Residential and commercial demolition projects occur for similar reasons. There are frequently conditions that make buildings too dangerous, or changes require smaller structures or single walls to be removed. Here are five common reasons we are called upon for demolition in Kansas City:
- Neglect: Buildings cannot stay together without maintenance. Environmental controls are also necessary, since without heat or air conditioning, other systems, including plumbing, can shut down. Sometimes, a home where a resident hoarded is often too far gone to make repair worthwhile. After a building is neglected for some time, it is often beyond rehabilitation. Removing it so a new one can take its place is often necessary.
- Natural disasters: A flood can leave a building so waterlogged that the foundation is compromised. Tornados will not just damage buildings, but even level them. An unstable building that is likely to collapse on its own must be demolished in a controlled manner to prevent additional injury. In serious storms, a building could also be destroyed except for a few walls and a chimney. These remaining structures can be demolished and salvaged.
- Out of date: When safety standards change, it is up to a building owner to decide whether it is worth the effort to update the structure. ADA compliance adjustments can also fall under this category. While they are not necessarily fixing a dangerous condition, they can be expensive to update, and when a building was never especially well built in the first place, adding ramps, elevators and other features may not be feasible. Historic buildings are frequently exempt and are often worth preserving. However, when you own a mid-century utilitarian design that offers little in structural reassurance or unique embellishment, it is often just better to replace it with a newer building.
- Attractive nuisance: A building may be structurally sound but have become a shell of its former self. Fires from years ago leave walls and falls intact, and foreclosed structures may remain unoccupied for years. The foreboding nature of these structures often repels all but the troublesome elements of society. These buildings may become informal homeless camps, shelters for drug use and an attractive nuisance for bored teenagers thinking they seek an “adventure.” Enough of these invasions and the building becomes unsafe not only structurally, but also for the element it attracts. Many cities demolished these buildings, put something better in their place and found the surrounding neighborhood thrived.
- Expansion projects: Partial demolition is frequently a part of remodeling. Early 20th‑century homes and churches, for example, were built to last, but they often lack the space demanded by modern standards. Removing one wall to build a wing is a frequent project that maintains the original structure but makes it work better for current circumstances. There are also instances where a college or business campus will demolish one of its buildings while keeping a few original structures. This also allows for expansion and improved resources.
If you need a contractor who performs both commercial and residential demolition in Kansas City, call Midland Wrecking Inc. We also perform debris cleanup and salvage so items can be recycled.