How to Gut a House

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (1 Ratings)

Gutting a house is endless, tiresome, dirty work. In order to be time effective, use up to twelve people. Depending on the amount of people helping, gutting a house could take three days or a month. If you have the help, split up into teams and focus on concentrated areas. Make sure that there is a team for clean up.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Crowbar
Hammer
Large trash cans with wheels
Tile remover
Axe
Work gloves
Dust mask
Water

Step1

Gather the tools and people you need to gut the house. Make sure you have no rogue players. There is room for only one leader. Decide which people are going to work on what part of the house. Break up into teams and as the leader, keep your people focused on their area.

Step2

Choose people whose only responsibility is clean up. Safety is a concern and needs to be taken seriously. The team of cleaners is the most important team when you gut a house.

Step3

Search each room for furniture, carpet and other miscellaneous items that need to be removed. Give your workers a clear pathway.

Step4

Walk into any room, tap a wall with the flat part of the axe and determine if the wall is hollow or solid. Hollow sounds mean the wall is not reinforced and can be broken through easily. A solid sound means the drywall has been reinforced and you will need to use an axe to bring down the wall.

Step5

Make your team move around the room from wall to wall. Break into the wall first with the axe and then finish with a crow bar for speed. Do not wait until the walls are all taken down before you send in the clean up crew. Remember safety is crucial.

Step6

Remove the molding from the window and door casings. Use a hammer and the flat end of the crowbar. Wedge the claw of the hammer and the flat part of the crowbar under the molding and pop it forward. There will be small nails that will need to be removed as part of the clean up.

Step7

Force the floor boards from the bottom of the wall all around the room off the same way as the molding. Continue the removal of debris from each room and before you know it your house will be gutted.

Tips & Warnings

Keep safety in the front of everyone's mind. Keep each team focused on their job area.
Drink plenty of water while working. Gutting a house is a dusty, tiring, dirty job--your body will need fluids.
Walk around your worksite after everyone leaves. Make sure the house is secure and no tools are left out. A gutted house is a dangerous place.
It may be necessary to obtain a gutting permit. Check with your local municipality.