If you own or have purchased an older house – perhaps one whose previous owner wasn’t scrupulous when it came to maintenance – you may be facing the tough choice between attempting a renovation and simply demolishing and starting over from scratch. This can be a particularly hard decision to make if the house has certain design or material aspects you find appealing or is one that’s been in the family for some time.
Calling the Demolition Contractor
There are many factors that contribute to the decision to hire a demolition contractor. Some of them personal, some pragmatic and some simply out of your control. In general though the decision can be justified…
- When the Cost of Renovation is Simply Prohibitive – You may wish with all of your heart that you could preserve that Second Empire Victorian as is but poor maintenance may have left it in such a state that renovation would cost considerably more than simply starting from scratch.
- If You Just Don’t Have the Time or Inclination to Oversee a Lengthy Renovation – Renovating an older home is a far more involved process than something like basement underpinning. If your lifestyle leaves you with little free time to oversee the myriad details of a home renovation you may want to go with a demolition and rebuild. Oftentimes it’s simply easier.
- If Yours is Clearly the Sad-Sack House of the Neighbourhood – If your home’s value is a fraction of that enjoyed by the homes that surround it, no manner of renovation will likely restore it to value parity and it may be time to call a demolition contractor.
- If You Bought the Lot and Not the House – Some folks will purchase a lot not taking more than a cursory glance at the house occupying it. That’s because their intention all along was to build from scratch, they simply couldn’t find an empty lot in their preferred neighbourhood. If this is you, you’ll be calling the demolition contractor before the ink on the purchase agreement is dry.
- If Your Required Additions Will Cost More Than a Rebuild – Expanding families need more space. Sometimes however the cost of home additions can exceed the cost of simply tearing down and rebuilding. This is particularly true of smaller homes.
- And Speaking of Smaller Homes… – Smaller homes tend not to be the best candidates for additions to begin with since they were designed around certain visual parameters and tacking a large addition onto the home can give it a strange, unbalanced appearance.
There are any number of circumstances that call for the hiring of a demolition contractor. But before you go ahead and hire one make sure the house is not protected by a heritage listing or other special designation. You could wind up in considerable hot water demolishing a home the government considers to be of historical value. You may also be constrained by land use rules or local building codes that restrict what can be built on the property and which negate your carefully crafted plans. So don’t take chances; always make sure to practice due diligence before proceeding with a demolition.
Integrity Contracting is known for quality work, honesty and professional results that increase value to our customer’s properties. We know we can provide you with answers and solutions to your projects needs; we are qualified, licensed professionals – proven & trustworthy – who always deliver projects on time and on budget. We specialize in Home Additions, Framing, Basement Underpinning, Demolition and Excavation in Toronto. Visit us on Google+.