If you've hired someone to do a partial demolition on part of your home, you have a choice — should you stay in the home, or should you go? Your contractor will let you know if you have to leave for health reasons. For instance, if they're demolishing areas with a lot of asbestos or lead paint, it may not be safe for you to stay. However, in most other cases, you get to make the decision. Here's what you need to consider.
1. Do You Have Breathing Issues?
Demolition work kicks up a lot of dust. The contractors should seal off the area where they're working and use extractor fans to move as much dust as possible out of the area. However, if you have asthma, cardio-obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or other breathing issues, you may want to play it safe by leaving your home.
2. Can You Take a Staggered Approach?
If leaving for the entire project is not possible, you may want to take a staggered approach. Typically, projects tend to be the messiest and the loudest during the active demolition phase. While the workers are removing gypsum board in particular, you may notice a lot of dust. However, you may be comfortable staying in the home in the days leading up to that part of the process and afterward, while the contractors are building.
3. What's Your Tolerance for Strangers in Your Home?
When you opt to stay throughout the demolition process, you have to deal with a new vibe in your home. Workers will be coming and going to work in your home. Some homeowners feel totally comfortable with that. Others don't like the feeling of strangers in their homes.
If you go to work all day, you may be fine seeing the workers as they come in and you leave for the day. However, if you are retired, a stay-at-home parent or someone who works from home, you may not want to be in the house all day with that commotion. Ultimately, this is a personal choice.
4. Is There Useable Space?
You also need to consider where the demolition work is being done. If they are demolishing part of the master bedroom for a remodel and you can move to a guest room, that may work perfectly. However, if they are demolishing the kitchen, you may want to leave. Otherwise, you can set up a mini kitchen with a toaster, microwave, coffee pot and a few essentials in the living room and just make do for a few days.
5. Do You Have Somewhere to Go?
Finally, if you choose to leave, you need somewhere to go. You may move into a hotel for a few days or stay with a relative. Alternatively, you may want to plan a vacation and just come home when all the demolition and the rebuilding has been completed.
To learn more about demolition, contact a company like Roach Demolition & Excavations.
Hi all! My name's Ed, and welcome to my blog. Like many children, my son loved construction vehicles when he was young. However, although he grew out of the toy trucks, he never grew out of his interest in construction. When, at 18, he announced that he was going to be attending a heavy vehicle driving course and applying for jobs in the field, I decided to see what all the fuss was about myself. As it turns out, the world of construction equipment really is interesting! Since I started looking into it, my son and I have bonded over many conversations about bulldozers and excavators. Now I'm sharing some of the things we've talked about here.