Demo Patrol is a licensed and insured demolition contractor with hands-on experience tearing down fire-damaged structures across Butte County. From burned mobile homes and garages to entire houses, our crew handles the full scope: hazmat protocols, insurance coordination, foundation preservation, specialized debris disposal, and site clearing for rebuild. Roughly 30 fire demolitions completed, including Camp Fire cleanup in Paradise.
Fire Damage Demolition
Fire-damaged structures are not the same as standard demolition. The debris is heavier, disposal is restricted, and customers are usually trying to rebuild on a timeline dictated by insurance. Here is what changes.
Than Standard Structure Demolition
Save Up to $60,000
The most common request from fire damage customers planning to rebuild: save the concrete foundation. A preserved foundation eliminates the need for new permits, new engineering, and repouring - saving up to $60,000 in rebuild costs.
Foundation preservation only works if you plan to rebuild the same square footage and footprint. The demolition takes more time because the crew has to carefully remove the burned structure without damaging the slab, but the time investment saves you significant money on the rebuild.
Foundation Preservation Details
Foundation preservation only makes sense if you are rebuilding the same square footage and layout. If your rebuild plans change the footprint, a new foundation will be needed regardless.
Careful demolition around the foundation perimeter and slab takes longer than a standard teardown. The crew removes burned framing, walls, and roof debris without impacting the concrete below.
Between permits, engineering, concrete work, inspections, and curing time, a new foundation runs up to $60,000. Preserving the existing slab eliminates all of that.
After demolition, you are left with a clean concrete foundation ready for your framing contractor. Utilities are capped and the site is cleared of all debris and ash.
Insurance Support
Most fire damage customers are navigating insurance claims while trying to get their property cleared for rebuild. Demo Patrol works directly with insurance adjusters, submitting bids, adjusting estimates, and sending letters to insurance agents on your behalf.
In California, homeowners get to choose which contractor they trust. Your insurance company cannot force you to accept the cheapest bid. We help you navigate that process so you work with a contractor you are confident in, not whoever the insurance company prefers.
We go back and forth with your insurance adjuster, submitting and revising bids until the scope of work and pricing are approved. You do not have to manage this back-and-forth yourself.
When adjusters push back or stall, we write formal letters to insurance agents on your behalf, documenting the scope of work and justifying the estimate based on actual site conditions.
Sometimes insurance will not declare a total loss because they cannot see the structural damage under the debris. We had a customer in Folsom whose roof had caved in and the subfloor was buried under fire debris and soaked from winter rain. We charged to remove a section of floor to reveal the subfloor and joists. Insurance then approved the total loss reimbursement, and the customer proceeded with full demolition.
California law protects your right to select the demolition contractor you trust. Insurance adjusters may suggest alternatives, but the decision is yours. We handle the paperwork to support that choice.
Our Process
One crew handles everything from the initial assessment through final site clearing. Here is how we approach fire-damaged structures in Chico and Butte County.
We inspect the fire-damaged structure, evaluate what can be saved (foundation, concrete elements), assess site access for equipment, and discuss your rebuild plans. You receive a written, itemized estimate.
We submit bids directly to your insurance adjuster and handle the back-and-forth on scope and pricing. If insurance needs to see structural damage before approving a total loss, we can do partial debris removal to expose the subfloor.
We research your building department requirements. Some jurisdictions require extra steps for fire-damaged structures (soil scraping, testing), others do not. All permit management is handled by our team.
Gas, water, and electrical are disconnected and capped. 811 called for underground utility locating. Utilities are left capped and ready for reconnection during the rebuild phase.
Burned structure is carefully removed. If preserving the foundation, the crew works around the slab perimeter to protect the concrete. Hazmat protocols followed when conditions require it. Dust control throughout.
All fire debris tarped and hauled to approved disposal facilities. No debris outside the trailer. Many standard landfills reject fire-burned materials, so loads go to facilities that accept them. Every load tracked with dump receipts.
When the building department requires it, ash-contaminated dirt is scraped from the lot and hauled away. This adds cost but is sometimes mandatory before rebuilding can begin.
Lot is cleared and left ready for rebuild. Utilities capped, foundation clean (if preserved), debris and ash removed. If you plan to sell, we take drone shots of the cleared property for marketing.
Real Project ยท Magalia
A fire-affected home on a wooded Magalia lot. Full structure removal, debris hauled, pad graded clean and ready for the owner's rebuild.
Local Experience
Butte County has been hit harder by wildfire than almost any county in California. The 2018 Camp Fire destroyed over 18,000 structures in Paradise alone. Demo Patrol was part of that cleanup effort, and we have continued working fire-damaged properties across the region since.
Our crew has completed fire demolitions in Paradise, Magalia, Berry Creek, Folsom, and Gerber. Roughly 30 fire demolition jobs total, ranging from burned mobile homes to garages to entire houses.
A manufactured home and surrounding trees burned down. Entire crew wore hazmat suits and received higher wages for hazardous conditions. Demoed the structure and hauled everything to Neal Road Landfill.
Customer's insurance would not mark the home as a total loss because they could not see the subfloor. Roof had caved in and debris was soaked from winter rain. We removed a section of floor to expose the subfloor and joists. Insurance approved the reimbursement, and the customer chose to proceed with full demolition.
Paradise, Magalia, Berry Creek, Chico, Durham, Oroville, and surrounding Butte County. We also travel for fire damage jobs - recent work includes Folsom and an upcoming project in Gerber.
Why Demo Patrol
We work directly with your insurance adjuster, submit bids, adjust estimates, and write letters to agents on your behalf. Most fire demo contractors just hand you a bid and walk away.
Save up to $60,000 by preserving your existing concrete foundation. Our crew carefully removes the burned structure while protecting the slab for rebuild.
CA Contractor #1117491. Fully insured with general liability and workers' compensation. Every job is permitted and inspected per your building department's requirements.
Fire debris can contain hazardous materials. Our crew is OSHA-10 certified with hazmat experience from the Camp Fire cleanup. Safety walkthroughs, dust control, and proper PPE on every project.
We know which facilities accept fire debris and which do not. All loads tarped, all dump receipts tracked. No surprises with disposal logistics or rejected loads at the landfill.
5.0 rating across platforms. Our reputation is built on doing the work right, communicating clearly, and leaving your lot ready for whatever comes next.
Service Area
Butte County has experienced some of California's worst wildfires. Demo Patrol serves the communities most affected by fire, including Paradise, Magalia, and Berry Creek. We also travel for fire damage jobs throughout Northern California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fire damage demolition is one of our specialized services in Chico and Butte County. We also handle residential, commercial, mobile home, pool, concrete, barn demolition, cleanup, and property restoration.
Licensed and insured demolition contractor serving Chico, CA and Butte County. Insurance coordination, foundation preservation, and complete site clearing.
