Demolition

Demolition projects can come in all sorts of sizes from full-scale building removal to small section demolition to make way for an extension or planned building work.

Whilst construction focuses on building new structures, demolition is essentially the exact opposite – here the work involves the destruction and tearing down of buildings, but it can also apply to other structures. In terms of small two or three story high buildings, such as residential houses, these type of demolition jobs are relatively straightforward and with heavy hydraulic equipment, such as an excavator, can be completed in a day or possibly two days.

Manual demolition or mechanical demolition

All sorts of equipment can be utilised to demolish buildings and will depend on whether the specific project needs a mechanical or a manual demolition. Factors which determine the type of demolition process include area, the building material being demolished and also how the debris will be disposed of.

There are four main types of demolition: crane and ball, implosion, high reach arm and selective demolition.

• Crane and ball – in certain situations a wrecking ball can be used to knock a structure down to a more manageable size. It’s one of the oldest methods for demolishing masonry and concrete buildings but has its limitations and creates a considerable amount of dust and noise.

• Implosion – the quickest method to demolish a building, the use of explosives as a means of demolition usually involves large structures. It’s normally only used as a last resort due to the dangerous nature of using explosives and the cost involved.

• High reach arm – a traditional means of demolition, often used on steel, masonry, reinforced concrete and structures composed of mixed materials. High reach demolition is defined by a height in excess of 20 metres. High reach excavator machines tend to be used to demolish tall buildings and structures when the implosion method isn’t practical.

• Selective demolition – a method that is becoming increasingly popular, although it is rather labour intensive. Here a builder will salvage material which can be recycled and reused for new structures, for example reclaimed bricks.

Builder Guide will have a demolition expert suited to the job that needs doing. You’ll be able to choose from a range of reputable companies operating on both a local and a UK-wide basis.