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House demolition usually takes a couple of days to be fully done, but it can depend on the size of the building. But most of the work is done before the actual act of demolishing.
Consultations
The first thing you want to do is to do a thorough inspection. After this is done, make sure to collect all of the required permits to go through with the project. The complexity and amount of permits required to undergo a demolition vary from the size of the demolition in question.
Experience of the Demolition Expert
Demolition is not a simple process and a lot of things can go wrong when doing it. This is why you should ask your demolition expert how many years has he been in the business. As well as the complexity of the projects he has previously undergone, reviews aren’t a bad place to start either. If you have a particular problematic roof, it would be good to know that the hired expert has experience handling it.
The Question of Permits
In order to proceed with your project, you will be required Development Application (DA) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC) approval. For a consultation with the permits it is best to go to your local council, while a CDC can be attained via your demolition company. And you will be required to notify the neighboring properties of a demolition taking place next to them. You should notify them about seven days before the demolition process takes place.
Pay Attention to the Hidden Expenses
One of the traps with demolitions is that they will lure you in with the “all-inclusive” line, where they pay for everything. There will be a lot of potential hidden costs, so you have to be aware of this fact, as they can boost the price after the contract has been signed due to unforeseen elements. Some of these hidden expenses include:
• Clearance paperwork
• Temporary fencing
• Sewer works
• Asset protection permits
What are all the Services that the Demolition Company Will Provide?
Since you’ve read this far, you understand that there is more to a demolition process than just tearing the building down. The sheer scope of the services that the demolition company will provide should definitely come into question when deciding for which company to go for. Will the demolition company be liaising with your neighbors in order for no damage to be done to the surrounding properties? Will they be providing the permits necessary for the project? Will they be clearing the obstacles during the process? All of these things are points that you should be looking out for when hiring. Ideally, you don’t want to do your house demolition and then later pay for damage done to your neighbor’s property.
Disconnect Current Services
Before the demolition can commence, you need to disconnect any existing services (such as water, gas, and electricity). Contact your electricity company around 5-6 weeks before the demolition takes place. Do not forget to degas the air conditioner as well. The demolition company might help you out with fencing, disconnecting the power, and hiring a portable toilet.
Manual Labor
Manual demolition is the physical start of the process. This is done in order to remove the hazardous materials from the site, such as asbestos (which most houses will have). Asbestos is notable for killing over 5,000 workers a year in the UK, so it should be handled by the professionals. During this stage, recyclable materials can be salvaged for later use.
The Machine Part of the Work
After all of the hazardous materials have been removed, it is time for the mechanical part of the demolition. Mechanical demolition is known for being the most cost-effective and the most efficient way to do home demolition. It is also the most common way of doing so. In this process, the house is removed by using John Deere excavators along with other heavy machinery. Then the resulting debris is transported to the closest waste management facility (provided you care about the environment, which you should!).
Cleanup
Once the entire process is complete it is time to clean up the remains. You will have to remove the remaining debris. This can be tricky at times so its best to ask your demolition company to assist you.
