Demolition contractors in Vélez-Málaga and the Axarquía
We are a demolition company based in Vélez-Málaga. We knock down old houses, sheds, walls, slabs, terraces and swimming pools, and carry out interior strip-outs for renovations. We take care of rubble removal to a licensed waste facility and help you with the licence. Free surveyor visit and a fixed quote.
- Since 2006 building across the Axarquía
- Our own machinery and quarry used by our own crew
- Rubble to a licensed facility
- Fixed quote in writing
Demolition company in the Axarquía
Demolition isn't just knocking things down: it has to be done in the right order, without damaging what's next to it and taking each type of waste where it belongs. At MURES we plan every demolition, protect neighbouring houses and party walls, separate the rubble on site and leave the plot clean.
We work for homeowners, residents' associations, architects and builders in Vélez-Málaga, Torre del Mar, Nerja, Torrox, Rincón de la Victoria, the inland villages and Málaga city. From a partition wall in a flat to a complete two-storey house.
And if you need to build afterwards, we carry on: earthworks, excavation, retaining walls or the stamped concrete for the outside.
What do we demolish?
Types of demolition we carry out
Every demolition calls for a different method. These are the jobs we're asked for most in the Axarquía:
House demolition
We knock down old village houses, cortijos and homes to make way for new builds. First anything reusable or hazardous is stripped out (Uralita, cables, doors and windows) and then it's demolished by machine, from the top down.
Interior strip-out and partition walls
We knock down partition walls, wall tiles, false ceilings and floors to leave the home ready for renovation. Carefully, removing the rubble in bags and without touching the structure without a technician's approval.
Wall and fence demolition
Block, stone masonry or concrete walls that have moved, fences that need setting back or terraces that get in the way. If the wall holds back soil, we replace it with a new one. See retaining walls.
Slab and terrace demolition
We break up slabs, terraces, pavements, ramps and paving with a hydraulic breaker. It's the step before laying new stamped concrete paving or a ramp. See stamped concrete.
Demolition of warehouses, stores and sheds
Tool sheds, stores, stables and small warehouses on farms in the Axarquía. If there's an Uralita roof, it's removed first by a licensed company.
Swimming pool demolition
We demolish old pools that leak or are no longer used: either they're filled in and compacted to gain garden, or the shell is demolished to build a new one. See swimming pool construction.
How much does it cost to demolish a house?
It's the question we're asked most. A demolition is normally priced per square metre built (demolition and rubble removal together) or item by item when it's a small job. But two houses of the same size can cost very different amounts. This is what decides it:
SIZE AND STRUCTURESquare metres, number of floors and type of structure: load-bearing walls, reinforced concrete, timber.
MACHINE ACCESSIf the excavator can get in, it's quick. In old town centres and narrow streets it has to be demolished by hand or with a mini digger.
ADJOINING HOUSESParty walls with neighbours mean working carefully, propping and sometimes making good the neighbour's façade.
VOLUME OF RUBBLETonnes of waste, separation on site, lorries and the licensed facility's fees.
ASBESTOSIf there's Uralita or asbestos cement, it's removed by a RERA-registered company with its own work plan.
PROJECT AND LICENCETechnician's fees, town hall charges and the waste deposit.
Price per m² for demolition and rubble removal
The price per m² is only a guide: what changes the price most is the access and whether the house is attached to others. An old village house in a narrow street in Cómpeta or Frigiliana doesn't cost the same as a detached cortijo in the countryside around Vélez. That's why we come and see it and give you a fixed price, with the rubble and its disposal included.
Who pays for demolishing a house in ruins?
The owner pays. Owners have a duty to keep the building in a safe condition. If the town hall declares it a ruin and orders demolition and the owner doesn't do it, the town hall can do it and pass the cost on afterwards. If you own a house in poor condition, it's best to act first.
How to save on a demolition
Separating the rubble properly on site (concrete, brick, steel, timber) means the waste facility charges less. And clean concrete and stone can be reused as fill on the same plot if you're going to build.
And if you're going to build afterwards, giving the demolition and earthworks to the same company saves machine transport and downtime.
Can I knock this wall down? Partition walls and load-bearing walls
Opening the kitchen into the living room or joining two bedrooms is one of the most requested jobs. A partition wall can be knocked down without any problem; a load-bearing wall, not without calculations and a beam to replace it.
How to tell if a wall is load-bearing
Look at this:
- Look below and above: if there's a wall in the same place on the floor above or below, it's probably load-bearing.
- The thickness: a partition wall is usually 5–10 cm thick; a load-bearing wall, 20 cm or more.
- The joists: if the ceiling joists rest on that wall, it's load-bearing.
- The plans: the house plans make it clear. Ask for them at the town hall or from the architect.
- If in doubt, ask a technician: an architect or building surveyor can confirm it on a visit.
Replacing a load-bearing wall with a beam
It can be done, but with a project by a qualified technician, propping first and fitting a calculated steel or concrete beam. We do the demolition and coordinate the technician. Simply knocking down a load-bearing wall can crack or collapse the floor slab.
How much does it cost to knock down a partition wall?
