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Building an extension for my mother-in-law

I love my mother-in-law but I never planned on living with her permanently. I have been enjoying her living with us now that we have kids but I feel like we all need some extra space so I am getting a granny flat built at the back of our block. This should allow us to have some extra space to make sure everyone has the privacy that they need whilst we can still be a family. This block has some tip on the process of building a granny flat including how to choose a contractor and how to get the council approval for the build.

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Building an extension for my mother-in-law

Reasons to Hire a Demolition Service

by Chloe Cooper

A home demolition service is your best bet for conducting a safe demolition. However, naysayers and DIY enthusiasts could dispute the need for demolition services. This piece offers some compelling reasons to hire a demolition service. 

Project Impact Assessments

The immediate benefit of hiring a demolition contractor is that they have the competence and skill required to conduct a project impact assessment. For example, if your property is too close to neighbouring structures, will the demolition works affect the structural integrity of these structures? How can you control debris at the site if you plan to implode the building? If you intend to conduct a partial demolition, how will the demolition work affect the safety of the remaining structure? These assessments go a long way in establishing the project's viability and planning the demolition work. For instance, the contractor could recommend manual demolition or the use of light equipment to prevent damage to neighbouring buildings. If you opted to conduct a DIY demolition, there is a likelihood that you would jump straight into the project without establishing its impact. In this case, the project becomes a risky endeavour. 

Preparation

Demolition contractors spend considerable time preparing for the demolition work. For instance, they: 

  • Examine the site soil conditions to determine suitable plant equipment.
  • Remove hazardous materials such as asbestos that could endanger the lives of the demolition crew and neighbours.
  • Prepare a demolition plan, submit it to the authorities and secure the required permits.
  • Conduct underpinning works, bracing or retrofitting works to prevent damage to neighbouring houses or your structure. 

During a DIY demolition, you will likely skip some of these preparation steps since they do not fall in your area of expertise. For example, government agencies cannot give you a demolition permit since you do not have the competence needed to demolish the structure. In this case, you could end up with legal problems. 

Safety Protocols 

An experienced demolition contractor pulls out all stops to prevent accidents at the site. For example, they install barricades and safety signage to prevent curious individuals from accessing the site. The contractor then provides every demolition crew member with the required safety equipment. The professional also acquaints the demolition crew with the demolition sequence. This is a plan of how to pull down the building without risking a cave-in. If your property is close to other houses, the contractor installs a safety net to ensure all demolition debris lands on your property. Finally, they make sure plant equipment deployed to the site is in excellent condition and has the proper attachments. 

Contact a home demolition service to learn more.

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