Demolition contractor, Orillia, Severn and Ramara

Demolition contractor in Orillia, Severn and Ramara

Houses, cottages, garages and outbuildings taken down from Orillia to Washago, Coldwater, Brechin and Lagoon City. Send the form and an owner calls you back today.

  • ✓Same-day callback from an owner
  • ✓Written price after the site visit
  • ✓Whole structures only: the crew that quotes it takes it down
Get your free demolition quote
A few quick questions. An owner calls you back today.
Prefer to talk? Call (705) 208-7121
32 reviews, every one five stars
Same-day callback
An owner calls you back and books the site visit
Owners on site
One crew. One of the two owners runs every job
Whole structures
Houses, cottages, barns, garages and pools. No interior tear-outs

Demolition in Orillia, Severn and Ramara

Demolition contractor work around Orillia splits between infill teardowns in the city and old cottages on Lake Couchiching, Lake Simcoe and the Severn River. Outside the city, rebuilding near the water counts as reconstruction for the conservation authority, so the teardown is planned with the new building in mind. Thor brings its own machines, removes the building and foundation, grades the site, and has an owner on every job.

Houses, cottages and barns

A whole structure down and the site cleared: the house, cottage, barn or outbuilding comes down, the debris is hauled away and the lot is graded for whatever comes next.

  • ✓House and cottage demolition, single storey to multi-storey
  • ✓Barns, outbuildings, sheds and garages, including rural and cottage access
  • ✓Foundations and concrete pads broken out and removed
  • ✓Hydro, gas and water disconnections coordinated before we start
  • ✓Barn beams, barn board and brick set aside on request

Pools and site clean-up

In-ground or above-ground: the concrete or liner comes out, the hole is filled and compacted in lifts, and you get a yard ready for grass or a build.

  • ✓In-ground and above-ground pool removal
  • ✓Concrete break-out and haul-away
  • ✓Full or partial fill, compacted so the yard does not sink
  • ✓Final grade and topsoil
  • ✓Lot cleared and graded, ready for the next build

We run our own excavators and skid steers, so the teardown, the haul-away and the final grade are one crew's work, with an owner on every job.

We take whole structures down. We do not do interior tear-outs, kitchen or bathroom demo, or renovation prep. If you need a wall opened for a reno, we will point you to someone who does that work.

Demolition in Orillia, Severn and Ramara: what changes here

Who issues the permit

Demolition is regulated by the Building Code Act, so the City of Orillia, Severn or Ramara issues the permit first. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act the owner checks for designated substances and puts the list in front of any contractor before a contract is signed; asbestos is the usual one in older houses and cottages. The utilities take care of the power and gas disconnects, and an abandoned well gets plugged and sealed under the Wells Regulation. We look after the permit and the locate request.

The ground and the access

Ramara's Official Plan places the township where the Great Lakes Lowland meets the Canadian Shield, so a basement around Orillia can sit in soft lowland soil or on granite. Either way the hole is cleaned out, filled with clean granular, compacted, and graded so the new foundation starts on firm, dry ground. On lakeside lots, debris leaves by truck rather than being pushed toward the water.

The rule that shapes the job

Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority permission covers the construction, reconstruction, erection or placing of a building or structure of any kind in its regulated areas, so a lakeside teardown and rebuild in Ramara goes through it. Severn's Official Plan aims to prevent the demolition or destruction of cultural heritage resources, which matters for older buildings in Coldwater and Washago. We check both before booking.

Communities we cover from here

OrilliaWashagoColdwaterMarchmontBass LakeSevern FallsArdtreaFessertonAtherleyUptergroveBrechinLagoon CityLongford MillsSebright

How demolition in Orillia, Severn and Ramara works, in four steps

1
Tell us what needs to come down
Send the form or call. An owner calls you back the same business day and books the site visit.
2
An owner walks the site
We look at the structure, the access and what is underground, and hand you a written price after the visit.
3
Permit, utilities and the survey
We apply for the demolition permit, request the hydro, gas and water disconnections, and line up the designated substances check on older buildings.
4
Down, hauled and graded
The structure comes down, the debris is hauled away, the hole is filled and the ground is graded clean.

On the job

Thor Construction excavator loading demolition debris into a bin
Thor Construction excavator digging out a foundation
Thor Construction skid steer and excavator on a float trailer

What our customers say

★★★★★

“As a custom home builder, we love contracting Thor Construction Company for all of our demolition, excavation and septic work. They are easy to work with, have great equipment and know what they are doing. Our clients are always very happy with them.”

Ethan Bender
Custom home builder · Google review
★★★★★

“Hired Thor for complete site services including bringing utilities into my new build and digging for foundation. Once the build was complete they came back and finish landscaped the property and we couldn't be happier. Strongly recommend!”

Robert Bell
New build · Google review
★★★★★

“I had a work related project with them and I must say the guys are outstanding. Honest, reliable and straightforward. Highly Recommended!”

Peter Loudon
Local Guide · Google review

Demolition in Orillia, Severn and Ramara: your questions answered

Does a lakeside rebuild need a conservation authority permit?

In Ramara and the Lake Simcoe side of Severn, often yes, because the LSRCA regulates reconstruction of buildings in its regulated areas. Inside the City of Orillia the LSRCA does not apply.

Is my old building protected as heritage in Severn?

Severn's Official Plan aims to prevent demolition of cultural heritage resources. We ask the Township about the property's status before scheduling.

Can you take down a cottage with tight access?

Usually. We look at the access at the site visit and plan the machine, the trucks and where the debris goes before the date is set.

Do you get the demolition permit?

Yes. Ontario's Building Code Act requires a permit to demolish a building, issued by your municipality's building department. We prepare the application and book the inspections.

Do I need to disconnect the utilities first?

Hydro, gas and water are disconnected and capped by the utilities before demolition starts, and many building departments ask to see that before they issue the permit. We make the requests and keep you posted.

What if the building has asbestos?

Under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act, the owner of a project determines whether designated substances such as asbestos are present before work starts. On older buildings we line up that check, and anything found is removed by an abatement contractor before we demolish.

Is hauling the debris included?

Yes. Hauling the debris to proper disposal and recycling sites is part of the job and part of the written price you get after the site visit.

Do you do interior demolition?

No. We take whole structures down: houses, cottages, barns, garages and pools. For kitchen, bathroom or renovation tear-outs we will point you to someone who does that work.

Can I keep the barn beams or the brick?

Yes. Tell us at the site visit what you want saved, and we set beams, barn board or brick aside before the rest comes down.

Other areas and services

Every page has the local permit office, the ground and the rules for that area.

Ready to clear the site, Orillia, Severn and Ramara?

Send the form and an owner calls you back today. Or call now and talk to the person who will dig the job.

Get your free demolition quote
A few quick questions. An owner calls you back today.
Prefer to talk? Call (705) 208-7121
Thor Construction Company
Bobcaygeon, Ontario · Serving Central Ontario, north of the GTA
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