Knocking down a partition wall is a small job: it's normally done in a day and includes the rubble in bags. What adds most afterwards is making good the floor, ceiling and walls where it stood. Tell us the metres of wall and we'll give you a price.
Permission: knocking down a partition wall is usually processed as minor works or a responsible declaration at the town hall. If the building is a community of owners, let the administrator know too.
Demolition licence and permits in the Axarquía
The paperwork usually takes longer than the job. This is what's needed and what we help you with:
Demolition project
To demolish a complete building you need a project signed by an architect or building surveyor, who usually also supervises the work.
Municipal licence
The town hall (Vélez-Málaga, Nerja, Torrox…) grants the demolition licence. Small interior demolitions can go through as minor works or a responsible declaration, depending on Andalusia's LISTA planning law.
Waste management
The project includes a waste management study and the town hall usually asks for a deposit, returned on presentation of the waste facility's receipts, as required by Royal Decree 105/2008.
Asbestos and Uralita
If there's Uralita or asbestos cement, it's removed first by a RERA-registered company with an approved work plan, in accordance with Royal Decree 396/2006.
We coordinate it: we work with local technicians who draw up the project, and on the site visit we tell you which procedure applies to your case.
How we carry out a demolition
A safe demolition always follows the same order. This is how we work:
1. TECHNICIAN'S VISIT: Free if the land is yours. We look at the building, the access, the neighbouring houses and whether there's asbestos.
2. FIXED QUOTE: Written price including the demolition, the rubble, its disposal and the timescale.
3. PERMITS: Project, licence and waste deposit. We help you with everything.
4. DISCONNECT SERVICES: Electricity, water and gas are disconnected. Asbestos and hazardous materials are removed.
5. STRIP-OUT: Doors and windows, roof tiles, steel and anything reusable, by hand and separated.
6. DEMOLITION: By machine, from the top down, protecting party walls and neighbours.
7. CLEAN PLOT: Rubble to a licensed facility, receipts and a plot ready for the new build.
START HERESend us photos on WhatsApp of what needs demolishing.
Rubble removal and waste management
Rubble is half the work of a demolition. We take care of everything, from the site to the waste facility:
How we do it:
- Separation on site: concrete and stone, brick, steel, timber, plastics. The better it's separated, the less it costs.
- Licensed facility: all the waste goes to a construction and demolition waste plant. We give you the receipts to recover your deposit.
- Recycling: clean concrete and stone are crushed and reused as aggregate.
- Builders' skips: for renovations and small demolitions we place skips at your door.
- Our own lorries: for large volumes we load straight onto the lorry by machine. We also do aggregate delivery service and fill.
Demolition by hand or by machine
Not everything can be knocked down with an excavator. We choose the method according to the access and what's around it:
| By hand | By machine | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Old town centres, narrow streets, interiors and adjoining houses | Detached houses, warehouses, slabs and walls with access |
| Tools | Electric breaker, angle grinder, wheelbarrow, rubble bags | Excavator with shears or breaker, mini digger, lorry |
| Pace | Slower, more labour hours | Fast, a few days |
| Neighbours | Minimal vibration and noise | Party walls must be protected |
| Price | More expensive per m² | More economical per m² |
The usual approach is to combine both: the delicate parts and anything touching the neighbours by hand, the rest by machine.
Demolition machinery
Excavators with demolition shears and hydraulic breaker, mini diggers that fit through a garage door, electric breakers for interiors and our own tipper lorries.
Demolition and rebuild: we carry on with your project
When you demolish to build, you normally have to coordinate several companies. Not with MURES: after the demolition we carry on with the earthworks and levelling of the plot, the excavation for foundations, basement or pool, the retaining walls and the outdoor areas in stamped concrete.
One company, one quote and no downtime between one stage and the next.
Typical demolition projects
Typical examples of how we approach this kind of work, not specific clients.
Old village house between party walls in Cómpeta
Narrow street with no access for a large machine. Neighbouring houses propped, roof and upper floors dismantled by hand, and a mini digger for the ground floor. Rubble taken out by dumper to the lorry.
Cortijo with an Uralita store in the countryside around Vélez-Málaga
Asbestos cement roof removed first by a RERA-registered company. Demolished with an excavator and shears, rubble separated and the plot levelled for the new house.
Demolition in Vélez-Málaga, the Axarquía and Málaga
We're based in Vélez-Málaga and carry out demolitions across the Axarquía, its urbanisations and outlying areas, and in Málaga. Choose your town:
- Vélez-Málaga
- Torre del Mar
- Rincón de la Victoria
- Nerja
- Torrox
- Algarrobo
- Frigiliana
- Cómpeta
- Periana
- Colmenar
- Canillas de Aceituno
- Benamocarra
- Sayalonga
- Canillas de Albaida
- Comares
- Moclinejo
- Alcaucín
- La Viñuela
- Sedella
- Salares
- Árchez
- Arenas
- Almáchar
- El Borge
- Cútar
- Benamargosa
- Iznate
- Macharaviaya
- Totalán
- Riogordo
- Alfarnate
- Alfarnatejo
If your job isn't on this list, ask us: we cover the whole province.
