What you Need to Know before Starting a Residential House Demolition
Demolishing a house can be an immensely satisfying experience if you want to clear out a space for something new. The best advice we can give to get going to contact a demolition contractor who is licensed, insured, and who can provide an estimate on cost. A well-written estimate will indicate where the responsibility for what is and where to obtain permits, if any are required. By speaking with a demolition contractor directly, you also have the immediate opportunity to get questions answered and concerns addressed.
Next, alongside a demolition contractor, inspect your home for any hazardous materials, lead paint, or asbestos that may be present. Remediation may be an additional step that needs to be taken prior to and during demolition. Identify any materials that can be recycled, re-used, or donated prior to beginning the demolition. Also, be sure to confirm with utility providers that everything is disconnected prior to undergoing a demolition. As demolition is ongoing, you don’t want to find out that gas, water, or electricity is still connected. That presents a major hazard so be sure to have things turned off long before then.
The actual process of demolition can extend for days, depending on what is required of a property. Following the demolition, any and all debris should be removed, ultimately leaving nothing behind. Even a home’s foundation requires removal. If you’re building on the same location and if excavation is required, you may be able to save some money by using a demolition contractor’s equipment to get the job done. With regards to cost for all of this, it varies significantly depending on the needs of a project. This makes it all the more important to procure an estimate.
By choosing an experienced demolition contractor, you should be paired up with contractors who are fully aware of local regulations and who are able to acquire the necessary permits to get the job done. Be sure to ask these questions upfront if the contractor has not already made things clear. If this is the demolition of an older building, you will require an environmental inspection to ensure that there are no hazards present and remediation services may have to be sought out if materials are found.
In some cases, a residential homeowner may find it to be better to deconstruct a property rather than to demolish it. In deconstruction, salvaging the materials is upheld as a higher priority. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as much as 70 percent of a property can be designated for recycling or re-use through a deconstruction. Therefore, it’s something to consider.
It’s always difficult to pare down the basic steps of home demolition because each property is so different from the next. For example, a small bungalow is going to present different challenges and cost than a two-storey property will. Depending on the time of year and the company, how long it will take and the equipment used on the property will also vary.
Choose a demolition company in Toronto that you know is going to get the job done right. Core Mini Bins is an established demolition service with more than 25 years of experience in waste removal and excavation. Contact Core Mini Bins today and we would be happy to provide an estimate specific to your demolition project.
