A residential demolition can be just what you need if you want to make major changes to your home, or remove it and build a new home on the same spot. However, many homeowners are confused about residential demolition and don't know all their choices for this work, or when to call a demolition company in the first place. Note a few commonly asked questions about residential demolition and then discuss this option with a demolition company as needed.
1. Why use a demolition company just to remove a wall or a ceiling area?
It's easy to think that you can knock out a wall of your home if it's not load-bearing, but even standard walls and ceilings inside the home may give the structure added support. A demolition company can note if that wall, ceiling, flooring, or other material is helping to hold up any other part of the home, including attached walls and the flooring, and if removing it would affect the strength of the home's framework.
A demolition company can also remove these surfaces safely, adding bracing to surrounding areas as they go, and keep permanent bracing attached to the ceiling above a removed wall if needed. They may also note if you should add more framework in that space to help hold up the weight of the home, to avoid shifting, sinking, cracks, and other such damage.
2. Can a demolition company clean up a home that's already been torn down?
If you've done some demolition yourself, perhaps by removing all the interior walls, or if the home is so old that the floors and walls have already crumbled, it can actually be safer to have a demolition company complete the job. They can inspect the structure and note the best way to tear it down completely so that it doesn't collapse on or near workers, and also ensure that there is no damage to utilities, power lines, plumbing pipes, and other features outside the home. Note, too, that many demolition companies will tear down just part of a home if needed, including an addition, a chimney, a second story, and the like.
3. Will the foundation be demolished as well?
If you want a home's foundation dug up, this is often something a demolition company can do but they may charge extra, beyond just tearing down the structure. They may need to work with an excavator to safely dig up the foundation after demolition debris is cleared away. Whatever the case, don't assume that the foundation is part of the demolition work, but ask about this being included if you want it removed along with the home.
