A Full Guide on Demolition and Concrete Removal
When you’re searching for demolition companies and services, you’re going to be looking for exactly what services you’re paying for. Often people don’t fully understand what demolition entails and all that factors into the profession, and that’s okay. It’s a niche profession that doesn’t have a lot of people looking into it since when it comes down to it you just want to demolish your structure. Yet there are so many different little key points that are brought in by the demolition services offered by demolition companies and understanding them can change your perspective from enjoying seeing a building go down, to enjoying seeing all the work that’s gone into a building’s demolition.
There are plenty of articles regarding demolition, and numerous demolition companies have created their articles for people searching specific points about demolition. Instead of throwing them into multiple posts that may get lost in the wind, it’s been decided to create an overall full guide on demolition and concrete removal.
Now you can find all the information you’ll need here, and you can find further information within each category that goes deeper into specific subjects without having to search them yourselves. Your one-stop location for all the information you’ll need. A full guide on demolition and concrete removal.
Recycle and Demolition Waste
Demolition is an extremely messy profession. After all, it’s the act of tearing down a structure. Tearing down said structure is going to leave a large mess that needs to be cleaned up and needs to be disposed of properly. When it comes to hiring a demolition company for the teardown of your structure, it also means the cleanup services come with it. The reason this is something you want to know about is so that you understand the methods used for demolition and clean up afterward are environmentally friendly, and friendly towards your wallet.
Why Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Demolition Waste
Recycling demolition waste is something everyone should be doing, and it’s what every professional demolition company does. The benefits of this include making money back on scrap, conserving materials for future use, conserving natural resources, and being friendly to the environment both surrounding and globally.
Getting Money for Your Waste
The recycling industry is a lucrative one, bringing in over 14 billion in revenue every year. It turns out that being friendly to the environment is also friendly to your wallet. Companies that recycle the waste afterward make money on the scrap through the recycling industry. Case studies have shown how 15 different saved a combined total of 2.5 million through using these proper channels for waste disposal, a prominent one being recycling.
Now imagine hiring a demolition company to clean up afterward as well, or better yet it’s including in the overall price, if you ask them about recycling prices you may be able to get a discount on your total or they’ve already factored it in by the time you full bill arrives.
The waste and recycling industry is big. People produce garbage constantly and looking at the construction and demolition waste that contributes to this, demolition accounts for nearly 90% of all the waste. 90% of all waste from construction and demolition, is all from demolition. All the waste that peoples have been producing through the demolition services they employ are creating a large amount, and this is how demolition companies have come to save a combined 2.5 million dollars. Consider this next time you want to employ a demolition company, because it may save you a buck or two for your future projects.
Conserving for Future Use and Conserving Natural Resources
Your future project has come after the demolition company has come in and finished their job. Now you get to start your new project! If you were concerned about the price of the demolition services, you don’t have to be anymore because now you can see that demolition only accounts for a small percentage of a new building’s costs. If you’ve followed along so far you know that you could have saved some money on using the proper waste management channels, and we applaud you for this. If you wanted to save even more, however, this is how demolition companies can help you out.
Selective demolition. This is a method of demolition where the demolition team goes into the structure and piece by piece tears it down, preserving materials that are still in good standing for future use. This is an amazing method that can save you plenty with your new build because now you don’t have to repurchase these materials, you already have them. Compare it to the idea of getting tires on your car. If one of your tires were to blow out, would you replace all 4 of them? No, you would replace the one that needs to be and keep the others until their use is expired. It’s the same mentality that you should apply to your demolition project. You have materials that are still safe to use, then use them. Of course, make sure to get them checked out by the demolition company you’ve hired so you’re not putting yourself at risk.
Conserving Natural Resources = Environmental Benefits
Recycling saving energy that’s used to produce new materials is a large point for recycling and factoring in the reduction of emissions from the landfills where waste is thrown further pushes how important recycling is, and why demolition companies take full advantage.
