Demolition is a messy yet necessary business. In some cases, getting rid of a crumbling structure can be a matter of safety for people who work or live in surrounding buildings.

CREATE A CLEANUP PLAN

Initial planning for any demolition involves discussions about the kinds of methods or equipment the team might use. However, it is essential that the cleanup portion of the job get some time in the spotlight even before demolition begins. There are basic checklists you can use for this sort of thing, and different areas might have guidelines that they require you to follow during a demolition.

USE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

Cleaning up a demolished structure can involve several steps. It is important to know what kinds of equipment can benefit a demo team and how they can use each type to their advantage. A proper cleanup job might involve removing large pieces of the former structure, but you might be responsible for removing objects the building contained as well. Hoppers are one of the most instrumental pieces of equipment a demo team can use during the cleanup, and self-dumping hoppers can move things along quickly. 

RECYCLE WHAT YOU CAN

There are some general types of materials that you can usually recycle. The specific guidelines for these procedures may vary from one city to the next, but future construction projects can benefit from debris you choose to recycle. If you take the time, you can even resell some of the items on the site.

SORT MATERIALS

Sorting through demolished materials is an important step if you’re recycling everything you can. However, it is a good thing to keep in mind as a way to streamline the whole cleanup process as well. Starting with this kind of disassembly gives a demo team the chance to find recyclable materials right away and sort through things preemptively. Even when you’re doing the full demolition later in the process, you can already check off a major part of the cleanup. Some construction companies may be interested in any of the useful materials you’ve sorted that are still in good condition.

CHECK STORAGE SPACE

If you run out of space to store debris for hauling away later, the whole cleanup process comes to a grinding halt. You don’t want to be standing around waiting on containers or other supplies because you only made a rough estimate of what you were going to need. Deciding on the right amount of space for your needs is not always easy, but there are different methods you can use to define what you need. Some teams like to put various waste streams into measurements of cubic yards before they begin a project.