Palm Beach (the Town), Palm Beach County
Demolition in Palm Beach (the Town)
From the Monday before Thanksgiving through March 31, the Town of Palm Beach issues no demolition permits and allows no demolition of structures. Jackhammers and similar equipment stay off until after May 1. On the island, a teardown is planned around the calendar first, then the bond, the neighbor notices and the screening.
The Town’s checklist reads like a neighbor-protection plan. The demolition bond equals the cost of the work plus 35%, refunded only after the lot is sodded and irrigated or construction starts. Notice of Approved Demolition goes by regular mail to every parcel within 300 feet, 14 to 30 days before work begins. Suggested screening for a two-story house is 16 to 18 feet.
Utilities on the island have three owners: FPL for electric, the City of West Palm Beach for water, and Florida Public Utilities or another supplier for gas. The Town also asks for a rodent letter, asbestos abatement verification or a no-asbestos affidavit, a truck logistics plan with vehicle weights over Town roads, and a mortgagor’s letter of approval.
The Town protects more than 328 landmark properties, sites and vistas, and it will not issue a demolition permit for a landmark or a property under consideration for designation. A 2022 state law, s. 553.79(25), limits how far local governments can restrict demolition of single-family homes in flood zones, and the Town’s zoning director said those zones cover the entire town. Whether a house is a repair or a teardown can also turn on the 50% substantial-improvement rule, so we read the property record before we price anything.
Sources: Town of Palm Beach: Demolition Permit Conditions of Approval · Town of Palm Beach: Landmarks Preservation Commission and ARCOM · Palm Beach Civic Association: the Town zoning director on the 2022 state law (Aug. 23, 2022) · Florida Statutes s. 553.79 · Town of Palm Beach: Notice of Substantial Improvement Determination
Demolition permits in Palm Beach (the Town)
Town of Palm Beach, Planning, Zoning & Building Department
The Demolition Checklist lists the bond (cost plus 35%), a USPS certificate of mailing, a CPM or Gantt schedule, screening, staging, erosion and landscape plans, utility verifications, a pest-control letter and asbestos verification. The Conditions of Approval add the seasonal ban (Sec. 18-112) and the 30-day sod-and-irrigate rule. Confirm with the Town before you plan dates.
Read the official pageA general summary only, and not legal advice. When Romco takes the job, the application goes in under our name as contractor of record. Palm Beach demolition permit guide
What we quote in Palm Beach (the Town)
Demolition we quote here
- Interior demolitionStrip-outs inside condos, offices and stores, with the asbestos question settled first.Interior demolition in Palm Beach →
- Selective demolitionOne wing, one floor or one wall removed while the rest of the building stays in use.Selective demolition in Palm Beach →
- Commercial demolitionStores, offices, warehouses and plazas, taken down once the releases are in hand.Commercial demolition in Palm Beach →
- House demolitionSingle-family teardowns, with the sheds, pool and septic tank handled to code.House demolition in Palm Beach →
- Structural demolitionConcrete towers, parking garages and steel frames, taken down in engineered sequence.Structural demolition in Palm Beach →
- Concrete removalSlabs, driveways, patios, walks and footings, broken out after the locates are in.Concrete removal in Palm Beach →
- Pool removalBottom broken out and filled, or the shell, deck and equipment removed entirely.Pool removal in Palm Beach →
- Mobile home demolitionSingle units or several in one park, with approvals and permits in order first.Mobile home demolition in Palm Beach →
- Storm damage demolitionTaking down what a hurricane or tornado left unsafe, once the adjuster has seen it.Storm damage demolition in Palm Beach →
- Site clearingBrush, stumps, buried slabs and old fill cleared once the vegetation permits are in.Site clearing in Palm Beach →
- Asbestos coordinationLicensed survey, health department notice and licensed abatement, in the right order.Asbestos coordination in Palm Beach →
- Accessory structure demolitionSheds, detached garages, cabanas, carports, barns and signs, one or several.Accessory structure demolition in Palm Beach →
- Something else?Every type of demolition is quoted, whatever the size. If your job is missing above, describe it on the phone.Call (561) 273-9189 →
Order of work
From first call to closed permit
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. A garden shed and an apartment building go through these steps in the same order.
Call or send the form
Give the address, what is coming down and anything that must be protected. Photos or a survey help.
Walk the property
We check the structure, live services, truck access, trees, the seawall or neighbor close by, and any association rules.
Scope and price in writing
Removal, protection, haul-off and anything that depends on the asbestos survey are listed line by line.
Notices, letters and permit
The licensed asbestos survey and any health department notice, the utility releases, then the application to the right building office.
Take it down and haul it out
Work runs in the agreed order. Loads go to Solid Waste Authority–permitted facilities, or the hauler your city requires.
Final inspection and close-out
The inspector signs off and the permit closes. You keep a graded lot or the shell you asked for.
Questions
Demolition in Palm Beach (the Town)
Can I demolish my Palm Beach house in January?
Not a full teardown. Under Town Code Sec. 18-112, demolition of structures is prohibited, and no demolition permits are issued, from the Monday before Thanksgiving through March 31. Interior demolition is allowed in season only if the work and debris removal finish in three days or less. The Town Council can grant exceptions for accessory structures or emergencies, with at least 45 days’ notice. Plan the permit for spring and confirm with the Town.
What does a demolition cost, and what moves the number?
We do not publish prices, because the number depends on what surrounds the building. The main drivers are structure type and size, asbestos findings, truck access, the permit and utility requirements for the address, any below-grade work, and the haul to SWA-permitted facilities. Local rules move it too: the Town of Palm Beach requires a bond of the demolition cost plus 35%. Send the survey and photos, and we will price it.
Do I need an asbestos survey before demolition?
For commercial buildings, condos and co-ops, yes. The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County requires a survey and written notice at least 10 working days before a regulated demolition, even when no asbestos turns up. An isolated house of four or fewer units is usually excluded, though several cities still ask for an asbestos form with the permit. We arrange a licensed survey and coordinate licensed abatement.
How long does a demolition take?
We do not promise durations, because much of the calendar belongs to other parties. The health department’s asbestos notice needs 10 working days, Sunshine 811 needs two full business days, utility release letters arrive when the utilities issue them, and the Town of Palm Beach bars demolition from the Monday before Thanksgiving through March 31. We set out the sequence in writing with the quote, so you can see what drives it.
Other Palm Beach cities: West Palm Beach · Boca Raton · Jupiter · Delray Beach · Boynton Beach · Palm Beach Gardens · Wellington · Lake Worth Beach · Unincorporated Palm Beach County · Riviera Beach and Singer Island · Royal Palm Beach · Greenacres · North Palm Beach · Tequesta · Highland Beach · Manalapan · Juno Beach · Lantana · Ocean Ridge · Palm Springs · Belle Glade
Every type, every size, all of Palm Beach County
Tell us the address and the scope. We will put a number on it.
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. A single wall or a whole building, each quote arrives as a written scope with a price.