Demolition of a House

Getting Started

• Contact an environmental specialist to inspect the house for any hazardous materials, including lead paint or asbestos. If such materials are present, remediation is required before demolition may begin. You must arrange to have all utilities disconnected from the dwelling before proceeding with demolition. Try to recycle or reuse any salvageable items in the house before tearing it down. Companies specializing in old-house restoration can remove doors, lighting fixtures, paneling and other parts of the home that may find new uses in another location.

Demolition Contractors

• Many contractors specialize in razing houses. Find a contractor who is insured and licensed to do this work. These contractors, rather than general construction contractors, should know all of the requirements for disposal of any hazardous material and may arrange for salvage or environmental specialists to deal with the needs of your house. A demolition expert may also "deconstruct" your house, taking it apart for any recyclable materials.

Burning

• Firefighters need to practice their skills. In some situations, the local fire department may burn down a house scheduled for razing to allow new recruits to hone their firefighting abilities. Check with the fire department in the municipality where the structure is located to see if this is a possibility for your house. Burning requires additional permits, including those from the state's Environmental Protection Agency. Material that contains asbestos must be removed from the house before the controlled burning. This may include ceiling and floor tiles, roof shingles, siding, insulation, water pipe wraps and the furnace.

Tearing It Down

• The actual tear-down process varies from one day to a week, depending on the size of the structure and accessibility. Usually, the demolition expert uses a hydraulic excavator to take down the house, with materials loaded into a dumpster. The demolition contractor should remove all debris from the lot, with no sign that a house ever stood there. The entire foundation should be removed. You may save time and money, if you're building a new house on the same site, by having the contractor use his equipment for excavation or grading.