If you buy a piece of land to build a new property on, one of the first things that you will need to do is to clear the land of any existing structures. Arranging the demolition of buildings already on the site will enable the land to be cleared and new building work to begin.

Finding the right demolition contractor

Understanding that you need to demolish a building is the first step, but not all demolitions are the same. You must search for a contractor that has appropriate experience with the sort of demolition you need. Some demolition contractors specialise in certain types of demolition; perhaps they concentrate on large industrial complexes or on large tower blocks. Other contractors may usually work on residential streets in highly populated areas and be more aware of the restrictive nature of that work and the related safety concerns. Look for a contractor who understands exactly what's involved in your situation.

What type of demolition do you want?

In general demolishing a property means completely knocking down the structure to ground level, but that isn't always what you want. There are times where all you need is a partial demolition so that you can keep part of the existing structure intact and build onto it. Even if you do want to bring down the entire building there are often restrictions on how you can do this. The proximity of other structures and public areas may require all the debris to be forced inwards in an implosion rather than a conventional demolition. It is vital that you discuss every aspect of the proposed demolition with your contractor before they begin to bring down the property. They should be happy to visit the site in advance and ensure that they know what is required and are capable of completing the work to the required standard.

What happens next?

When you arrange a demolition you are bringing down the structure on the land for a purpose. It could be simply because the building has become unsafe, but usually a demolition is only the first step in a planned redevelopment of the site. For that redevelopment to take place you will need to have the land cleared so you can build something else. The best people to clear the site after the demolition are people who brought down the building; they will have the equipment and manpower to get the job done. Talk to your demolition contractor and make sure that any quote you get includes the full cost of clearing the site once the demolition has taken place.