3 Signs Your Property Needs Demolition
The primary concern for many commercial building owners is ensuring their tenants, employees, and clients can conduct business on the property safely and efficiently. However, maintenance, repairs, or renovation will eventually become too burdensome and costly. In this case, demolition can be the answer. Here's when you should consider taking down your commercial building.
When Does a Building Need Demolition?
1. Features Significant Structural Issues
A building's foundation can weaken over time as moisture causes the soil underneath to expand and contract. This problem can be exacerbated if the ground was improperly prepared before construction or the property has insufficient drainage. However, a faulty foundation requires such expensive repairs that it is more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild the structure. This service also allows you to correct these fundamental issues before constructing a new building.
Excessive moisture from leaks, plumbing issues, or inadequate ventilation can cause significant structural problems throughout your property. Crumbling bricks and mortar and wood rot can put the building in danger of collapsing. Moisture also typically leads to mold, which can damage structural elements and cause serious health problems.
2. Contains Hazardous Materials
Many buildings constructed before the 1970s used outdated materials containing hazardous substances such as asbestos, mercury, lead, and polycarbonate biphenyl (PCB).
Exposure to these elements, through cracks in walls or leaky pipes, can pose serious health risks to the building's occupants. Disorders associated with these materials include cancer; heart, lung, and kidney diseases; and brain disorders. Demolition experts can safely dismantle the building and remove these dangerous substances with minimal exposure to people and the environment.
3. Does Not Suit Your Needs
As commercial businesses grow and evolve, their structural needs change. For instance, they often outgrow their offices or inventory spaces or require expanded showrooms and conference facilities. If renovating your property to suit your needs exceeds the cost of a new building, bringing it down could be a more efficient and practical choice.
Demolition allows you to build a new structure to your specifications while retaining your preferred location. A new building can be positioned and oriented on the property to maximize the space and exposure. Consider incorporating updated technologies and capacity for future expansion into the design, such as improved internet connectivity and the ability to add office space as needed. You can also use energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building materials, such as solar panels or Low-E windows, to produce significant cost savings in the long term.