Conserving natural resources is a huge part of why the recycling and the demolition industry go hand in hand. When recycling materials, those old materials are remade and repurposed into newer materials. It’s a simple act and yet people tend to forget that this means being able to conserve earth’s natural resources that were used to create these materials. Plus creating over 230 million jobs in the recycling industry through these environment-conscious practices helps the economy, giving you and the demolition company you employed a further incentive to recycle. When demolition companies recycle these materials, it’s helping in conserving all those precious natural resources so that they’re not constantly being used. Telling you this is one thing but looking at statistics shows how beneficial it is.
Recycling a ton of steel can conserve up to 2.5k pounds of iron ore, 1.4k pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone. Add that it also saves enough electricity to power an estimated 18 million households for a year, it’s clear to see why demolition companies are considered environmentally friendly with their recycling practices.
Recycling saving energy that’s used to produce new materials is a large point for recycling and factoring in the reduction of emissions from the landfills where waste is thrown further pushes how important recycling is, and why demolition companies take full advantage.
What Pre-Demolition Can Look Like
When demolition companies are planning the demolishing of a structure, it’s more than just going in and swinging a few hammers. Planning is necessary, and it’s why you should never try to do it yourself. Many factors need to be accounted for such as health and safety inspections and permits which will be touched on in the next section.
Health and Safety Inspections
Your structure is going to be demolished, that’s been established. Ask yourself why it’s going to be demolished. If it’s to make way for a brand-new structure on the existing land, due to health risks from the existing structure, or even if you’re doing a partial demolition of your structure, you’re going to require professional health and safety inspections.
Demolition companies provide this with their demolition services, and it’s not only done as an incentive for you but the safety of their employees and the surrounding public. A professional demolition company will go through the proper channels to get a health and safety inspector to come in for you, saving you a hassle to go through.
A structure containing hazards such as asbestos is a major problem and the proper procedures to keep everyone safe under the discovery of asbestos are done by these demolition companies. Proper disposal of these materials in compliance with federal and municipal laws are followed but looking specifically at the demolition service, a demolition company knows how to work in an environment that contains asbestos even after the proper disposal. Learning more about the dangers of asbestos and other hazardous materials and why they must be properly disposed of is important to understand how they can affect your demolition project.
Health and safety inspections are done for everyone and a demolition company providing their services that include getting an inspection done should be taken full advantage of. The safety of the demolition companies’ workers, the surrounding public, and yourself is important. Keep yourself safe.
Permits
Going through the proper channels to get the permits necessary for your demolition project are not the most fun procedure to go through but they are necessary. Notifying the city to disconnect your utility lines and informing the local police and fire departments are just small parts of this process. The city needs to know that you’re complying with the regulations set to keep everyone safe.
Demolition companies are key in this process again as they’re the ones who will go through these channels on your behalf, so you don’t have to. They’ll get the proper permits to do the demolition job, they’ll be the ones informing the area about the demolition.
There are still things you must do such as informing your surrounding public about the demolition if you’re in a residential area. If it’s a commercial area then you don’t need to worry since the demolition company can do this for you, but it’s still best to inform them personally to make sure you’re not bothering anyone surrounding you and to keep them safe.
Why Are Permits Necessary?
Going deeper into permits, it’s often questioned as to why permits are necessary and why demolition companies have such a dedication to acquiring them before commencing a project. Many different reasons involve not just you but workers and the surrounding public. Safety is key, environmental exposure, providing an understanding of the project to the local government, eliminating logistical errors, and the biggest reasons which are legally required.
Safety
A permit for demolition has one primary purpose: safety. Demolition is a dangerous job that puts everyone surrounding the demolition site in danger, so getting the proper permits is necessary to make sure that no one is injured in the process. Knowing that the demolition company undertaking the job is qualified to do it safely is important.
Environmental Exposure
When structures are brought down, permits are needed to keep everyone that surrounds the demolition site safe. This goes along with the safety permits being necessary. There are numerous different hazardous materials that people can be exposed to during a demolition job and keeping everyone safe is important. Demolition companies take great care in keeping their employees safe, so permits are necessary for this.
Understanding the Project
A demolition permit through your local government is needed so they understand what is being demolished, which method of demolition will be used, and how long it will take. They need to know this since being able to understand what exactly is going to happen means being able to relay the information to anyone who may require or want the information such as the local police and fire department.
