There are many shops that deal with materials recovered from demolished buildings. Teak wood and carved old furniture, steel, grills and gates are available for sale. With the help of a professional, it is possible to use them to build a new structure, says Srikanta Prasad.
Construction and reconstruction are part of nature. Buildings can, over the years, become outdated and obsolete. Some buildings last a few generations while others a few decades. In recent years, with lifestyles changing constantly and newer products hitting the market, change becomes inevitable.
The reasons people opt for demolitions are many. The building could be very old and in a dilapidated condition; the needs of the family could be changing. The other reasons are:
Property divisions
Change of land use and commercial reasons
Poor quality construction leading to high maintenance
Vaastu issues
Ability to afford better facilities
Unauthorised or illegal construction
Change of ownership and consequent new requirements
Natural disasters making the existing structure unsafe
If you decide to demolish your house for any of these reasons, then, you will need to approach professionals. These 'demolition contractors' are specialists. There is a systematic approach to the entire process and various aspects are considered before demolition is undertaken.
The sequence of operation to be decided based on structural arrangement, identification of materials that can be recycled, the order of structural de-construction, safety of adjacent property, steps to prevent polluting the neighbourhood, process of clearing the debris, safety of workers and adequate support to dilapidated structural elements, and availability of tools, equipment and labour.
Normally, the practice of professional demolition starts with removing expensive and recyclable materials like wooden doors and windows. Then the demolition is commenced from the roof to the foundation. During this stage, steel, granite, stones and bricks are recovered by controlled breaking. All the materials that can be recycled are removed from the site to a warehouse by the contractor. Debris is cleared in stages to facilitate smooth operation. Even the foundation is removed if feasible.
There are many shops that deal with material recovered from demolished buildings. Construction material including teak wood and carved old furniture, steel, grills and gates are available for sale. With the help of a professional, it is possible and economical to select such old materials and build a new structure.
That is definitely being sensitive and eco-friendly, because you can avoid tree felling. "We have to wait for months to sell these old materials. Sometimes old wooden items, especially if it is teak wood, are sold quickly. This is affordable for many people considering the present wood prices. Our business involves a lot of risk, effort and time," says a City-based demolition contractor. Normally labour charges for demolition work is around Rs. 8,000 per square.(i.e. 10'x10')
"The house we bought was of a decent construction. It was a split-level design that had different small spaces at different levels. The design was not suitable for our family requirements. We weighed all options before we decided on demolition. Then we opted for a custom-made design that suited our requirements. We are happy about what we did at that time. It is important to take the right decisions," says Jagadeesh Vasishta from Bangalore.
When workers had to use heavy hammers and chisels for demolition, it used to be a tough and slow process. Today, though, the availability of power tools like drills and concrete cutters have made that task easy and quick. Concrete cutters that can cut up to a thickness of 18" are available. With bulldozers and earth moving equipment in suitable situations, the operation happens in a jiffy. High-rise structures can be brought down like a pack of cards by controlled blasting technique. All in an effort to pave the way for something new.
(The writer is a civil engineer.)