Demolishing the interior of a home or premises means removing what exists in order to start again from a clean base: partitions, finishes, kitchen, bathroom, suspended ceilings. These works almost always precede a renovation, a new layout or an alteration. They seem simple, but they affect the structure, the pipes and cables, and waste, which is why it makes sense to entrust them to a company.
SOS Travaux is a neutral matching service. You describe your project online, your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in Western Switzerland, who contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.
What interior demolition covers
Interior demolition covers all the stripping-out and dismantling work carried out inside a building, without touching its envelope. The company works room by room, protecting what is to stay. A distinction is generally made between careful removal, where some elements are salvaged, and full demolition, where everything is removed.
The most common works:
- knocking down non-load-bearing partitions to open up or enlarge a room;
- removing suspended ceilings, wood panelling or wall coverings;
- removing tiles, parquet, carpets and screeds;
- dismantling a kitchen or bathroom before replacement;
- chipping off plaster or wall tiles down to the bare substrate;
- removing and sorting rubble, up to a rough clean of the premises.
Demolition never comes alone. It opens the way for other trades: masonry, electrical work, plumbing, plastering, painting, floor laying. Say in your request what is to follow, so that the company can prepare the job accordingly.
When to call a professional for demolition
A small dismantling job, such as removing a shelf or a fixed piece of furniture, can be done without help. As soon as it involves opening a wall, removing a glued floor or emptying an entire room, a professional’s advice becomes useful.
Several situations call for it:
- you do not know whether a partition is load-bearing or not;
- water or gas pipes or electrical cables may run through the area;
- the building is old and may contain materials requiring particular precautions, asbestos for example, frequently mentioned in buildings from a certain period;
- the job takes place in an apartment building, with close neighbours;
- the volume of waste exceeds what you can remove yourself.
Where there is doubt about the structure, the opinion of an engineer or an architect may come before the work. A reputable company will point this out itself rather than demolish at random.
Training and professional rules in Switzerland
Building trades in Switzerland rely largely on vocational training, with apprenticeships leading to a Federal Certificate of Proficiency (CFC) for many trades. For interior demolition, which often involves masonry, plastering or finishing work, you can ask the company which staff will work on site and what their training is. A clear answer is a good sign.
Other points to check before signing:
- is the company entered in the commercial register and does it have an address in Switzerland?
- can it provide a certificate of liability insurance covering the job?
- does it explain how it handles waste and special materials?
These checks are your responsibility: SOS Travaux passes your request on, but does not choose the company for you.
Permits and cantonal specifics
Purely interior demolition does not always require a permit, but this depends on the canton, the municipality and the nature of the works. In every case, check with your municipality or the competent cantonal office before starting. Here are pointers specific to each canton.
Geneva, Vaud and Valais
- Geneva: building permits are issued by the canton, by the Office of Building Permits. A large part of the housing stock consists of rental buildings managed by property managers, whose consent is often essential. The old town and protected districts add constraints. On energy, the cantonal energy law and the cantonal energy office oversee, among other things, the subsidies of the Buildings Programme.
- Vaud: the permit is issued by the municipality, with the file going through the cantonal permit centre (CAMAC) when cantonal services must give an opinion. The old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage site, call for particular attention. A cantonal subsidy programme exists on the energy side.
- Valais: the building permit is issued by the municipality in building zones, and by a cantonal commission outside building zones. Chalets and second homes are numerous, and the federal law on second homes applies in the municipalities concerned.
Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura and Bern
- Fribourg: applications are submitted through the cantonal platform FRIAC, and the permit is issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of works. The canton is bilingual, and its old towns are protected.
- Neuchâtel: the cantonal counter SATAC receives applications, with the decision taken by the municipality. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, a UNESCO site, can influence what may be altered.
- Jura: the permit is issued by the municipality or by the canton depending on the size of the project. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne call for care.
- Bern (including Biel/Bienne): the permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project. Biel/Bienne is officially bilingual, French and German: useful to know for correspondence with the authorities.
In each canton, an energy office offers a subsidy programme for certain renovation works. Interior demolition may form part of a larger project that qualifies for aid: find out before committing to the works, as conditions vary.
Preparing your demolition request
The more precise your description, the more comparable the quotes will be. Gather these details:
- the address, the type of property (house, apartment, premises) and the floor;
- the approximate year of construction, if you know it;
- the list of items to remove, room by room, with photos;
- access to the site: lift, stairs, courtyard, space for a skip;
- what must be kept or protected;
- what is planned next: renovation, new kitchen, opening up a space;
- your status: owner, tenant (with the landlord’s consent), co-owner or business.
If you live in a co-owned building, consult the co-ownership rules: some works require notice to, or the agreement of, the other co-owners, and working hours may be imposed.
What a reliable quote details
A quote for interior demolition is not limited to a single line. It describes, item by item, what is planned:
- the exact scope of the works and the elements concerned;
- protection of floors, stairs, lifts and neighbouring rooms;
- the method of waste removal and sorting, skip included or not;
- the technical installations to be disconnected and who is responsible for it;
- the cleaning left at the end of the job;
- the payment terms and the agreed start date;
- possible unforeseen items and how they will be handled.
What makes the cost vary: the surface area and number of rooms, the nature of the materials to be removed, the thickness and hardness of the substrates, ease of access, the distance to the skip, the volume of waste, the possible presence of materials requiring precautions, as well as the season and the availability of teams. Two jobs that look similar can therefore result in very different quotes. To compare, request several quotes based on the same description.
Legal guarantees after the works
The Code of Obligations (CO) governs the contractor’s warranty. For a work on an immovable structure, art. 371 CO provides a five-year period to claim defects. For a movable work, it is two years. In both cases, the defect must be reported as soon as it is noticed.
If your contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, its provisions supplement the contract: check in the quote or the contract whether it is mentioned. Keep all documents (quote, contract, delivery notes, invoices) and carry out a joint inspection with the company at the end of the job.
Request a demolition quote near you
Describe your project in a few lines: requesting a quote is free and without obligation. Your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in your area, who contact you to discuss the job and provide an offer.
No city page for this trade is available yet; to find local pointers, see the canton pages:
Updated 29 October 2026