Eliminate Logistical Errors
Being able to double-check that everyone involved in the demolition process is agreeing to the project is needed. There have been times where demolition companies have demolished the wrong house which led to the permits being needed for this. It helps to be sure that the demolition company is going to the correct address and demolishing the right structure. Demolition services are employed by you, but you still need to point them in the right direction.
Legally Required
It’s the law, plain and simple. Get your permits and avoid legal fees that can destroy your future project plans. Don’t try to get around anything. Even if you foolishly attempt this, professional demolition companies only take on jobs if you’re abiding under the governing laws.
What is Selective Demolition?
Earlier we touched on selective demolition and you might be confused as to what exactly that is. Selective demolition, despite its name, is an extremely delicate demolition of a structure that involves going into the structure and slowly breaking it down. Seeing the process helps to understand what selective demolition entails.
The Planning of Selective Demolition
Every demolition job requires planning, and a demolition company undertaking a selective demolition will be going in-depth and further beyond what is imagined for planning. Attention to detail is important, and every single factor is considered in the process from the materials, the existing structures surrounding, the utility lines, and the structures surrounding areas that are to be untouched.
Utility Shutdown
A part of selective demolition that is necessary is shutting down any utilities to the structure. This not only keeps the demolition companies’ team safe during the demolition process if a line is broken through, but it also makes sure that any utility lines that are connected through the structure to surrounding structures are not damaged.
Salvaging Reusable Materials
This is where reduce, reuse, and recycling your materials comes in handy. Selective demolition involves going in and taking down a structured piece by piece and through this, a demolition company can find which materials can be reused for a future project.
Deep Stripping Down
Remodeling a specific area during selective demolition means wanting to start with a clean slate in that area. This requires a demolition company going in and stripping down the area to its bare structural foundations. It’s intricate, a long process, but necessary for the project to be undertaken in a safe and timely manner.
4 Signs A Home Needs to Be Demolished
Knowing now what selective demolition is and when it’s used you may be wondering if you can use this method to begin remodeling a portion of your house. Before you begin planning your project, take a lot of signs that may tell you if your home can be remodeled or requires demolition.
The Foundation’s Beyond Repair
If you’re going to be re-modeling your home piece by piece to get that dream home you’ve been wanting, make sure to check your foundation. One or two repairs to a damaged foundation can allow for you to remodel but if your home has a foundation in need of numerous repairs, and a demolition company has noted this, then you’re going to need full demolition services. You can’t just replace the foundation of a home, it’s the bones of the house. After so many repairs it can’t take anymore and you’re going to need to fully start fresh.
Drastic Building Code Violations
An unfortunate scenario that can bring a headache, if your building has many different code violations due to the previous owners then a full demolition is needed. Professional demolition companies will refuse to do selective demolition within a building that violates any codes that risk their safety. Being in this scenario isn’t the most fun but if you find yourself in this scenario, go to a demolition company for full demolition.
Your Home Is A Neighborhood Eyesore
Your neighborhood is becoming a place for prime real estate which is fantastic! If you’re considering re-modeling, then it’s going to take time but eventually, you’ll be able to bring up your home and the value of the surrounding homes. But if your home falls under any of the previous two points, is that bad of an eyesore, and it’s causing people to refuse to buy in the neighborhood then consider demolition. You may be thinking that this is more for the neighboring structures’ benefit, but it ends up helping you the most. The costs of a demolition company and then rebuilding will equal nothing compared to what you can earn back if you sell, due to all the neighborhood structures going up in price.
All the Money You Throw Won’t Make A Dent
Extensive re-modeling is costly and will hurt your wallet. If demolition services and a new build would cost equal to or less than the price of re-modeling your home to perfection, then go with a demolition. Don’t waste your money and time on slowly re-modeling and renovating your structure when employing a demolition company and then rebuilding would be cheaper and quicker.
What To Expect During A Home Demolition
Deciding to undertake a demolition job isn’t a smart idea since there are many different factors to consider during. There are many things to expect during a home demolition.
Hire a Demolition Company
You will hear this time and time again because people often think they can undertake a demolition job by themselves, but they can’t. Demolition companies exist for a reason so take full advantage of them. It may be a bit more expensive than you were planning, it may take a bit extra time, but it’s worth it for the safety and professional demolition services you’ll be provided.
