When a property owner decides it’s time to build a new structure on his or her land, they can’t just call a construction company to start erecting the building. There are a ton of steps that go into any construction project. If there was already a structure on the lot, one of the first steps is bringing in a demolition contractor in Kansas City to take down the building. But did you know that there’s more than one way to get rid of an old building? Building owners have the option to hire a company to either demolish or deconstruct a structure. Keep reading to learn more about each process:
- The method: When a company is hired to demolish a building, they first inspect the area for hazardous materials. A demolition contractor in Kansas City has to remove those materials before any demolition work can begin. If demolition were to start before those materials were removed, each person on the crew could be in danger. After the materials are removed, crews bring in heavy machinery to bring the structure down as quickly and safely as possible. Once the big stuff is taken down and hauled away, smaller machines and tools are used to carry everything away from the site. Deconstruction is a more meticulous process. Crews working on a deconstruction project go through each part of the building and extract as many reusable parts of the structure as possible.
- The project schedule: As you can imagine, deconstruction takes a lot longer than demolition. In fact, a standard deconstruction project can take up to three weeks longer than demolishing a building of the same size. Deconstruction takes longer for several reasons. First, crews can’t use heavy duty machinery to pour over every inch of a building looking for things to reuse. Second, deciding what is and what is not reusable can be tough to gauge. Some materials may look reusable at first, but wind up being useless.
- Salvage materials: While deconstruction obviously salvages more materials, both processes try to save some aspects of structures. The most commonly saved materials in a deconstruction project are wood floors, electrical wires, pipes and fixtures (such as sinks, bathtubs, windows, etc.) In a demolition project, asphalt and concrete can be salvaged and recycled. Those materials can be put to later use in other construction projects.
- The benefits: Choosing between demolishing and deconstructing a building can be difficult because both processes offer great benefits. The number one reason to opt for demolition is speed. As mentioned above, a crew can take down a building rather quickly, even if it’s a large structure. This is good when the timetable for constructing the next building is tight. Deconstruction, while slower, is great because it helps the environment, and can help save the building owner from having to buy new materials and fixtures for the new building.
If you need a demolition contractor in Kansas City to take care of removing your old building, give Midland Wrecking Inc. a call. We have years of experience in the industry, and our professionals work quickly and safely to demolish buildings of any size and scope.