Demolition Plan and Safety Measures for Residential Buildings

This document provides a detailed guide on the demolition plan, budget, safety measures, and deconstruction + demolition method for residential buildings. It also emphasizes the importance of following the Australian AS2601 standard for demolition of structures. The document includes a checklist for securing a demolition permit, hazardous material identification, and testing methods. It also provides safety measures to be considered during the demolition process. Lastly, it provides additional items needed for commercial building demolitions.

Part A
Demolition work shall be performed in accordance with the Australian AS2601 standard:
demolition of structures (AS 2601). If the work is not covered or included in AS 2601, the work
shall be carried out in a manner acceptable to the Commissioner for WorkSafe Western
Australia. As compliance with AS 2601 is mandatory, the Regulations or these Guidelines do not
repeat the details of AS 2601. It is imperative that you are aware of potentially harmful materials
on your project site, among other preliminary steps, before starting any demolition or renovation
project.
Demolition plan
1. Establish a demolition budget
Set the maximum amount you're willing to spend and don't go beyond that budget. The different
costs that factor in a demolition or remodelling of a house can be quite different than you think,
so start a running list of the work you need (or want) to do. Then do some research to determine
the average cost of doing the job and add it to get a decent idea of what it would cost. Estimating
labour costs can be tricky, but planning for labour accounts for 15-30% of the total budget is
generally safe. The demolition for our case is a residential hip and valley home, the budget
should also include a 10-20 percent contingency.
Item Quantity Cost (Australian dollars)
1 Site inspection 100
2 Obtaining the necessary
permits
100
3 Salvage arrangements 100
4 Safety measures 100
5 Actual demolition 1000
6 Debris disposal 200
Preparing site for next
construction works
100
The budget will guide on which services to choose. There are variety of options to demolish a
building. Having a budget will guide to making correct decisions. The prospective situations that
could happen are many when it comes to bad estimation of project expenditures and all of them
have adverse implications. First and foremost are the impacts on satisfying the expectations of
the client. Not being able to deliver the agreed deliverables and quality standards of the project
could have a significant impact as a professional on your own credibility and future
development. Moreover, this may affect the reputation of organization performing the demolition
and have a negative impact on all your team members.
2. Project site walkthrough

This involves detailing the house to be demolished, professional inspection and other safety
preliminaries.
2.1 Structural house description
Figure 1 hip and valley roofing
Hip and valley roof rafters are loaded roof members running at an angle – (usually 45 degrees) to the
support walls and running at a pitch as well. The difference between the two is that a hip is at the top of
the hanging rafters, and a valley is at the bottom of the rafters hanging on it.
Figure 2 red brick wall
2.2 Professional site inspection
The inspection of older homes must be done to establish the presence of the following
materials
a. Asbestos - Asbestos is and should be avoided as a dangerous substance. But people with
asbestos contact do not always develop health problems. Many variables depend on the
danger of illness: how much asbestos is in the air. How often exposure occurs and how
long it takes. How much time has gone by since exposure began Whether the person has
lung or respiratory conditions and whether the person smokes tobacco?

b. Lead
c. Mercury
Other hazardous materials to be inspected include
a. Home appliances- from the picture, there is no appliances
b. The type of ceilings
c. Electrical wiring systems
d. Dumbed batteries
e. Type of paints
f. Electronics
g. Lighting components/ chokes/ballast and lamps
Specific hazardous material identification and testing methods must be followed, so be sure
to hire an experienced inspector or contractor specializing in hazardous material
identification and removal if you believe that hazardous materials may be present.
3. Determining the method to be used for demolition
The budget for the demolition is 1000 Australian dollars. This must cover actual tearing
down and all other demolition associated works. The chosen mode for the demolition is
Deconstruction + Demolition.
Reasons for choosing the method
 Combining deconstruction and demolition is the most highly recommended type of
demolition.
 This involves the act of first deconstructing the house by removing parts of the
reusable materials and saving them.
 Once all desired recyclable and reusable materials are collected, the remaining
structure is demolished and the remaining debris is removed.
 This is an excellent solution for those who want to be effective, accessible and
environmentally accountable for their demolition method.
Deconstruction will involve manual demolition process, after which the building will be teared
town with help of an excavator.
4. Obtain demolition permits
A person may not do a demolition unless a —(a) a demolition permit applies to demolition ; or,
(b) demolition is incidental to the renovation, alteration, extension, improvement or reparation of
a building or an adverse structure and construction permits for construction work are applicable ;
or (c) demolition can be done without a demolition permit under part 5 of building act 2011.
The following checklist will help to secure the permit for demolition
 Make sure demolition work meets the relevant building standards

