Important Questions to Ask a Demolition Service Company

Posted on: 30 November 2017

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Before you have a home or other building demolished, you want to be sure you get all the information needed from a demolition service so you know what to expect with the job and know that the job will be done according to your plans. Note what is meant by that, along with some important questions to ask a demolition service company when you're ready to hire them, so there are no surprises for you throughout the process.

Ask about personal belongings inside the home or building

Don't assume that you can leave furniture, electronics, or personal items inside a home or building, and that these will simply be disposed of along with the demolished materials. Many demolition companies will bring debris to a centre that has staff sort through those materials, so different items can be disposed of by different means and methods, but these centres may not process furniture and other such items. In turn, the demolition company may not even perform the demolition if you've left such items behind, and you may need to hire a separate company to clear your home or building, before the scheduled demolition.

Ask about recycling materials

When demolition debris is picked through, materials that can be recycled are often removed, but this isn't always the case. Some companies may have items simply disposed of; this might include burning items like drywall and timber flooring and putting other building materials in a landfill.

If you're concerned about an eco-friendly demolition, don't assume that items collected from your demolition will be recycled, but ask outright if this is done. If not, you might want to work with a separate company that removes these recyclable materials before the demolition itself, to keep them out of landfills.

Always ask about dump fees, recycling fees, and other added fees

Your demolition company should give you an estimate or quote for the work to be done, but no matter what their paperwork says, it's good to ask if they will tack on additional fees for any reason. This might be a dump fee, which the company might face after bringing your debris to a landfill, or a recycling fee, for removing items that can be recycled. These added charges might even include fees for demolishing items like pools, sheds, and other outbuildings, or an outdoor deck or patio. Always ask about these fees so you know if you're getting a reliable quote, or know if you'll be facing additional charges when the work is done.