Myths and Misconceptions
So far, you’ve learned quite a bit about the process leading up to demolition and how to get the best demolition services possible but there are plenty of myths and misconceptions surrounding demolition that people believe still in 2021. Here are a few of these myths so you can understand what demolition and demolition companies truly do.
Blowing Up Buildings
Despite what you may see on YouTube or in the movies, barely 1% of all demolition projects are implosion demolition. Most demolition services offer different methods since implosion isn’t very viable outside of large commercial buildings.
Environmental Impact
Demolition companies take great care to be environmentally conscious and that’s why we have an entire section focused on it. The act of demolition is bad for the environment, yes, but demolition companies take extreme precaution and care when providing their demolition services so that all the work done is intending to help the environment and keep it safe. This is why recycling is so big within demolition, and why permits are necessary before a project is undertaken.
A Simple Job
It’s the exact opposite of a simple job. You’ve read already how intricate, how much planning is put into it, and how much training and experience the workers are required to have before a demolition job. Demolition companies exist for this reason because demolition is not a simple job you can take on without any prior experience.
5 Pieces of Safety Equipment Used in Demolition
Time and time again people tend to forget how dangerous demolition can be. Demolition companies take precautions for their health and safety throughout the entire process of a demolition project because of this. If you’re considering doing a demolition job by yourself, don’t. No matter how much safety equipment you have, if you don’t have the experience and training then you’re going to be putting yourself in danger. Hiring a demolition company for the job is the way to go. They have the training, and all the safety equipment required.
Before listing the 5 pieces of safety equipment used in demolition, remember that these are necessary for one specific reason and that’s the lives of everyone involved. Materials are replaceable, work can be fixed, but you and the workers are irreplaceable. Hire a demolition company, keep yourself safe, and let the professionals do the jobs they’ve trained and have experience for. They use this equipment to be safe because they know the dangers of a demolition job, so hire a demolition company and let them do their jobs as safely as possible.
Hard Hats
No matter the demolition job that’s being undertaken, a demolition company will require all employees to be wearing hard hats. If anything is to fall onto someone’s head, a hard hat can save them from brain damage. They may be uncomfortable to wear and look a bit funny but being safe is more important than being sorry.
Eye Protection
Eye protection is another piece of safety equipment that should never be skimped out on. A demolition job is a messy one, and debris flying into the air can get into the eyes and cause damage. It doesn’t have to be large debris, even dust particles getting into the eye can cause damage. Demolition companies don’t skimp on their eye protection because it’s impossible to know when a random piece of debris is going to fly into your face.
Breathing Mask
Dust is everywhere, and in a demolition job, it’s an abundance. With the act of tearing down a building comes the flying of dust everywhere and getting that into the lungs isn’t a very fun health problem to deal with. A breathing apparatus is often seen around large demolition jobs since protecting your lungs is important. Considering the health risks of certain hazardous materials listed before, such as asbestos, breathing masks are extremely important to reduce the risk of exposure and to keep everyone on the worksite safe.
Work Gloves
Having calloused hands show experience in the job and they’re the sign of a well-done job, but the hands of an experienced worker could look much worse if it weren’t for work gloves. Keeping hands safe during a demolition project is extremely important. Hands are tools. They’re tools we used to operate other tools. Keeping those hands in peak condition is important. No one wants to accidentally lose a fingernail or break a bone, so demolition companies wear their gloves regularly on-site.
Knee Pads
This piece of equipment is one that people don’t often think about, but demolition companies use them often. Your knees have pressure put onto them every single day you walk around and protecting them as much as possible during work helps with reducing possible complications in the future. That’s why you’ll see the demolition company you hired have their workers wearing knee pads during a job. When they have to get on their knees to rip up floors or get under a beam, they’re going to be putting a lot of pressure on their knees so protecting them is key. All the “damage” your body goes through at a young age that you don’t feel ends up showing as you age, so protecting your body and health from the beginning is important.
