02/02/2023
Steps to Demolishing a Building or Structure:
Demolishing a building is a pretty straightforward task, but sometimes there are several steps to take before demolition can begin. Especially if it's in city limits; Demolishing a building outside of city limits has less steps to take than if it's inside a city.
1.) Inspections
The EPA heavily regulates hazardous materials with the intention of keeping the public and nature healthy. If the building is within city limits - Some cities require that older buildings have to be inspected prior to demolition to determine if there are any signs of:
* Lead paint
* Asbestos
* Rotten wood
* Mold
* Other hazardous materials
If these materials are present, they will have to be abated before the building can be demolished. This process has to be done by hand.
2.) Permits
You will typically need a demolition permit before you can demolish a building within city limits. You can obtain the permit from your local governments permit or building departments office or website. Some cities may require one or two more permits such as a sewer seal permit or even a building permit.
You may also have to adhere to rules related to noise, hours of demolition, or disposal of debris set by your local gov't.
3.) Disconnect Utilities
There are certain utilities and services that must be disconnected prior to demolition, some of which include sewer, electricity, telecom, water, and gas. Not disconnecting utilities prior to demolition is dangerous, illegal, and can lead to undesirable consequences.
Almost every utility except the sewer will be dissconnected by the utility provider for free. This is usually done over the phone by the owner. If the buildings sanitary sewer is city provided, the sewer will have to be "sealed" by a liscensed plumber. This often requires a sewer seal permit.
4.) Hammer time!
Now the building or structure is ready to be demolished. This is often done with a large excavator. If you don't hire a contractor and decide to do it yourself, here's some tips to know:
- Danger: Demolition can be dangerous, be careful. If you plan to operate heavy equipment for the first time, demolishing a building isn't the best thing to do. Debris can easily fall on equipment, break windows, get stuck in odd places (which can cause mechanical issues) if the operator is unskilled. When crunching materials, some small pieces will break and will fly into air. These pieces can hit you, your equipment, or other people. If you're in a public place, watch out for other people. Heavy equipment that has a cab is highly recommended. Watch out for glass and nails, a tetanus shot isn't far away.
- Seperate: Don't just start "hitting" the building. Slowly peel apart the different types of materials. Not only will this help to not create a mess... If you're hauling the material away, most likely the material will have to be separated. You can take metal, iron, and other metals to a recycling center and they will pay you for them. Often, it's not very much, so this is only reccomended if you have a lot of metal or you like the idea of recycling things.
- Debris removal: To get rid of the debris You can hire a trucking company and load the debris into a dump truck, get a large dumpster, recycle, or dig a hole/burn the debris if outside of city limits. Some metal recycling centers will bring you a dumpster and pick it up for free, given you feel it up with metal. You could even sell the material you remove if it's in good shape. Or better, you could donate it to a nonprofit such as Habbit for Humanity.
This encompasses a thorough amount of information for demolishing a structure in a "typical" situation. Each building and place has its own unique challenges. Some situations may require an extensive amount of preparation, special equipment, government involvement, and safety precautions.
