If you would like to build a new house for yourself but love the land you're on, you might want to consider a house demolition. This can remove your home while leaving the foundation intact, or even remove the foundation as well, and then allow you to "start from scratch" by building a new home on the spot. You might have thought about having your home demolished so you can start over again with a new home, but may have some questions and even misunderstandings about the process. Note a few commonly asked questions and their responses here and then discuss this option with a demolition contractor to see if it would be right for you.

1. How is a home collapse managed in a small residential area?

Demolition doesn't always mean a controlled explosion that causes a building to collapse on itself or to tumble over. This can be dangerous in smaller spaces where dust and debris might easily settle into neighboring properties or cause breathing difficulties for neighbors. In a residential area, a demolition company may first tear out much of the interior of a home, either by hand or with heavy power tools, and then use smaller cranes and other such equipment to tear down the home. This makes for a more controlled, safer demolition.

2. What if there is some part of the home that the homeowner wants to keep?

A partial demolition can usually be carried out in just about any type of home. This can mean cutting away parts of the interior that you want demolished and then using the heavy duty equipment to tear down the outside, as mentioned above. A demolition contractor may need to take more time to remove certain areas of the home by hand so that the remaining part is left undisturbed, but if you simply want a back area of the house or even a second story removed, you can typically find a contractor able to manage this type of job.

3. Is demolition bad for the environment?

To make a demolition eco-friendly, you might consider having a demolition crew remove parts of your home that can be recycled before the home is torn down. Also, if you choose a controlled demolition rather than an implosion, this can reduce dust and debris and even vibrations that can harm the environment. Consider too if having an older home that is not very energy-efficient means more harm to the environment than having it torn down so you can build a home with energy-efficient options. In the long run, the demolition can actually be better for the environment than keeping your current home.  

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