2 Reasons You Should Think Twice Before Doing Your Own Demolition
Demolishing old counters and walls looks easy on television, so how hard can it be? Although contractors might look careless as they plow through renovations with a sledgehammer, there is more to the task than most people think. Here are two reasons you should think twice before doing your own demolition, and how a professional can help:
1: Damage To Load Bearing Walls Can Be Serious
If you are going for an open-concept theme, you might be tempted to knock down that wall to open up a room. Unfortunately, if that wall is load bearing and helps to support your home, you might end up with a costly disaster on your hands.
Your home's load needs to be adequately supported by underlying beams. Unfortunately, if those are cut away, the weight of your roof and second story can press down on your home, destroying flooring, ceilings, and potentially causing collapses. Believe it or not, the damage caused by a missing load bearing wall might not be apparent right away. Second story floors might sag for a while before they crack, and roofs might seem perfectly in tact. Unfortunately, once the supports have been removed, it might only be a matter of time before the damage is difficult—if not impossible—to fix.
However, professional demolition contractors know how to find and cope with load bearing walls. If the wall needs to be removed, contractors can install strong headers to accommodate the weight. Demolition contractors might also consult with architectural engineers, so that you can make sure your home is stable and secure.
2: Once You Take It Out, It Can Be Hard to Replace
Once you start swinging that hammer, it can be hard to stop. Unfortunately, if you accidentally damage or destroy original tiles, woodworking, or molding, it might be hard to replace later. For example, you might have a difficult time matching new floor tiles to the rest of the house, or trying to figure out how to stain new hardwood cabinets because the old ones were damaged.
To avoid trouble, don't do your own demolition. Instead, hire a professional and talk with them about what you want to have removed. In addition to preserving vintage fixtures that you want to keep, experts can also mask off other areas of your home to keep them clean and dust-free.
By working with a trained demolition expert to help with your renovation, you might be able to keep your budget and your timetable on track.