filing with the Ohio EPA ahead of time in most cases. If the inspection finds asbestos, an abatement specialist removes it first, and only then does the teardown go ahead. For an owner, the practical point is simple: the inspection result can change the cost and the schedule, so get it early.

Garages, additions and partial removals

Not every Montgomery project is a full house. Owners renovating rather than rebuilding often want an outdated addition, a sunroom, a screened porch or a detached garage removed so a new wing can go in its place. Partial removals take more care than a full teardown, because whatever stays attached has to remain sound, weather-tight and protected from dust. Gutting a dated kitchen or basement before a remodel is covered on the interior demolition page, and detached structures are on the garage and shed demolition page.

Driveways, walks and old patios

When a house is replaced, the old driveway often goes too, either because it is cracked or because the new house sits in a different spot. Mid-century driveways were sometimes poured thin, sometimes reinforced with mesh, and many have been patched or overlaid over the years. Patios and front walks of exposed aggregate or brick set in mortar are common as well. Separating the concrete so it can be crushed and recycled, and leaving a clean edge where the public apron meets the street, are both worth discussing. The concrete removal page covers the methods.

Soil, drainage and wooded ravines

Montgomery's ground is mostly glacier-deposited clay with limestone and shale bedrock below, gentler ground than the hillside neighborhoods closer to the river. Some streets back onto wooded ravines and small creeks, though, and those lots can slope enough to need a careful plan for runoff while the ground is bare. Silt fence, straw wattles or a stabilized construction entrance can keep mud off the street and out of the creek.

A filled basement on clay ground needs suitable material placed in layers and compacted, or the yard can sink later. Whether the builder wants the basement opened again for the new house, or the lot will simply be graded and seeded, decides how that hole is handled.

Permits, review and the neighbors next door

Montgomery requires a permit for demolition, and the city will usually ask for proof that gas, power, water and sewer are disconnected and that the asbestos inspection has been completed. In a teardown-and-rebuild, the plans for the new house go through their own review, and zoning rules about setbacks, lot coverage and height apply to what replaces the old house. If the property sits in an older or historic part of the city, ask whether any design review applies before you set a date.

Neighbors on established streets notice dust, noise, mud on the road and trucks parked across their driveway. A short letter or a knock on the door with the start date, the expected working hours and a contact email goes a long way.

Start with a site visit

Projects here are priced after the contractor has walked the lot, looked at the trees, seen the driveway and the access, and reviewed the inspection results. Send the address, a few photos and what you are planning to build through the contact page. If you are comparing properties, the Cincinnati page explains how city lots differ.

Common questions here

The work, by type

Elsewhere in the Cincinnati area