Three Critical Considerations for a Partial Demolition Project

Partial demolition is an essential process if you are planning on making significant changes to your home. For example, this procedure can help you expand the building naturally or even modify the floor plan or general residence design. Unfortunately, partial demolition is significantly trickier that complete knockdown of the structure. The complexity can be attributed to the need to protect the house from total breakdown. If you are performing this type of project for the first time, consider the below-outlined factors for optimal success. 

Pre-Demolition Survey

You should perform a detailed examination of your house before proceeding with the demolition work. In general, the goal of the inspection is to determine the impact of removing the structures you wish to eliminate on the rest of the building. Also, the assessment should help you identify the measures that you must take to prevent structural problems. Ideally, you should make sure that you will not damage any essential element which will have an impact on the structural integrity of the house. Additionally, you must identify areas which will become vulnerable during demolition. You might have to support the affected structures such as the walls, windows and flooring and protect the concealed utility networks in the building such as plumbing and cabling from damage.

Demolition Method

You must choose the correct method for your partial demolition project. Unfortunately, the options are not extensive like in complete demolition. For instance, you cannot use a long-reach excavator or wrecking ball to perform the task. The impact of the equipment will be too high and can damage the parts of the structure you would like to protect. You should consider choosing manual demolition for your project. In simple terms, you should use simple hand tools to deconstruct the building. This method does not cause high mechanical impact, so the rest of the structure will be secure. Also, you will be able to salvage most of the reusable construction materials for your renovation work.

Legal Considerations

Partial demolitions are not as significant as complete knockdown of houses. However, the deconstruction process will still cause a lot of disturbance on the property and might affect structural elements. Also, there might be hazardous materials such as asbestos in the building. Therefore, you will probably need to get a permit before proceeding with the project. If you are uncertain about the need for approval, you should consult your local building authority for information. Alternatively, you should ask an experienced demolition contractor for guidance throughout the entire process. 

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