Building Demolitions

Building Demolitions

Posted By: Blue Print Blog on 3rd of October 2013

Demolition projects can range from small, simple jobs to complicated undertakings that require sophisticated and detailed planning. Site conditions can vary significantly, and there is always a degree of imprecision to the wrecking of the building itself. For typical building demolition and site improvements the most common procedure is to use heavy mechanical equipment such as wrecking balls, excavation hoes, grapples, crushers, and hydraulic breakers and shears. Several factors need to be considered prior to and during demolition, including the scheduling of demolition activities, protecting the site (especially important with occupied structures), and dealing with hazardous materials. With the demolition of structures, the owner, architect, engineer and demolition contractor need to be aware of the regulations that govern the demolition of buildings. Prior to allowing the demolition squad to start demolition operations, an engineering survey of the building that is marked up for demolition should be carried out by a competent and qualified person to determine the condition of the framing, floors, and walls, and possibility of unplanned collapse of any portion of the building. The demolition team should have in writing evidence that such a survey has been undertaken and the demolition process has been given a go ahead from the relevant authorities. Building demolition can include items that may not be apparent at first such as any below-grade structures that would include various types of footings and foundations. Also underground utilities that provided services to the building and the adjacent buildings will need to be considered during demolition. In rural areas--where buildings are not densely packed--and the built structures themselves are often smaller with fewer recyclable materials, demolition is usually uncomplicated, in that the structure can be knocked down and the debris can be removed all together but in urban and densely packed areas, demolition projects may require the hiring of an architect or engineer to produce documents, drawings, and specifications for building demolition. Contractors who specialize in demolition need to come up with a demolition schedule to manage the project. If the owner will be occupying a portion of the site or building during demolition, a schedule of demolition activities will be useful to avoid interference with any concurrent operations and to minimize any disruption of utilities and services. The owner may have additional restrictions that the contractor will need to consider when scheduling activities. Some typical owner restrictions include the protection of exterior stairs, loading docks, and entries of adjacent buildings, as well as a limitation on hours during which demolition operations may take place. However, every additional restriction the contractor needs to manage will usually be reflected in higher demolition costs. In areas with greater population density, the demolition of structures is not necessarily more complicated. Some situations are complex and mandate a high level of sensitivity to how demolition is handled, for example, demolition that takes place on a hospital campus. In these instances, a careful, piece-by-piece dismantling of the building is usually necessary, with material sorting often taking place on site. For such projects, an engineer or architect will need to be consulted to produce specifications to which the demolition must conform. The architect or engineer will produce the necessary documents which clearly outline the requirements for protecting individuals, adjacent buildings, and any remaining site improvements and utilities during the demolition operations.