Common Questions To Ask Your Commercial Demolition Company

It is essential that before you start any demolition project on your commercial property, you should know how the demolition company can deliver and help you on your development projects.

You should be wise in choosing and working with commercial demolition contractors. Hence, knowing the common questions to ask your commercial demolition company will jumpstart the success of your demolition goal.

When you take the time to know and understand the process that the demolition company follows, you will make a better decision about hiring them or not. Here are the most important questions to ask your demolition contractor:

1. Do You Have Comprehensive Insurance?

Safety should be a priority of the demolition company. A comprehensive contractor’s insurance should be able to pay the bills if there are damages incurred during the demolition process. It will also pay for costs if an accident happens on the job.

The most common coverages for insurance that can be obtained by a commercial demolition company include:

• Commercial General Liability Insurance

A commercial demolition company that has this type of insurance will be able to cover the costs if a worker gets injured or if a neighbor’s property gets damaged during the demolition process.

Any demolition project is hazardous and can pose risks to workers and property. Hence, it is important that you know if the demolition company has this type of insurance.

If they do, you are assured that if a neighbor’s property gets damaged, the insurance company will pay for the damages. Likewise, if demolition equipment injures a bystander or a worker, medical expenses and lost wages will be paid by the insurance company.

• Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Insurance that pays for the medical expenses and lost wages of the demolition company’s workers if they get injured or are killed while doing the demolition can save you from a lot of stress.

Workers’ compensation insurance is required for commercial demolition companies because of the high risk of injury that the job entails.

2. What Safety Measures Do You Impose?

For any demolition project, safety should be a top priority. This includes the safety of pedestrians, workers, owners of the property, and property in and surrounding the property that will be demolished. In short, the safety of everything and everyone should be considered well.

The precautions taken by the commercial demolition company should include:

• Safeguarding the personnel on the site
• Safeguarding of persons not connected with the demolition including the general public
• The protection of the property likely to be affected by the demolition operation

Remember that commercial demolition is much more than tearing down buildings. It should be a carefully planned process that is centralized on a safe and efficient structure removal.

Find out if the safety precautions the commercial demolition company takes include the following:

• Each worker or employee working on the demolition project is knowledgeable about the equipment that is being used. This would prevent possible construction site injuries and accidents.
• Each worker on the demolition site should wear safety clothing like work boots, masks, and gloves, throughout the demolition process.
• A comprehensive survey of the site and the structure that will be demolished.
• Comprehensive and strategic planning on the location and position of screens, scaffolds, etc.
• Protection of the public.
• Methods to protect surrounding buildings in case the structure to be demolished will collapse.
• Shutting off the electric power to all services within the structures, including gas, water, and steam service lines.
• Properly and adequately fencing and cordoning off of the structure to be demolished.
• Putting up display boards that have a prominent warning for the public of the danger around and on the demolition site.
• Removal of glass in doors and windows, loose objects, and projecting parts.

3. Have You Filed and Received Approval for Local Permits?

A professional demolition company should have experience in taking care of permits required by the local government for demolition projects. This is one important aspect that you should know from them.

Choose to work with commercial demolition contractors who have had the experience of obtaining permits to streamline the demolition process. They should know how to fulfill all the needed requirements for a demolition project to take place.

This will assure you that you can be protected from any liability issues. Failure to comply with local regulations for demolitions can result in criminal charges.

4. Do You Provide a Written Estimate of Costs?

One of the first things to consider is the cost of the demolition. You should ask your demolition company for a detailed estimate of the demolition cost, including any additional costs that may be incurred during the project.

It is easier to work with a commercial demolition company that provides an honest and straightforward written estimate of costs for a demolition project. This gives you a clear idea of what you will expect to be delivered.

Most demolition contractors provide a free, no-obligation quote, but make sure that you are given a written estimate that lists each service that you will be paying for. This will help prevent you from paying feasible concealed prices or hidden charges.

5. How Do You Properly Dispose of Rubble and Debris From the Demolition?

Do not miss the importance of the final step of the demolition process which is the proper disposal of demolition debris. Commercial demolition companies take this final step of the demolition service differently.

Hire a commercial demolition company that clearly understands the safe disposal of rubble, contaminated materials (lead, mold, mildew, asbestos, etc.), and debris from the demolition. They should give you an assurance that they leave the site clean and that they strictly follow proper disposal and management of waste from the demolition site.

6. Are You Experienced in Large-Scale Demolition Projects?

Knowing if the commercial demolition company has experience in commercial demolition projects, especially in projects similar to yours can somehow give you an idea of how they can deliver. You can ask for references if possible and a portfolio of their past commercial demolition work.

Here are some questions that you can ask regarding their demolition process to see how they accomplish commercial demolition projects:

• How long will be the completion of the demolition project?

• What is the initial preparation before you begin?
• Do you inspect before starting the demolition?
• How can I reach out for updates?
• How do you monitor the progress of the job? Will you be on the job site?

Getting answers to these commercial demolition FAQs for commercial demolition companies and contractors will help you make a better decision on who you will hire. You should feel that you can trust the demolition company to accomplish the demolition job safely and efficiently within a considerable budget.

7. Do you provide information about the qualifications and experience of the demolition contractors who will be working on my project?

You should look for a company that has a proven track record of successfully completing commercial demolition projects and that employs only the best demolition contractors in the industry.

8. What type of demolition is required for my project, structural or selective? And which one would be the best for my project?

Some demolition projects may require structural demolition, which involves the complete removal of a building’s structure, while others may only require selective demolition, which involves the removal of specific parts of a building. You should ask your demolition company about their experience with both types of demolition and which one would be best for your project.

9. What are your company’s recycling and waste management practices?

Many demolition companies are now implementing recycling and waste management programs to reduce the environmental impact of their projects. By choosing a company that is committed to waste management and recycling, you can be sure that your project will have a minimal impact on the environment.

When you are looking for the best demolition contractors for your commercial demolition project, you should ask about the cost, experience, waste management practices of the company and the type of demolition required. It’s important to choose a company that can provide you with the best services in the demolition industry.

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Big Easy Demolition is a licensed and insured company providing demolition services for both homes and businesses.

We are the leading demolition and debris removal service company in the New Orleans area.

We proudly serve the areas of Metairie, Slidell, New Orleans, Kenner, Laplace, and all throughout the Greater New Orleans area.

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