Questions You Might Have About The Demolition of a Commercial Building

Demolishing a commercial building is an option to consider if the building is in general disrepair and it would be too expensive to fix properly, or if the floor plan just doesn't suit your needs and, again, a renovation would be very costly. A demolition allows you to build a new structure from the ground up, so you can retain your location but have a building that works for your needs in particular. Note a few questions you might have about demolishing a commercial building so you can determine if this is the right choice for your property:

Will an implosion be very dangerous?

While implosions of buildings may be fun to watch and may seem as if they would make demolition faster and easier, they're often used in only a minority of demolition work. This is because of the potential danger, the dust that is created, and the fact that the building remnants still need to be gathered up and trucked away! Using cranes and other such machinery to tear down a building may make demolition a bit more boring, but it's also very safe; a teardown won't create as much dust and may also make removing the debris faster and easier as well.

What's the difference between a demolition and an alteration?

A building demolition usually means removing an entire building, including the foundation. The site is restored to its original condition, as if a building was never constructed on it. An alteration may include removing just part of a building, or removing the building or not the foundation. This can be a better option if you want to rebuild on that same site, but your demolition contractor can tell you the best option for your needs.

Are there any special considerations for demolishing a building?

Some buildings may be condemned because they have a high level of asbestos or lead or another hazard, and these may need to be demolished more carefully so that those hazardous materials don't spread. A demolition contractor may need to do an interior demolition by hand, pulling out walls and other materials that are contaminated and ensuring they're properly wrapped and contained before taken to a dump or elsewhere. A building with a pest infestation may need fumigating first so that the pests also don't scatter and infest a nearby building. Other buildings may be structurally unsound and may need a manual demolition so that the structure doesn't collapse during work. Your demolition contractor can note if your building has any of these particular concerns and considerations.