Got something to demolish?
Houses, sheds, walls, slabs or a partition wall. Building in Vélez-Málaga and the Axarquía since 2006, with our own machinery and rubble taken to a licensed facility.
- ✓ Free site visit
- ✓ Fixed-price quote
- ✓ Our own machinery
Send us on WhatsApp
- Photos of what needs demolishing.
- Roughly the square metres and whether there are adjoining houses.
- The town or village.
Still deciding whether to buy a plot? A feasibility visit costs €100 + VAT, and if you buy and hire us for the work, we deduct it from the bill.
Demolition FAQs
The questions we're asked most before demolishing a house, a wall or a partition.
How much does it cost to demolish a house per square metre?
It depends on the structure, access for the machinery, whether part of the building has to be dismantled by hand, the volume of rubble and its disposal at a licensed tip. On top of that come the demolition project and the municipal licence. That's why we don't give a price per m² without seeing the job: we visit it and give you a fixed quote.
Do you need a licence to demolish a house?
Yes, demolishing a house in Málaga and the Axarquía needs a municipal licence and, in most cases, a demolition project signed by a technician, architect or building surveyor, with its waste management study. Small interior demolitions can be processed as minor works. MURES checks on the site visit which procedure applies.
Do I need an architect for a demolition project?
To demolish a complete building you need a demolition project drawn up by a qualified technician, normally an architect or building surveyor, who also usually supervises the work. MURES works with local technicians and can coordinate the project, the licence and the demolition.
What happens to the rubble after the demolition?
Demolition rubble is separated on site and taken to a licensed construction and demolition waste facility, as the regulations require. MURES handles the transport and provides the disposal receipts. For small jobs a builders' skip can be used.
What happens if there's Uralita or asbestos?
If the building contains Uralita, asbestos cement or other materials with asbestos, they must be removed before demolition by a company listed on the Register of Companies at Risk from Asbestos (RERA), with an approved work plan. MURES coordinates that removal and then demolishes.
How long does a demolition take?
Demolishing a medium-sized detached house normally takes between 3 and 10 working days, plus the time to remove the rubble. An interior demolition or an outbuilding can be done in one or two days. Permits can take longer than the work, so it's best to start the paperwork as soon as possible.
Do you do demolition and rebuild?
Yes, MURES can handle the demolition, rubble removal, earthworks and site preparation for the new build, as well as retaining walls and outdoor paving. That way you avoid coordinating several companies and the downtime between one stage and the next.
Do you hire out skips?
Yes, MURES supplies builders' skips in Vélez-Málaga and the Axarquía for renovations, small demolitions and plot clearances. We deliver, collect and take the rubble to a licensed facility. On the skip hire page you'll find the sizes available and what each one is for.
How much does it cost to demolish an old village house?
An old village house usually costs more per metre than a detached house, because it's between party walls, the streets are narrow and part of the demolition is done by hand. The price depends mainly on access, the neighbouring houses and whether there's Uralita. We come and see it and give you a fixed price with the rubble included.
Who pays for demolishing a house in ruins?
The owner pays, as they have a duty to keep the building in a safe condition. If the town hall declares it a ruin and the owner doesn't demolish it, the town hall can do so and pass the cost on to them.
How much does it cost to knock down a partition wall?
Knocking down a partition wall is a small job that's usually done in a day, with the rubble in bags. The price depends on the metres and whether furniture or floors need protecting. What adds most afterwards is making good the floor, ceiling and walls where it stood.
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
A wall is usually load-bearing if it's thick (20 cm or more), if the ceiling joists rest on it or if there's another wall in the same place on the floor above or below. The house plans confirm it. If in doubt, a technician should check it before anything is knocked down.
Can a load-bearing wall be removed?
Yes, but with a project by a technician who calculates the beam that will replace it, propping first and with permission from the town hall. A load-bearing wall should never be knocked down without that calculation.
Do you demolish houses attached to others?
Yes. With houses between party walls, the neighbouring homes are propped, the part touching them is dismantled by hand and the remaining party wall is protected. When we finish, the neighbour's wall is left clean and protected.
Do you demolish swimming pools?
Yes. An old pool can be completely demolished, or the floor broken and the pool filled with compacted soil to gain garden. If you want a new one, we build that too.
Which areas do you cover for demolition?
The whole Axarquía and Málaga: Vélez-Málaga, Torre del Mar, Rincón de la Victoria, Nerja, Torrox, Algarrobo, Frigiliana, Cómpeta, Periana, Colmenar, Canillas de Aceituno and Málaga city.
Next steps for your project
Swimming pool construction in the Axarquía
Concrete pools, also on sloping plots.
See →Excavation in the Axarquía
Foundations, pools, basements and trenches.
See →Earthworks in the Axarquía
Levelling, terracing and filling.
See →Demolition in Vélez-Málaga
Torre del Mar, Caleta and nearby villages.
See →Skip hire
Containers for building work and renovations.
See →Track repairs
Farm access that stays firm all year.
See →Escollera rock retaining walls in Málaga
Stone types, construction and price.
See →