Steel-Toe Boots
You will never see a professional demolition company working on-site in any type of footwear other than boots. Boots are a necessity. Further than that, wearing steel-toe boots is the recommended footwear for demolition professionals. Demolition is dangerous, we keep saying that because it’s the focus of demolition that people often forget. Wearing steel-toe boots will protect toes from a crushing blow and reduce it to just a small fracture. Still painful, still an injury, but compared to crushing every single bone in every single toe, it’s the lesser of two evils.
Electrical Safety Tips for Demolition Projects
Safety, safety, and safety. It’s important in demolition, and it’s why hiring a demolition company is the recommendation by everyone when it comes to a job that requires demolition. Undertaking a demolition job on a residential structure means there are going to be electrical outlets and lines running throughout so knowing how demolition companies stay safe during a residential demolition job is important to understand how they’ll be operating.
Fixing Downed Power Lines Is Not an Option
Getting a small shock isn’t that bad but getting a shock through a powerline can cause major damage and needs to be avoided. If a demolition company finds a downed powerline, they will notify the proper authorities with the utility companies to avoid dangerous contact with the downed wires. This can prolong your demolition job, unfortunately, but safety is key, don’t expect electrical services along with your demolition services.
Avoid Contact with Water and Electrical Devices
If there’s any exposed wiring, or any devices that use electricity, water is not going to be present whatsoever. This goes also with any ladders or structures that encounter water. Shut down the electricity before the demolition company comes in and starts the project. Keep everyone safe.
Let the Demolition Experts Work on The Electrical Components
The dangers are high, and a professional demolition company has experts as their employees. When you hire a demolition company for a job, let them do the job. They know how to dismantle a section containing electrical components safely. Let them inspect it with their employees or other services first, it can save someone from serious injury.
Don’t Use Extension Cords Unless Specifically Rated for Such Use
You’ll see the workers having to use extension cords all around the demolition site and understand that if they’re using extension cords it’s because it’s safe to do. Equipment used has labels indicating if they’re not rated for extension cord usage, as it can cause a fire to break out and result in injury.
Commercial Demolition
A lot of what has been spoken about is residential demolition since most owning a home would need residential demolition services. There is another type of demolition called commercial demolition which is a very niche industry. It’s a regulated type of demolition that involves larger structures being torn down and a long process of getting many different permits that are legally required to do a commercial demolition. Here’s a quick FAQ about commercial demolition.
How Much Does Commercial Demolition Cost?
Commercial demolition being different from residential demolition means that the prices can vary on a much larger scale. An average cost is difficult to pinpoint since some demolition jobs can cost tens of thousands due to the size of the structure, and others can cost only thousands of dollars. Contact your local professional demolition company for an estimate on a commercial demolition job so you can get an idea of the prices.
What Does Commercial Demolition Involve?
There are many different types of machinery used in commercial demolition, and it’s often dependent on the size and location of the structure. The most used method for commercial demolition however is mechanical demolition which is using high-reach machinery and bulldozers to take down the structure. Implosions are an option for commercial demolition yet only 1% of all demolition projects have used the implosion method, so it’s often passed over. The demolition of a commercial building is only part of the process, however, since the cleanup is a whole job itself. The bigger they are, the harder they fall stands true in the demolition industry.
Is Commercial Demolition Regulated?
More than we can go into depth with. Your local demolition company can acquire all the legal permits and papers that they need to undertake a demolition job. It’s a long process and requires staying within multiple different regulations from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). It’s a careful process that must abide by the rules and regulations laid out.
Excavators in Commercial Demolition
An excavator is one of the high-reach pieces of machinery used in commercial demolition and due to its regular use in demolition, you’re going to wonder what exactly an excavator does in commercial demolition.
What’s an Excavator?
An excavator is a piece of heavy machinery that has an arm that can be lifted above itself and can be attached with multiple different tools. They vary in sizes so you’ll see one that may be quite small, while also seeing one that is larger than you could have imagined. The smaller excavators can go up to 7 tons and are useful for the ability to work in smaller work sites. Regular excavators can range from 7 to 45 tons and are used in many different tasks depending on the job. Larger excavators can exceed past 80 tons and are used for demolition jobs where height and power are necessary.
What Can They Do?
They have many different utilities due to the attachment features they have. Here’s a quick list of things they can do for a demolition company.
