Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Demolish Plaster Walls
PRO VS. DIYInvolved in a renovation project? The demolition phase of removing old plaster walls is a project for a homeowner willing to do some messy, hard work. A carpenter will charge $530 to remove walls in two rooms and haul away the debris. In a weekend you can do the job for the cost of renting a 20-yard roll-off container, sometimes called a dumpster, which runs about $280 for a five-day rental and one pull to the land fill.

Before any demolition begins confirm with a building pro that the walls are not load-bearing and determine the approximate location of plumbing and electrical lines. (You want to avoid damaging them!) You'll need a sledgehammer to break up the plaster, a pry bar or bow rake to pull it off the lath and a hammer to remove window and door trim. Protect yourself by wearing a hard hat, heavy gloves, boots and a respirator mask.

Protect the floor with a tarp and seal doorways with heavy plastic dropcloths and masking tape to keep the spread of dust and dirt throughout the house at a minimum.

Remove woodwork and trim from doors and windows, being careful if you plan to reuse them. If it's second-floor work, make a window shoot with sheets of plywood so you can slide the debris out the window with the dumpster under it.

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