A demolition contractor is in a charge of all the phases of a demolition job, from permitting to cleaning up and re-grading the land. The methods used for Building Demolition in Minneapolis depend on the size of the building. Smaller buildings of one or two stories require different equipment than very large, multi-story structures.
All demolition begins with an inspection of the property to identify hazardous materials, like asbestos or lead paint. These must be safely removed before the job can begin. In addition, utilities like water, sewer, electricity and gas have to be turned off. The demolition contractor will also determine a work plan.
For a small building, the demolition begins with a hydraulic excavator that undermines the building in order to control the direction in which the building is pulled. This usually happens at the building’s base, but the location will depend on the way the walls are designed. For a larger building, a wrecking ball and crane may be used to knock a building down to a size where undermining is reasonable. High reach excavators are used to take apart steel structures. Loaders and bulldozers can also be used to ram into buildings to bring down the walls.
Very large buildings may be demolished through implosion. This is a very fast method that uses an explosive device t
make the building collapse on itself. However, it can take weeks or months on either end of an implosion to prepare and clean up. Preparation involves removal of all glass and any other material that could be dangerous as a projectile. The explosives themselves are carefully housed to minimize debris. Only a few explosives are used, and they must be placed with precision.
Regardless of the size of a demolition, the final phase is removal of all the debris and clean up of the job site. Demolition contractors have roll-off dumpsters or other large containers that are used to collect and haul away debris.
Another type of demolition is known as deconstruction. This is a more labor-intensive process that involves dismantling a building by hand in order to recycle as many construction materials as possible and minimize what goes to the landfill.
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