 Notify Western Australia's Heritage Council (if applicable), electricity, gas, telephone
and water suppliers
 Give any other relevant data on application form
 Notify the Commissioner of Building Services at least 5 days before the work starts (if
the work is demolition class 1, 2 or 3);
 Pay any building service charges applicable
 Provide your intended demolition contractor details (a demolition license may be
required of the person carrying out a demolition)
 Pay the charges required for permit
5. Demolition safety measures
The most important part of construction, renovation and demolition has always been and will
always be safety. Having the best and most up-to-date machinery and take the necessary
precautions over the years has saved countless lives. These precautions are easy and simple
things you always have to be sure to do. It takes only a few minutes to monitor these precautions,
but they could make a difference in safe demolition
The basic safety measures to be considered are as listed below
a. Safety gears and Equipment - workers should always be familiar with all aspects of
their work, irrespective of their specialty or work area. It is essential for every worker
to know what gear should be worn and present during the entire demolition process.
Make sure every worker also understands what to properly use in every device. This
quick and easy sweep ensures that every worker has all the equipment necessary to
save lives and prevent further injury during the demolition. Also, make sure every
employee has a hard hat, as well as a mask, gloves, and boots for work.
b. Always make a final sweep prior to demolition. Every room, even closets, bathrooms
and corridors, must be kept in order to ensure that every person and everything is out
of the building. It must be ensured that every worker is away from the building and is
safe from the building before demolition begins. Also, ensure that employees monitor
the building to ensure that unauthorized people do not approach the demolition site. If
others are present, ensure that every newcomer is equipped with all the equipment
readily available. Ensure that someone has been assigned the role for the final sweep
check. Ensure everybody knows to whom they must report.
c. Debris clean-up- Make sure that all workers are cleaning every debris after
demolition and equipped with appropriate equipment. It consists of gloves and masks
as well as work boots. secondly, ensure that during clean-up and demolition only
accredited workers are present. This may be very dangerous but it may prevent a
number of injuries and accidents by taking the necessary steps.
d. If anyone needs to enter the building for any reason, it must be fitted to each ceiling
and passageway. This can easily help to prevent a large number of accidents, injuries
and even deaths when an accident happens.

Checklist
 Demolition permit 
 Site plan 
 Structural investigation done 
 Hazardous materials located 
 Service duct located – sewer lines, electricity lines, gas,
drainage, air conditioners 
 Work plan established 
 Hoarding consent- not required for our case
 Asbestos removal
 Fencing 
 Tree cutting permit
 copy of AS 2601 manual 
Demolition process
1. Labour and resources acquired - contractor
Skilled contractors sourced from nearby town. The team will aid in demolition the building
based on workplan and demolition plan. The demolition process will be done as per the
Australian standards
Demolition work shall be performed in accordance with the Australian AS2601 standard:
demolition of structures (AS 2601).
2. Fencing and space allocations

Figure 3 covering existing fencing to avoid disturbance and dust to the neighbours, space allocation for debris, both usable and
unrecyclable materials.
3. Bracing and other structural supports
The building roof frames have been damaged. It is therefore necessary to brace the structure, this will
allow deconstruction process
Part 1- Deconstruction
4. Disconnecting existing services
After bracing, the following services will be disconnected
a. Electricity supply
b. Water supply utilities
c. Sewerage services
d. Gas tanks and pipes

5. Recover recyclable materials, interior and exterior demolition
Remove undamaged windows, doors, cupboards, appliances, electrical fittings, HVAC
systems, among other materials inside through handpicking.
Figure 4 side view, some materials are still intact and can be used in the new building, includes, windows, bulbs, window glass,
rafters and lintels
Other deconstruction materials to be removed are as listed below
a. Wall frames
b. All furniture
c. Wash room appliances
d. Kitchen appliances
e. All internal fixings and fixtures
f. Remove carports fixings
6. Removing the roofing
Since the ceiling bracing has been done, the following will be removed
a. Roofing materials
b. Roof cladding
c. Roof framing and its supports
d. Remove the ceiling
Part 2- Demolition
7. Tear down the remaining structure
This is a small residential house; it should take not more than 30 minutes for the structure to be laid
off by an excavator. Most excavators charge based on time spend, hence the expenses will be

minimal. Home demolition usually includes a big, hydraulic bulldozers tearing down the house and
placing undesirable house objects in a truck or dumpster's back.
Other activities to be done include,
a. Removing the existing floor
b. Remove shades, only after client confirms
c. Remove bird cages, only when client confirms
s
8. Disposing the debris and cleaning the site for new construction
The site is to be used for new construction. After successful deconstruction +demolition method, the
resulting debris will be disposed by the hired contractor. The remaining activities will involve the
following
a. Cutting down trees and bushes based on new site plan
b. Remove everything that’s remaining
Safety precautions that must be taken during demolition process
 Correct gear, correct work at correct time
 Structures braced before interior demolition
 Asbestos removed
 No unwanted visitors in the site, in case of any, follow the rule -Correct gear, correct
work at correct time
lastly, Prepare for what's next!
Addition items needed for commercial building demolitions
Commercial demolition refers to larger, corporate structures like centres and office buildings.
 The residential demolition can be done by individual, However, if the building is commercial, a
general contractor is more likely to be considered to monitor and facilitate demolition. Permits to
demolish depends on the location of the structure, and must be sought at least 5 to 10 days before
the demo date (typically at the local City Hall).
 Hoarding consent needed – for buildings around social amenities
 Asbestos inspection certificate
 Certified demolishing contractors – hired contractors should present their business permits

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