Utility Disconnects Before a Chattanooga Demolition

The permit is in hand, the date is on the calendar, and the crew is ready. Then someone asks whether the power is off and the gas is capped, and the answer is "I think so." A house with live utilities cannot be knocked down safely. Utility shutoffs are one of the most common reasons a Chattanooga demolition slips by days, and they are almost always a scheduling problem, not a hard one, if you start early.

What has to be dealt with

Electric. The meter, the service drop and anything running to the house have to be removed or made dead by the power company. A crew cannot cut a live line.

Gas. If the house has natural gas or a propane tank, it must be shut off at the source and capped. Propane tanks belong to the supplier in many cases and need to be picked up.

Water. The line to the house has to be shut off and capped at the street side, so a broken pipe does not turn into a flooded lot while the building comes down.

Sewer or septic. A sewer connection needs to be capped so debris and water do not run into the line. A septic tank, if there is one, is a separate matter and has to be dealt with before the ground is torn up.

Phone, cable and internet. These are small, but lines hanging off the house become a trip and snag hazard once the walls start to fall.

Who does what

The utility companies handle the shutoffs on their side of the meter. We cannot do that for them, and neither can you. What you or we can do is call, give the address and ask for a disconnect for demolition. Utilities often want advance notice and may need a permit or a reference number before they act. Ask what they need, and do not assume it will happen the same week you call.

Why it matters

It is a safety issue for the crew and for neighbors, since a cut gas line or a live wire is a serious hazard.
A demolition inspector may want proof the utilities are disconnected. The permit process can ask about it, and we cannot guess what a given office will ask for, so confirm with them.
A late disconnect means the machine sits idle or the date moves, and both cost money.

Order of events that works

Pick a demolition window and book the contractor.
Call every utility the same day and request disconnects for that window.
Get the confirmation from each one, in writing if possible.
Walk the site a day or two before to confirm meters are gone and the lines are marked.

If the building was damaged by fire, ask about the utilities first. See fire-damaged house demolition. If you inherited the property and do not know what accounts exist, our page on an inherited house covers where to begin.

What else belongs on the list

Disconnects sit next to the asbestos survey, the permit and the cost estimate. Our house demolition page lays out the whole job, and the cost guide explains what drives price. Get the utilities moving early and it is one less thing to hold up your date.

Call us

Tell us the address, what utilities the house has, and when you hope to tear it down. Call (423) 497-3783 for a free quote and we will tell you what to line up first.