March 20th, 2019 | Updated on June 24th, 2019
The house demolition process is no daunting task if performed with a bit of knowhow and an enlightened perspective. Nevertheless, it can be a considerably large undertaking the first time around.
In the following guide we will take a short walk through the demolition process in XXXX easy to follow steps.
1. Demolish, Deconstruct Or Both
The first thing to ask yourself when starting a house demolition process is if you want the house demolished or deconstructed. Naturally, bringing in heavy machinery and tearing the house to gravel is the easiest, fastest and even most economical option. Nevertheless, if you were to skillfully disassemble your home piece by piece, you may find a wealth of salvageable materials that will not end up in a landfill. You may find that as much as 70% of the materials used in a home can be used again. This includes windows, doors, woodwork, and more.
Then there is a combination of the two where everything that can be salvaged is salvaged before heavy machines finish the work.
2. Locate A Demolition Contractor
You will likely need the help of a licensed demolitions contractor who will help you plan the best route to a successful demolition or deconstruction, or both. They will come to the site and have a look over the house providing as many options as they can. Be sure to get a clear list of estimates and proposals in writing. If necessary, consider inviting a few contractors over and choose the one you feel the best about.
3. Professional Inspections
Part of the contractor’s service includes a thorough inspection of the home and structure. This is to ensure that any dangerous or hazardous building materials are properly contained and addressed in a safe manner. This may be included in the services of the contractor or could be sub-contracted to an environmental specialist.
4. Collect The Necessary Permits
Before you can begin the physical side of the house demolition process, you will need a proper permit from the local building authority or City Hall. You can find more information about these rules in your local government website. Here you will find some special guidelines for demolition schedules, noise issues, disposal of debris etc.
Be sure you have a clear idea of how much work your contractor will do so that you are not charged extra for something you did not expect.
5. Disconnect Utilities
Don’t begin any work until all the utilities have been properly disconnected. This includes the sewage and water lines but the gas and electricity will pose a serious risk if not addressed before work begins. Sometimes this must be requested in writing from each respective utility company.
6. Protect Surrounding Properties, Pedestrian And Traffic
You will need to set up some protective implements to ensure that falling structures and scattered debris is contained within the area of operations and not affecting any of the neighboring lots. It is actually a good idea to go an chat with neighbors letting them know your plans well in advance of demolition, this way they can choose to be away from home if they so choose or make other arrangements to ensure the project goes off without a hitch.
7. Salvage
If you have plans to save materials through deconstruction, they need to be taken to the salvage facilities as soon as possible to avoid being damaged. There are many charities, and other organizations that accept these materials, your contractor may also have some good ideas of where they can be put to use. This will save cash and time spent on hauling debris and scrap to the landfill.
8. Begin The Task
Now that you have effectively laid the tracks, you can begin the task of tearing the house down. This can be a project of several days or a couple days depending on the size of the home and tasks involved. If you will be deconstructing and demolishing you can expect this job to take a little longer.
9. Remove All The Debris
You can hire a roll off container in which all the debris can be loaded leaving a clear site. The job often involves the destruction of the foundation and nothing should be left not even rubbles. IF you have plans to rebuild, many of the machines used to tear the house down can be applied to setting the ground work for your future project. Ask your contractor for more information.
