Home demolition: Tips and advice

When the renovator's dream has outlived its structural soundness, it will be necessary to demolish the existing building to create the home that you want. Demolition work has obvious safety requirements which need to be considered, both by your building contractor and by you. Before commencing any demolition work, you will also need to apply to your local council for permits and advice. Undertake only minor demolition work yourself, and only if you are totally confident that you have the skills and equipment to do the job safely.

Tips on demolishing your home

When demolishing an existing building or part of your home to allow for renovation, consider safety, noise and minimising mess. Here are some tips:

• Choose your building contractor carefully. Ensure that the contractor understands what you want done, and also form an agreement about any details (such as smoking in the house or management of mess) that are important to you.
• Accept the mess! It is not possible to complete any demolition work without tremendous amounts of dust, debris and other mess
• Limit the mess. Ensure that your builder puts up plastic sheeting to keep other areas of the house as clean as possible. Cover any other surface in the home, including floors (wooden floors should be cleaned thoroughly first), knick knacks, and furniture. Demolition dust sneaks in everywhere and can be difficult to remove.
• Consider hiring a cleaner to get your home back to liveable cleanliness afterwards
• Take safety precautions. Do not walk about in skips to fit more rubbish in as skips are full of dangerous rubbish. Ensure your children are somewhere safe; do not have them around while work is being done
• Only undertake very minor work yourself. Do not attempt to demolish building structures such as walls yourself, as this can result in disaster.
• If you are unsure whether the building you are demolishing contains asbestos, this will need to be checked by a professional before you proceed.

Demolition information from your council

Before beginning any demolition work it is essential that you check with your local council for by laws regarding this type of work in your area. You may need a permit for the work itself, and there will be restrictions on construction noise and other nuisance factors. Your building contractor may be able to organise this aspect of the job for you.

Demolition tips and final information

Demolition work may be an essential part of building your new home or renovation your existing one. It is vital to consider safety precautions, particularly if you have children. Choosing a reliable contractor, perhaps one, who has been recommended by friends or family, will make the experience less disruptive. It is wise to retain your sense of humour at demolition time, because living with mess, disruption to your routine and noise while the job proceeds is unfortunately inevitable.