Two Common Mistakes People Make When Demolishing Houses

If you will be demolishing a house in the near future, here are two common mistakes that you should try to avoid making.

Trying to handle the entire demolition process without the help of a professional demolition contractor

Hiring one of your local demolition contractors to demolish your home is likely to cost at least a few thousand dollars. As such, if money is a bit tight, you might be considering renting some heavy construction equipment and tackling the demolition process without professional help.

However, whilst it is perfectly safe for you to take care of some of the soft-stripping (that is, the removal of furnishings, radiators, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry and other removable fixtures and fittings), it is not advisable for you to attempt to demolish the walls, the roof or the structural framework without the assistance of a qualified demolition contractor, as to do so could be both costly and dangerous.

If your lack of experience results in you performing the demolition work incorrectly or unsafely, you could end up not only damaging neighbouring properties but also injuring anyone standing nearby. For example, if you accidentally use too much force or speed when using a bulldozer to knock down a wall, the airborne rubble could be flung much farther than you anticipated. This could result in it striking nearby individuals and injuring them, or landing on the roofs of nearby properties and causing major damage. In these situations, you would most likely be held liable for the injuries or property damage and may end up having to pay compensation to the affected parties.

Given this, it is best to have professional demolition contractors take care of this task.

Not checking the house for reusable materials before initiating the demolition process

If the house that you intend to demolish is in a severe state of disrepair, it's all too easy to assume that there is nothing of value inside it. In reality, there is a very good chance that the house may still contain some materials which you can either use for your own upcoming construction projects or, alternatively, that you can sell to other builders or salvage yards.

In addition to helping you out financially, removing these potentially valuable materials will also reduce the amount of debris that ends up being tossed into your local landfill. Things like the roof rafters, floorboards, door frames, crown moulding and even door handles are all examples of items that can be removed and either recycled or sold on.