Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

Demolition Permit Processing Now Streamlined

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Have you been frustrated because your demolition application was tied to your construction application and you had to wait for the construction permit before the demolition permit?  Maybe you thought you needed to postpone your demolition project because you couldn’t get the permit, possibly incurring additional costs related to Vacant Building Monitoring.

We’ve got good news for you! We now have a standalone demolition permit, a streamlined path to a much simpler start to your demolition project!  Applying for a standalone demolition permit is now required. As of 8/8/2019, SDCI will no longer accept combined construction/demo applications.

Coordinate With Utilities Before Starting Your Demolition Project

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If you are planning a demolition project, you need to coordinate with all utilities providing service to the property. All utilities must be shut off before you start any actual demolition. Shutting off the utilities before demolition helps prevent accident and injury to you, your contractors, or the inspectors. This is particularly important for natural gas, because demolition before a service is capped could lead to a natural gas leak or an explosion.

Rat Eradication Required for Demolition Projects

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On January 1, 2017, the updated Seattle Building Code takes effect. The updated code requires all applicants to complete a rat eradication program as a condition to getting a demolition permit. Only projects that apply under the 2015 Seattle Building Code will be subject to this new requirement.

New Rat Eradication Rules for Demolition Projects

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On January 1, 2017 the updated Seattle Building Code takes effect. The updated code requires all applicants to complete a rat eradication program as a condition to getting a demolition permit. The rat eradication program must be in place on the project site at least 15 days prior to the start of any demolition or any clearing or grading on the site.

Coordinate with Utilities Before Starting Your Demolition Project

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If you are planning a demolition project, you need to coordinate with all utilities providing service to the property. All utilities must be shut off before you start any actual demolition. Shutting off the utilities before demolition helps prevent accident and injury to you, your contractors, or the inspectors. This is particularly important for natural gas, because demolition before a service is capped could lead to a natural gas leak or an explosion.

New Requirements for Construction and Demolition Waste

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Starting July 1, 2014, all construction and demolition projects will need to comply with new construction and demolition waste requirements before we issue a permit. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and DPD are working together to increase recycling and salvage rates in an effort to achieve the city’s landfill diversion goals. Seattle’s current goal is to divert 70 percent of construction and demolition waste from landfills by the year 2020. Certain materials are easy to either salvage or recycle, so we now ban asphalt paving, brick, concrete, metal, cardboard, and new gypsum scrap from being sent to a landfill for disposal within the city of Seattle.

Construction Material Recycling and Reporting Requirements

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As of January 2014 all construction and demolition projects in Seattle will need to keep the following material out of disposal containers and transfer station disposal areas: metal, cardboard, and new construction gypsum scrap materials. Asphalt paving, bricks, and concrete are already banned from disposal. The expanded disposal ban will not apply to other targeted recyclable materials such as carpet, plastic film wrap, clean wood, and tear-off asphalt shingles until 2015.

Construction and Demolition Material Management

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Not all construction and demolition waste needs to end up in a landfill. In fact, much of that material can be recycled and even reused. With thoughtful consideration, developing a plan for how each material can be managed prior to the start of a project will help to ensure materials are handled in the most sustainable way. Therefore, new requirements for both the 2012 Seattle Building and Residential Codes ask that a Waste Diversion Plan is submitted with your application for all projects greater than 750 square feet. The plan should identify assumed waste materials, the hauler, and the receiving location for each material.