6 Things no one ever Tells you about Doing a Demolition
As fun and easy as demolition may seem on HGTV, it’s not all swinging a sledgehammer and knocking down walls. In real life, it’s a lot of planning, things not going the way we want them, surprises occasionally coming around the corner, and time. Needless to say, demolition does not happen in a single afternoon. It can take days to complete a demolition of a home. Too many Torontonians think of demolition as something it somewhat is not. Here are the top six things we hear from Canadians as to what no one tells them about doing a demolition.
#1 – The mess and debris needs to be removed
The biggest problem that needs to be solved with a demolition is where to put the mess it creates. Rubble needs to be hauled and if you’re renovating above the first floor, that becomes even more challenging. In an apartment building, on average, it can take weeks to get debris down and outside. All in all, hiring a dumpster rental company, demolition garbage removal, and/or waste management company is a necessity to tackle the mess that is about to happen.
#2 – Neighbors and local regulations control the demolition schedule
Unless you’re living in the middle of the woods, demolition does not get to begin early in the morning and into the late night. Knocking down walls is loud and unpleasant. Be sure to check out what the local laws are relating to noise and do the polite thing by letting your neighbours know what is going on before you begin.
#3 – There’s always a lot of dust that is near impossible to get rid of
The dust kicked up in a demolition is nothing to dismiss. It’s like being in the worst Toronto snowstorm ever. Specific materials, such as plaster walls, are particularly known for making a mess. In many cases, we advise demolition workers to use face masks to continue their work. Also, after the demolition is complete, a pretty thorough scrub will have to happen to get all the dust out of there. To mitigate some of the effects of dust, consider using a tarp to cover the floor and other items in the room.
#4 – Demolition takes so long!
The average demolition takes weeks to complete so plan accordingly. The more help you have, the faster the job is likely to get done. Even so, it’s always surprising how long it takes to actually knock down a kitchen, a wall, or whatever else that might be planned for a demolition.
#5 – Expect to discover problems with expensive, complex solutions proposed
Across most demolitions, naturally, there are problems discovered. These problems are usually not resolved quickly. This could delay a demolition and/or increase costs significantly. It may even change the entire plan behind a project. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and be open to adapting to any unexpected discoveries that you might come across.
#6 – Demolition is a perfect breeding ground for arguments
Be it between co-workers, spouses, or family, demolition make getting into heated arguments easy. Firstly, it is a very boring process while still being tremendously physically difficult at times, which can increase tensions in the room. Secondly, there are so many decisions to be made and those decisions need to come fast as to save time and money. If the person overseeing the demolition is not decisive, it could mean hours of delayed work because of someone not knowing what kind of faucets they want to have.
