What are the methods of demolition?

A building is designed considering the span of life. When this design life of the building is over, the structure is not safe for living for one’s self as well as for neighboring buildings. So demolition becomes pivotal. It is a method used for the safe and careful removal of existing buildings and structures in order to utilize the land for some other purpose. There can be many reasons for the demolition of a building such as loss of structural stability, structural damage, illegal construction or plans to restructure. If you have a massive building surrounded by other buildings you need to find means to properly demolish the building, therefore demolition method selection is pivotal.

Related: DIY: Demolish It Yourself

Total Demolition

The demolition of an entire structure or site. This would be most common in the case of community restructuring; for example, if there was an old retail center that was not benefiting an area, the land could be used to build a housing estate, to provide additional housing for the community, and therefore demolition would be instructed.

Selective Demolition

Removing specific parts of a building. Some old buildings stand the test of time and others don’t. In this case, perhaps there is a really old section of a workplace or local amenity that is not performing as it should, but the entire building is not in a state of concern. Or perhaps it is a listed building, therefore you may be restricted as to what and how much you can demolish. So you could select a particular section of the building to demolish and build up from scratch. This also can add value to a current building too by performing construction in stages.

Interior Demolition

Demolition of particular parts of the inside of a building, while protecting and maintaining the exterior structure. For example; partitions, walls, ceilings, etc. A great option for creating more space inside of a building or removing troubled areas.

Dismantling or Deconstruction

This method involves the careful dismantlement or deconstruction of a building or structure in order to preserve parts for reuse, refurbishment, or recycling. Dismantling structures is a lot more labor intensive than say total or explosive demolition.

Explosive Demolition

A highly specialized type of demolition, explosive demolition involves using explosives to bring down high-reach building structures. This type of demolition work will target the structural support of a building so that it collapses in on itself.

The Correct Way To Go About Demolition

Building demolition needs to be done correctly, in a safe and correct manner is vital in order to base solid foundations for the next construction process. There are regulations to follow, Health and Safety laws to abide by, and a level of skill and knowledge involved – it’s not just as simple as bulldozing down a building.

Read more: The Basic Economics of a Demolition