Types of demolition methods at your disposal
So, you are contemplating knocking down your house and don't know where to begin. Luckily, house demolition is fairly straightforward, but that does not render it any less daunting for the first-timer. If the idea of knocking down a house instils a sense of fear in you, worry not. Of course, there's several ways of tearing down a house and the first aspect on your to-do-list is to choose which form of demolition best suits you. A professional demolition contractor can come in handy in terms of advising you on which method to choose.
Mechanical demolition
Mechanical demolition is the most common type of demolition. It involves knocking down a structure through the use of heavy machinery such as hydraulic excavators, cranes or bulldozers. Occasionally mechanical demolition involves weakening or undermining internal supports in order to enhance collapse. The ensuing debris is then towed away via a dumpster or trailer. This is arguably the cheapest and quickest demolition method.
Deconstruction
This is another demolition technique which involves manually stripping and taking apart a house bit by bit for the objective of reclaiming as many recyclable materials in the building as possible. The deconstruction method of demolition generally recycles or salvages building materials like beams, windows, doors, lumber and more. Inside the building, materials like light fixtures, doors, tubs, sinks, copper pipes and even nails in floor boards are salvaged and reused for construction later on. Since everything is performed manually, this demolition technique is time consuming. Furthermore, given the extra labor involved to salvage any reusable materials in the structure, you can expect to pay a lot higher to deconstruct your building compared to demolishing it.
Deconstruction and Demolition
A combination of deconstruction and demolition is commonly recommended by demolition contractors. This method involves deconstructing the building first by combing through and reclaiming any reusable material found in the structure. Once all reusable materials are saved and collected, the lingering building is then knocked down through excavators, bulldozers or cranes, and remaining rubble is towed away. Note that debris ought to be removed frequently and not heaped on floors. This is because an overloaded floor may soon collapse onto the floor beneath it, which in turn, may likewise collapse on the floor underneath it. Walls may also collapse if rubble is piled against them. Indeed, a combination of deconstruction and mechanical demolition is a fantastic solution if you want an efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly demolition process.