Building Demolitions: Better Your Understanding With These Commonly Asked Questions

Demolition refers to the dismantlement, environmental remediation, industrial recovery, salvaging and recycling of an existing building and its features. It also covers site clearance within and around an existing structure. Often, the objective is to get rid of what is in place to set up a better facility or change the purpose of the site completely. Just like construction, demolition is a complex process that must be handled by competent personnel. The process involves numerous risks, and you can easily find yourself liable for many violations such as improper disposal of hazardous material. If you are carrying out a demolition for the first time, here are some frequently asked questions that will give you a better understanding of the process:

Demolition Vs Deconstruction: Are They Different?

Demolition and deconstruction are related processes and often lead to the same objective (dismantling an existing structure). However, there are some slight differences. While demolition involves mechanisation and use of expedient means to make the process faster, deconstruction is a labour-intensive process with a focus on maximising the amount of materials that can be salvaged and recycled on the structure being brought down. Basically, deconstruction entails dismantling the structure and sort separation of the materials by hand for reuse, refurbishment, waste management or resale.  

How Does Historic Conservation Legislation Affect Demolition?

Historic conservation of a building centres on protecting the heritage or cultural value of a certain building. If a building has significant historical value, its demolition or complete alteration may be limited by the application of laws on historic conservation. Such laws may forbid the alteration or demolition of features that give identity to the building such as the design of the roof or symbolic statues. If the building has been used for public purposes such as a museum or political office before, find out if there are any restrictions on its demolition. Local authority officials will direct you on what to do to preserve its cultural or historical significance.

What Does Industrial Demolition Involve?

If you want to bring down a building used for the production of goods or specialised packaging processes, then the demolition will differ from that of an ordinary building. You must adhere to hygiene requirements to contain the spread of hazardous chemicals that could pose a health risk to the occupants in the locality (a good example is asbestos). To add on that, you will also require specialised rigging equipment like self-erecting cranes to safely dismantle and move large production units.