Why You Should Deconstruct and Not Demolish

If you have recently bought a "fixer-upper" home but decided that there is more downer than upper involved, you may be looking to demolish the home instead. Yet while it may be easy to bring in the hydraulic excavators and fire right away, you might want to consider a more selective approach. What do you need to know about the different processes of deconstruction?

Doing the Right Thing

In recent times, sustainability has certainly been a very hot topic, and people are under a lot of pressure to reduce the size of their carbon footprint. As part of this approach, they may need to recycle as much as possible, and you should consider doing this as you deconstruct your old house.

Soft Stripping

There are two different ways to do this. To begin with, you could consider a selective demolition, sometimes known as  a "soft strip." This is relatively easy and can sometimes be done without any professional help. For example, you can unscrew light fixtures, shift the appliances and even remove some of the doors, all of which can be sent to the most appropriate agency for recycling. You can also remove hardwood flooring or tiles, as well as windows, granite countertops and other features. However, these will require some more application, and you may certainly need some assistance.

Full Deconstruction

You can also deconstruct the entire property with salvage in mind. This can be very time-consuming, of course, but you should be able to recover a lot of different building materials like nails, studs, wiring, piping, taps, beams and joists. You'll almost certainly want professional help here and should call in experts who have done this type of job before. They will know how to approach each task and, crucially, in which order. They'll also have a system to capture any recovered material, put it into appropriate piles, and send it off to be salvaged. Certainly, some parts of the home cannot be saved and will eventually end up in a landfill, but you'd be amazed to find out what you can achieve with this type of comprehensive approach.

Other Things to Consider

Remember, you will also need permits from your local authority before you can demolish your home, even if you do it bit by bit. Work with a professional demolition expert, and they will be happy to take care of that element as well.

For more information, reach out to a home demolition service near you.

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