“Breaking Stuff is Just Cool” – Contractor Reflects on 40 Years of Bridge Demolition

Equipment WorldEven after more than 40 years in the demolition business, Greg Bair still thinks “breaking stuff is just cool.”

Greg was the youngest of three sons who had grown up around their father’s pool installation and excavation business.

When his father was ready to retire, Greg and his oldest brother were divided on the direction to take the company, so he decided it was time to strike out on his own.

To avoid competition with the family business, Greg agreed to only do rock breaking work; excavation was off limits.

“No one thought I could make a living just breaking rock,” Greg recalls. “I didn’t even have a bucket for the machine.”

But as Greg’s reputation and customer base in the Greater Kansas City area grew, so did the size and scope of his projects. He went from breaking pool concrete to sewer lines, and eventually, in 1994, his first bridge.

Since then, Greg and his crew of 30 employees and just as many “track hoes” have brought down more than 1,600 bridges across the country. While demolition and rock breaking make up a majority of the $3 million to $5 million company’s work, it has also added crushing, screening, dredging, land clearing, and pier drilling services over the years.

“People call us for the hard jobs,” says Greg. “We can hardly get an easy demo job. We get a lot of weird calls, so it’s always something different.”

The tedious and difficult projects require intense planning, coordination and trust. Daniel Hoyt, project manager with Emery Sapp & Sons says, “They do some of the most dangerous scope of work we encounter under tight time constraints. They are a good partner; they meet their commitments and work closely with us to make sure the project is completed on time and within budget.”

For those reasons and more, Greg Bair Track Hoe Service Inc. is one of Equipment World’s finalists for the 2024 Contractor of the Year Award.

Greg Bair Track Hoe ServiceReady for action

Greg’s expertise and sizeable fleet have made him a go-to subcontractor for bridge demolitions – a niche that comes with less competition than residential or commercial demolition projects, he says.

“Many of these projects are super time sensitive. Sometimes we need 20 track hoes on one bridge to do it in one night. There’s just not that many guys that can whip that out.”

In total, Greg owns more than 50 excavators, six skid steers, two crushers, one screener, one wheel loader and dozens of hammers, shears, grapples and other demolition-specific attachments.

He buys a 50-50 mix of new machines and low-hour used machines from the rental or auction markets. He says it’s difficult to rent in his line of work because machines can get scratched easily once debris starts flying.

Buying used machines has also helped his bottom line – something that was instilled in him early on by his father. “If you can’t pay for that [machine] in three or four years at the most, then it’s too expensive for you,” Greg says, recalling his father’s advice.

Equipment WorldTop-notch mechanics

Due to the fast-paced nature of the work, Greg can’t afford downtime. The company employs three mechanics, a shop assistant and two welders. A field service truck and mechanic are always sent to overnight or out of town jobs for onsite repairs.

“Minor breakdowns or hoses fixes we always take care of in the field,” he says. “But for any major issues, we bring the machine back to the shop and swap it out.”

“I think we probably have the best mechanics in town when it comes to fixing track hoes, rams and attachments. We do it all,” he says.

Clients have taken note of the meticulously maintained fleet. “I've never had any delays because of equipment breakdowns or anything like that, which is more than I can say for a lot of the trades,” says client Kevin Snyder. “Everything is in fine working order and always does the job.”

Saving the good stuff

Salvage is an important part of demolition work – and Greg has found all sorts of treasures from his demolition projects over the years, often to his wife’s dismay.

“She always shakes her head when I come home with another trailer full of stuff,” he says.

Greg is a MacGyver of sorts and always finds a way to recycle what he’s torn down. “I like repurposing stuff like crazy,” he says.

Over the years, he has fabricated trailers to haul long-reach excavator booms or collect falling debris from bridges– with some of his inventions even catching the attention of manufacturers.  

When asked if he would ever patent any of his ideas, he shrugged, saying he already makes a good living and doesn’t need anything extra. “I give away so many ideas,” he says. “I’m always telling people how to make stuff better.”

Equipment WorldTraining employees from the ground up

If a job requires more employees than Greg has on staff, he’ll outsource the trucking portion and have his truck drivers operate equipment. “It gives them a change of pace, plus, they’re learning, getting better at running them, and having another skill that they acquired besides coming here and driving truck.”

“We offer a fun job, really. I mean, it’s pretty fun tearing shit down,” he laughs.

Greg notes that only a couple of operators on staff have come from other companies; the rest are former laborers or truck drivers—and he prefers it that way. By training and promoting employees internally, the company provides crew members with a career path and ensures safe practices are followed on dangerous jobsites.

“They don’t come with bad habits; they only know our habits,” he says.

Greg's stepdaughter, Danielle Tucker, works as the company's office manager.Equipment WorldPreparing the next generation

Greg enjoys working side by side with his employees, and its something he’s spending more time doing as he eases out of daily operations and into retirement.

“I make myself find something to do,” he says. “I never got to work in the shop much because I was always busy having to bid or go out on projects. Now, I get to spend time teaching the young guys what to do.”

Nephew Andy Shorten and stepdaughter Danielle Tucker will both assume ownership positions within the company this year, but cousins have been under Greg’s tutelage for more than a decade.

Andy started out washing equipment in the yard, and now serves as the company’s project manager, concentrating on bidding and field operations. Greg trained Andy “his way,” and now, Andy is modernizing some of the company’s operations with new software and technology.

Danielle, who has a degree in teaching, has placed her focus on office operations. “Growing up with Greg and watching him work in construction, it just looked fun and different,” she says.

To prepare the business for future growth, Greg recently built a new facility equipped with a large equipment yard, multiple offices, a shop with heated floors, and a large second floor meeting room, which Greg envisions as a future daycare for employee’s children.  

Looking ahead, Greg just hopes Andy and Daniel keep it going and have as much fun as he did. 

“It ain’t worth it to come into work every day if you don’t like your job,” he says. “I hope everyone in the company always feels excited to come here.”

To learn more about how you can apply for or nominate a contractor for Equipment World’s 2025 Contractor of the Year Award, click here.