Documents required for building demolition - checklist 2025

Documents required for building demolition - checklist 2025

Introduction

Proper preparation of demolition documentation is a key element ensuring legality and safety of demolition works. According to current construction law regulations from 2025, lack of appropriate documents may result in work suspension and high financial penalties.

STAGE I: Basic owner documents

✅ Property ownership documents

□ Land register extract (not older than 3 months)

• Original or certified copy
• Must confirm ownership or perpetual usufruct

□ Map for design purposes (current)

• Prepared by authorized surveyor
• Including existing underground utilities
• Validity: maximum 2 years

□ Owner's identity document

• For legal entity: KRS and statute
• Power of attorney (if agent acts)

✅ Documents concerning demolition object

□ Building permit (original or copy)

• Original permit for building construction
• If missing: certificate of no mayor's objection

□ Building design project (if available)

• Helps determine construction and materials
• Facilitates demolition project preparation

□ As-built documentation (if exists)

• Particularly important for 80s and 90s buildings
• Contains actual construction information

STAGE II: Design and technical documents

✅ Demolition project

□ Demolition project prepared by authorized designer

• Including method and sequence of demolition
• Considering protection of adjacent objects
• Cost: 2000-6000 PLN

□ Demolition organization project

• Work timeline
• Construction site organization method
• Access roads and storage areas

□ Health and safety plan (BIOZ)

• Mandatory for all demolitions
• Must be prepared by authorized person
• Cost: 800-2000 PLN

✅ Expertise and technical opinions

□ Structural expertise (if required)

• For buildings above 3 floors
• When asbestos presence suspected
• Cost: 1500-4000 PLN

□ Asbestos inventory

• Mandatory for pre-1997 buildings
• Must be performed by accredited laboratory
• Cost: 500-1500 PLN

□ Dendrological inventory

• When trees present on site
• Determines which trees require cutting permits
• Cost: 300-800 PLN

STAGE III: Administrative permits and approvals

✅ Basic permits

□ Demolition permit

• Issued by relevant building authority
• Fee: 297 PLN + 17 PLN stamp duty
• Waiting time: up to 65 days

□ Construction work notification (for objects up to 35 m²)

• Alternative to permit for small objects
• Waiting period: 30 days
• Fee: 92 PLN

✅ Additional approvals (depending on location)

□ Heritage conservator consent

• For heritage-listed objects
• For objects in conservation protection zone
• Waiting time: up to 30 days

□ Tree cutting permit

• Issued by commune/district office
• Fee: from 100 PLN per tree
• May require replacement plantings

□ Road lane occupation permit

• When demolition requires container placement on sidewalk
• Issued by road manager
• Fee: 1-5 PLN per m²/day

STAGE IV: Utility network agreements

✅ Mandatory agreements

□ Electricity company agreement

• Power disconnection and meter removal
• Timeline: 14 working days
• Often free of charge

□ Gas company agreement

• Gas disconnection and installation removal
• Timeline: 7-14 working days
• Cost: 100-500 PLN

□ Water supplier agreement

• Water disconnection and meter removal
• Timeline: 7 working days
• Cost: 50-200 PLN

□ Internet/TV provider agreement

• Telecommunications installation removal
• Notification: 3-7 days before demolition
• Usually free of charge

STAGE V: Contractor documents

✅ Demolition company documents

□ Central Business Activity Register entry

• Current (not older than 6 months)
• With appropriate PKD codes

□ Civil liability insurance policy

• Minimum coverage 500,000 PLN
• Covering damage to adjacent buildings
• Valid during work execution

□ Site manager's building qualifications

• In structural-construction specialty
• Current and valid
• Confirmed by relevant chamber

□ Waste transport permit

• Entry in regulated activity register
• For construction waste transport
• Permit number: essential in documentation

STAGE VI: Documents during implementation

✅ Documents maintained during works

□ Construction diary

• Maintained daily by site manager
• Recording all significant events
• Controlled by building supervision

□ Waste transfer cards

• For each debris transport
• With destination disposal site indicated
• Stored for 5 years

□ Individual stage acceptance protocols

• Installation dismantling
• Structure demolition
• Site cleanup

Timeline and costs - 2025 summary

Total documentation preparation time: 60-90 days

Documentation costs:

• Demolition project: 2000-6000 PLN
• BIOZ plan: 800-2000 PLN
• Permits and fees: 300-1000 PLN
• Expertise: 1000-5000 PLN
• Total cost: 4100-14000 PLN

Common documentation errors

1. Incomplete utility network agreements Result: Work suspension and financial penalties

2. Lack of current geodetic map Result: Permit refusal

3. Incorrect asbestos disposal method specification Result: Penalties up to 1 million PLN

4. Lack of photographic documentation of pre-demolition state Result: Problems with neighbor claims

Checklist - before work commencement

□ All permits obtained and valid □ Contractor insurance active □ Utility networks disconnected and confirmed □ Neighbors notified of planned works □ Access roads agreed □ Waste disposal method planned □ Site manager appointed and available

Bibliography

Legal acts:

• Construction Law Act of July 7, 1994 (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2024, item 725)
• Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of February 6, 2003 on occupational safety and health during construction works (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2024, item 590)
• Waste Act of December 14, 2012 (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2024, item 414)

Official sources:

• General Office of Building Control - Guidelines on building demolition, 2025
• Portal gov.pl - Construction procedures in practice, access: 2025
• Chamber of Civil Engineers - Design documentation standards, 2025