08/11/2026
House #2 of 5 demo is under way!!
Let's talk numbers for a moment. Based on comments from the post for house #1, many people feel the cost to remove these homes is astronomical. It is easy to see that $10K-$50K price tag and feel that way, believe me we had some sticker shock too!
Let’s break it down to be a little more manageable:
1. Asbestos testing: Each home needs to be tested. This cost varies based on the number of materials found in and on the home. Depending on those results, the home may need additional testing to make sure remediation is happening with care to protect our residents and the environment. We do not have a local company, so we must hire them from the city. Costs include travel, sample testing ($20 per sample), and a few other things. We try to complete as many as we can on a visit to avoid overnight stay costs, this way travel can be shared over many homes. Cost $1,200-$1,800 a home is what we have paid per testing visit. Spent to date: $14K Remaining: $15K
2. Xcel Disconnect: to have the homes properly disconnected from electricity and gas services and avoid hazards, Xcel disconnects and caps the gas lines which require digging underground. They also disconnect electricity from the electrical boxes that the home is connected to. Once this is done, staff can disconnect the homes from the boxes safely and disconnect from water and sewer. Cost to Xcel is averaged at $830 per home, staff time not included. Spent to date: $23k Remaining: $15K
3. Home Removal: This process requires multiple steps. If a home has asbestos, then appropriate remediation must take place, see below for more information on this step. If the home does not have asbestos, or once abatement is completed, the home can then be demolished. A permit is required for this work at the cost of $150-$300 per home, depending on square footage. Spent to date: $2.4K Once permits are obtained, the home can be removed from the park, the videos and pictures we are posting. Most of the homes will be knocked down, materials sorted as required by law (not always on site) and hauled away to the appropriate landfill or recycling centers. Most of this material will leave the Valley, thus increasing the costs for demolition. Removal of homes is $8,500 each, which includes the permit cost.
4. Abatement: Proper removal of asbestos is where most of the costs will come from. So far, 13 homes have completed all testing with 11 testing positive. Positive can be something small, like the taillights, and the cost can match ($51). We have several that only have asbestos under the sinks, where cost is a few hundred dollars. Then we have a few where the homes have friable material, the most dangerous if not cared for properly, and will require the home to be tented. This process will require more work, more equipment, more care, and so on and so on. This cost can be between $10K-$30K depending on the scope required to meet the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). This process requires a different permit, included in the cost above, and the asbestos tester to come back and confirm all asbestos has been removed before demolition can happen, another $500-$1,000 depending on samples required and the number of homes ready for this step during a visit.
When you do things according to requirements it protects the neighborhood, the people, and the environment. Yes, the cost is a barrier, but it is worth it to protect our community.
Could we have done it cheaper? Yes, but would it have provided our community with the same protection? Absolutely NOT!
Would it have met all the requirements? No!
Did we get other prices from other companies? Of course we did!
Sometimes it is not about going with the cheapest option, it is about taking care of the people and the land.
Comments like “burn the whole place down, it’s an eyesore” are hard to read. The neighborhood holds the lives of 114 households, over 200 living, breathing, humans. It holds just as many animals, both pets and wild.
We knew the park was not “beautiful” when we purchased in it December of 2022. We knew it needed a lot of work, even more than we anticipated. We knew we needed to make lots of changes but that they would all take time and should be done overtime for those who live here. We also knew that many in our community would not understand, and that is okay.
Please, before you make a negative comment, remember families live here! Households are made up of people from so many backgrounds. Each household is unique and they only want a safe, decent, and affordable place to live. They want to know their home is in a community that looks out for each and takes care of each other.
So be that neighbor. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Before you post a negative comment, think about how you would feel if someone said that about your home, your family, your neighborhood. Better yet, think about how you would feel if they said that about your grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, sister, brother, son, daughter, and so on.
Find a moment to be kind, spread joy, and be part of the solution not the problem!!
