Created on:
January 31, 2023
If you find yourself responsible for a building that needs to be torn down, you may be wondering where to turn, or what to even ask for. Words like demolition and deconstruction sound so similar, they might as well be identical to the laymen. Read on to learn a few key differences between demolition and deconstruction, and where to turn when you are in need of a service along those lines!
Demolition is the act of tearing down a building. This happens several ways, with heavy equipment such as bulldozers and wrecking balls, or with controlled explosions. Demolition usually involves removal of all aspects of the building, plumbing, concrete slabs, foundations, framing. Essentially removing the structure entirely, although demolition companies perfect the practice in case you have any specific areas you’d like to remain from the building.
Deconstruction is the act of slowly taking piece by piece out of a building in an attempt to salvage all of the building materials for future use or recycling.
The main difference between demolition and deconstruction is time. Demolition is often finished much faster than deconstruction, and typically is a cheaper option. While it may seem like deconstruction is obviously more environmentally friendly, that’s not always the case. Each job is different and requires different approaches that also shift the options available to you as the owner.
Deconstruction is a lengthier process and with that extra time, comes higher costs. When deconstructing, skilled workers carefully remove and handle each part of the building, which takes time. These workers need to be paid for their time, equipment, expertise, transporting materials, and more. Deconstruction risks include:
Demolition also comes with its risks. Heavy machinery always presents risks, bigger jobs have more ways to possibly go wrong, but luckily having a team of experts cuts down on those risk factors. Demolition risks include:
Again, trusting a professional company with glowing reviews will eliminate a majority of these issues!
While there are drawbacks to both options, they each also have plus sides to explore. Demolition offers several benefits:
Deconstruction’s benefits include:
When you need a building to be leveled, which option do you choose? There are a few things to consider. How long do you have to spend on this project? What is your budget like? Are there any parts of the building that you want to save for future use? Do you need the building leveled, or could your changes be achieved with a remodel?
Think about these questions through the lens of the information you have learned about the differences between deconstruction and demolition. Once you’ve answered these questions, you should be able to confidently decide which service you think you’re in need of.
If you have discovered that you are in need of a full scale demolition, trust our professionals at Alliance Environmental Systems to take care of the job for you as quickly and efficiently as possible. A recognized leader in our industry since 1994, we provide turnkey demolition and environmental services to commercial, retail, industrial, aerospace, multi-level, health care, pharmaceutical & institutional markets. No job is too big for us since we have seen it all in our years of experience.
If you are in need of our demolition services, please call us at (610) 701-9000 or email us at contact@aesfirst.com to discuss your project and get a quote.
