Can my hedge survive a house demolition?

Often, if it sits outside the new footprint and away from the truck route. Fencing it off, keeping machines and stockpiles well back and watering it through the job all help. A hedge right against the old house or in the path of equipment is much harder to save.

Should I shut off my irrigation system before the teardown?

Yes. Shut it off at the supply and have it drained before demolition starts. Lines crossing the work area will almost certainly be damaged, so plan to replace those later. Parts outside the work zone can be protected and reused once the new landscaping is designed.

Who moves plants I want to keep?

Your landscaper, before demolition day. They can dig, pot or temporarily replant perennials and shrubs somewhere safe on the lot or elsewhere. The demolition crew focuses on protecting fenced areas and will not stop mid-job to lift plants that were not moved in advance.

Can I remove a hedge on the property line?

Talk to your neighbour first. A hedge on or near the line may be shared or partly theirs, and removing it without agreement can cause a dispute. If it includes trees, the Town's Private Tree Protection By-law may also apply, so check before any cutting.

Outdoor

Hedges, gardens and irrigation systems during an Oakville teardown

landscaping
irrigation
teardown

The house is coming down, but the garden took years to grow. Some of it should survive, some of it can be moved, and some of it is simply in the way of the new foundation.

Sorting that out before the machine arrives is much easier than trying to save plants after the fact. Here's how to think about hedges, beds, irrigation and lighting on a teardown lot.

Backyard cleared to bare soil beside a deck and tree line

What can be kept, and how it is protected

Walk the lot with your designer and landscaper and decide what stays. Anything outside the new footprint and away from the truck route is a candidate. Protected areas are then fenced off so the crew can see them:

Hoarding or temporary fencing around beds and hedges that stay.
No stockpiling, parking or tracking inside the fenced area.
Clear marking so every operator knows the boundary.

Plants worth moving first

Perennials, shrubs and smaller specimen plants that would be lost can often be dug up and potted or heeled in elsewhere. That is the owner's landscaper's job, and it should be done before demolition day. Once the machine starts, there is no time to stop for a favourite hydrangea.

Irrigation lines, valves and controllers

An underground irrigation system usually runs across much of the yard, including areas the machine will work in. Before demolition:

The system is shut off at the supply and drained.
The controller is removed from the house wall if the owner wants to keep it.
Valves and zones outside the work area are identified so they can be protected.
Lines crossing the demolition zone are treated as lost and replaced later.

Low-voltage lighting

Landscape lighting is often buried just below the surface. Fixtures and transformers that the owner wants to reuse are removed first. Cables in the work area are cut back or pulled, since they will not survive machine traffic.

Trees, hedges and the neighbour

The Town's Private Tree Protection By-law deals with trees, and our tree guide explains how it applies on a teardown. Hedges are a different matter. A hedge on or near the property line may be partly the neighbour's, so talk with them before trimming or removing it.

Regrading afterward

Once the house and foundation are gone, the yard is regraded for the new house. Kept beds and hedges set fixed points that the new grade has to meet, so the builder and landscaper should know where they are. Our residential demolition work leaves the lot at the grade the builder asks for.

When to bring in a professional

Bring in a landscaper to decide what can be moved or saved, and an arborist if trees are involved. The demolition crew should be told about every protected area and irrigation zone at the site walk so the plan works around them.

Keeping what matters

A garden cannot all be saved, but the right parts can. Bolan Group Demolition Oakville fences off what stays, works around it and clears the rest through our site clearing service. Request a free estimate to plan the yard with us.

Frequently asked questions

Can my hedge survive a house demolition?: Often, if it sits outside the new footprint and away from the truck route. Fencing it off, keeping machines and stockpiles well back and watering it through the job all help. A hedge right against the old house or in the path of equipment is much harder to save.
Should I shut off my irrigation system before the teardown?: Yes. Shut it off at the supply and have it drained before demolition starts. Lines crossing the work area will almost certainly be damaged, so plan to replace those later. Parts outside the work zone can be protected and reused once the new landscaping is designed.
Who moves plants I want to keep?: Your landscaper, before demolition day. They can dig, pot or temporarily replant perennials and shrubs somewhere safe on the lot or elsewhere. The demolition crew focuses on protecting fenced areas and will not stop mid-job to lift plants that were not moved in advance.
Can I remove a hedge on the property line?: Talk to your neighbour first. A hedge on or near the line may be shared or partly theirs, and removing it without agreement can cause a dispute. If it includes trees, the Town's Private Tree Protection By-law may also apply, so check before any cutting.