– Grapples to life large objects
– Buckets for digging and/or moving materials
– Rippers for clearing stumps and/or roots
– Hammers to break up concrete or building materials
– Compactor to reshape and compact soil
– Auger to drill out holes
– Cutter jaws to cut up building materials efficiently.
What is Concrete Demolition and Why You Need a Professional Demolition Company
Concrete is the material used most often in roads, driveways, and commercial structures. It’s an extremely sturdy material which is why it’s used, and for demolition companies, this means requiring bigger, stronger equipment to break it down.
What’s Required to Break Concrete
To break down concrete is a long operation that takes heavy machinery, and expert experience/training to operate the machinery. Jackhammers and excavators are often used for breaking down concrete, as it requires a large amount of force to break it down. The demolition of concrete is not a quick process as it’s extremely sturdy. Get a professional demolition company to demolish concrete for you, as been stated before, it’s a dangerous operation that requires experience to do, and these professional demolition companies have that experience.
How Demolition Companies Remove Concrete
Removing and breaking down concrete are two different actions. Removing concrete is simply getting it away from its original structure point. Specialized equipment is required for this, such as excavators since lifting concrete is a heavy task that cannot be done by hand. It’s extremely heavy and sturdy, and one drop from a small height can cause serious damage unless the machinery is operated by a professional demolition company.
Removing Concrete is a dangerous procedure just like any other within the demolition industry. Checking for utility lines under concrete is a must, and if they’re found then a layout of where and how deep the lines are is necessary. Severing a utility line can cause serious problems for the public so preventing this from the beginning is key. Once a project is approved through all the permits and inspections, removal is done with proper tools. Jackhammers, excavators, bobcats, and heavy saws are used, and only to be used by trained professionals from a demolition company. A demolition company is best sought out for a demolition job involving concrete due to the permits and experience needed to take on the job. Add to that the clean-up that must come afterward which involves bringing the concrete waste to a recycling plant for repurposing, a demolition company can take care of all of this.
Why is Concrete Dangerous?
Other than its weight and sturdiness being a danger factor to consider, concrete releases large quantities of crystalline silica dust into the air when it is cut, demolished or removed. Gas masks are a necessity for a demolition job involving concrete. Inhaling these particles can cause extreme lung damage and can contribute to previous health conditions such as silicosis. Not to mention that repeated exposure without the proper safety equipment can lead to lung cancer, it’s more than enough reason to hire a demolition company to do a concrete demolition for you.
How to Choose the Right Demolition Company
Choosing the right demolition company can be a daunting task considering the large number of demolition contractors available for hire. It all comes down to what you’re requiring for your job and the demolition companies’ values.
Experience
Demolition is a large professional with many different methods and types within it. Make sure that you understand what type of demolition you will require, whether it’s selective demolition to partial demolition, and find out which demolition company near you provides these types of services. Check their equipment as well to make sure they have the properly regulated machinery to do the job safely.
Proper Permits and Documentation
One of the best ways to know if a demolition company is a good company is by checking their documentation and permits. Check the National Demolition Association to see what practices and regulations are in place currently, and cross-reference with the demolition company you’re considering, to check if they’re abiding under these regulations.
Checking their licenses and insurance is a must. A professional demolition company will have their permits and licenses to do the work, as well as insurance for an unfortunate event. Not having this documentation is an immediate red flag, which you should avoid at all costs as liability for accidents will fall on you.
Estimates
Demolition prices and timelines range on a broad spectrum, but some averages and estimates can be provided. Check with the demolition company you’re considering for an estimate. The best way to know beforehand that they’re a legitimate company is by offering a quote. Demolition companies that do this are interested in your needs and want to make sure there is no miscommunication from the very beginning. This is a major trait to look for when contacting a demolition company.
References and Testimonials
A professional demolition company that has years of being in business will have references and testimonials to back up their work. Checking their reviews and their past customers’ experiences will give you insight into if this company is the right one for you.
Thank you for reading the full guide on demolition and concrete removal. We hope you found the information you needed before taking on a demolition project. We highly suggest hiring a demolition company for this and can’t stress how important it is for your safety. Safety is the number one key to take away from this.
