Difference Between Residential and Commercial Demolition

Did you know that among all the cities in the UK, you have to pay the highest average price to buy a new house in London? High demand for new buildings and shortage of space for new construction could be two main reasons. Considering the scenario, demolition of old buildings can be a way out.

If you own an old commercial or residential building in London, consider it tearing down to build a new structure in the same place. Remember, the demolition process for your residential and commercial properties might differ.

Don't have much idea about the demolition process? Don’t worry, we got you. Scroll on to know more about the demolition of residential and commercial property.

Understanding Residential Demolition

You may completely tear down your living space when it ages or start showing signs of structural decay. For example, if you live in an 80-year-old residential building, it may show cracks, the concrete layer may spall off, a part of the building may settle due to a weak soil layer, etc. If this is the scenario, you cannot expand your existing building.

Hence, you demolish the building and save yourself from the potential risk of harm.

The process of demolishing a residential building is simpler than a commercial building. If you reside in a small building, professional demolition contractors can demolish it with simple equipment.

Demolition contractors use jackhammers, sledgehammers, bolt cutters, crowbars, and other equipment to demolish your residential building.

Despite small-scale residential projects, some challenges remain. Noise and dust pollution are the main challenges of residential building demolition. Your neighbours might complain of continuous noise and concrete dust particles in the air.

It becomes more complex if your old building contains asbestos or hazardous material.

Understanding Commercial Demolition

Commercial demolition projects usually involve multi-story buildings and large-scale projects. Say, you plan to demolish the existing commercial building and reconstruct a new one. This is what you refer to as the demolition of a commercial building.

Compared to the demolition of residential buildings, commercial building demolition involves large-scale equipment and complex techniques. For example, wrecking ball demolition machines, excavators, bulldozers, crushers, cranes, and other equipment are for large-scale commercial building demolition.

Expert demolition contractors also use controlled explosive charges to demolish large-scale commercial buildings. However, this method requires proper permission from the local authority.

Local government authorities or regulatory bodies try to minimise the environmental impact of such demolition activities with strict protocols. You would be surprised to know that 62% of the total waste in the UK resulted from construction activities, as per a 2018 report by DEFRA.

Key Differences Between Residential and Commercial Demolition

Let’s understand the difference between the two demolition types from the below table.

Things to remember before going for demolishing your building

Before you go for the demolition of your building, you need to consider a proper site survey, risk assessment, and preparation for waste management.

Conduct a proper survey - Survey the site, regardless of residential and commercial demolition. It will help you plan for the demolition. Besides, you can prepare for the possible completion time.

Analyse risk factors—Surveying the site will reveal all the possible risk factors. If your property contains asbestos or any harmful chemical, a site survey will let you decide on its proper removal. You can also decide on a demolition strategy if there is structural decay.

Plan for waste management—Proper waste management is of the utmost importance. It ensures a clean site and reduces environmental impact. If you plan on recycling the waste from demolition, you contribute to environmental sustainability.

Conclusion

The main difference between commercial and residential demolition is the magnitude of the project. Besides, the commercial demolition is more complex than the residential demolition. Contact us if you plan to demolish your old residential or commercial building. At Strip Out Company, we offer internal and top-down demolitions to demolish any building.