Frequently asked questions
The questions people actually ask before they hand over money — answered properly, including the awkward ones about deposits and asbestos.
About working with us
What areas of the Wirral do you cover?
We cover the whole Wirral peninsula from our Birkenhead office — Birkenhead, Wallasey, New Brighton, Prenton, Oxton, Moreton, Upton, Greasby, Hoylake, West Kirby, Caldy, Heswall, Pensby, Bebington, Port Sunlight, Bromborough, Neston and Parkgate — plus Ellesmere Port and, for commercial and facade work, Liverpool and the wider Merseyside area.
Are you a properly registered company?
Yes. Brick Rip and Dig Ltd is registered at Companies House under company number 16886622. Our trading office is on Market Street in Birkenhead and our registered office is at Wirral International Business Park, Bromborough. You can verify all of it on the Companies House register before you commit to anything.
Do you give free quotes?
Yes. We visit the site, look at the actual job rather than a photograph, and issue a written fixed price with a clear scope and a list of what is excluded. No charge for the visit and no obligation.
Do you ask for money up front?
We do not ask for large deposits before starting. Where a job needs significant materials ordered in advance — steel, bricks, plant hire — we agree a staged payment schedule in writing before work begins. Anyone asking for a big cash deposit before they have been near your property is telling you something.
Are you insured?
Yes, we hold public liability insurance and will provide a copy of the certificate before we start on site. Ask any contractor for this. A legitimate one will hand it over without hesitating.
Do you handle Building Control and planning?
For structural work we arrange the structural engineer's calculations and submit the building notice or full plans application, then book and attend the inspection stages. Where planning permission or listed building consent is needed we will tell you at quote stage, before you have spent anything.
What happens if you find asbestos?
We stop. Any property built before 2000 should have a refurbishment and demolition survey before strip-out. We do not remove licensed asbestos — a licensed removal contractor clears it and issues a clearance certificate, and then we return and carry on.
How do you dispose of waste?
All waste leaves site under licensed waste carriage with waste transfer notes, which we provide to you. Waste is segregated for recycling where practical. Nothing gets fly-tipped down a country lane — which, unfortunately, is not something every operator on the peninsula can say.
Can you work as a subcontractor for a main contractor?
Yes. A good deal of our facade, demolition and strip-out work is delivered under principal contractors. We arrive with our own method statements, risk assessments, trained operatives and site supervision, and work to your permit system and site rules.
How quickly can you start?
Small works such as a knock-through, a garage demolition or a patio can usually start within one to three weeks. Larger structural jobs depend on the engineer's calculation, steel fabrication lead time and Building Control, which typically adds two to four weeks before we can be on site.
Demolition & Soft Strip questions
Do I need permission to demolish a garage or outbuilding?
Usually not for a detached domestic garage or shed, but you will need a demolition notice to the local authority for larger structures, and Building Control involvement if the structure is attached to the house. We tell you which applies before we quote and handle the notification.
How do you deal with asbestos?
Any building constructed before 2000 needs a refurbishment and demolition survey before strip-out begins. We do not remove licensed asbestos. If asbestos is found we stop, and a licensed removal contractor clears it with a clearance certificate before we return.
Can you remove a chimney breast on the ground floor only?
Yes, but the stack above must be supported. That means gallows brackets or a steel beam designed by a structural engineer and signed off by Building Control. We arrange the engineer's calculation as part of the job.
How much does soft strip cost on the Wirral?
Cost depends on floor area, what is being removed, access for waste and whether asbestos is present. A single-room strip-out is typically a one to two day job; a full house or retail unit runs longer. We give a fixed written price after a site visit, free of charge.
Cladding Removal & Recladding questions
Do you work on cladding remediation schemes as a subcontractor?
Yes. Most of our facade work is delivered under a principal contractor on residential and commercial remediation programmes. We provide our own method statements, risk assessments, trained operatives and site supervision.
What happens if the SFS frame is corroded once you open it up?
We stop, photograph and record it, and report to the design team. Damaged frame sections, sheathing board and insulation are replaced to the engineer's remedial detail before the wall is closed back up. Nothing gets buried.
Can you match existing brickwork when reinstating a facade?
Yes. We source facing bricks to match the existing blend and match the mortar colour and joint profile. On listed or conservation buildings we agree a sample panel with the architect before proceeding.
Do you provide records for the building safety case?
Yes. Open-up photographs, inspection sign-offs, material data sheets and installation records are compiled and handed over at completion.
Groundworks & Excavation questions
How deep do foundations need to be on the Wirral?
It depends on ground conditions and nearby trees. A typical domestic extension footing on firm ground starts around 900mm–1000mm, but clay soils and mature trees can push that considerably deeper. Building Control inspects the trench and confirms the depth before concrete is poured.
Do you provide a digger and driver?
Yes. We work with our own mini-excavator and operator on domestic and light commercial sites, and hire in larger plant where the job needs it.
Can you connect new drainage to the existing sewer?
Yes. Connections to a private drain are straightforward. A connection to a public sewer requires an application to United Utilities, which we will identify at quote stage and help you arrange.
What happens to the spoil from the dig?
It is removed by grab lorry or skip under licensed waste carriage, with transfer notes provided. Where soil is clean and you want it retained on site, we can level and reuse it instead.
Brickwork & Structural Openings questions
Do I need a structural engineer to remove an internal wall?
If the wall is load-bearing, yes. An engineer calculates the beam size, bearing length and padstones, and Building Control will want to see it. If the wall is non-load-bearing it is simpler, but the only safe way to know which it is is to have it checked. We arrange that check.
How long does an RSJ installation take?
A typical single-beam knock-through in a domestic property takes two to four days on site, plus lead time for the engineer's calculation and steel fabrication. Wider openings, multiple beams or a goalpost frame take longer.
Do you use lime mortar on older properties?
Where the property has solid walls and soft handmade brick, yes. Repointing an old Wirral terrace in hard cement mortar traps moisture and blows the face off the brick. We match the mortar to the wall, not to what is quickest.
Can you match the brick on my extension to the existing house?
In most cases yes. We source facing bricks by blend and size, or use reclaimed brick where the property is older. We build a small sample panel for you to approve before the main run.
Still got a question?
Ask it. We'd rather spend ten minutes on the phone giving you a straight answer than have you commit to the wrong job.