House Destruction

[Kiohio]

Ok Guys heres one that could be fun. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We need to tear down a house it is already cleared for destruction.
Everything has been disconnected etc.
It is approx a 24x24 single story.
There is a decent amount of room on all sides except one and it is approx 40ft from another persons driveway.
All windows will be removed before destruction.
We have a place to get rid of it the materials.
Burning it down is NOT an option LOL.
I was wondering if any of you have any tips, or have experience with this.
We have a big MF forklift, a tractor, a truck and assorted destruction tools like a sawzall etc.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
KO

 

[EddieWalker]

I really liked the way they did it last night on Most Extreme Home Makeover. They used a D-10 dozer.

Works really good too!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[RonR]

If burning is not an option, I suppose IMPLOSION is probably out as well........................

Big backhoe, with grapple for loading it in trucks................

Ron

 

[Highbeam]

Destruction is fun at first. Do it in the reverse order of assembly. Do you need to seperate any of the debris like the concrete from the wood or sheetrock? If not, I would start on the roof since it would stink to have that fall on you while inside. Peel the roof off.

Demo by hand will take a long time. I would rent a reasonably big trackhoe with a thumb. Not too big since you only need 24' square. The hoe will allow you to crush down the debris.

 

[LarryRB]

when we took down the old fire house, we used a sawzall and cut all load bearing walls inside. Then cut all corner walls to weaken them... A 744 Deere loader broke through one corner which allowed the whole thing to drop. The weight of the roof alone, was enough to trash 60% into a rubble pile... Like anything else, this is one of those, " you can do it a 100 different ways"..

 

[dooleysm]

Are you positive that burning it is not an option? The volunteer fire departments around us LOVE it when people donate old homes and barns for them to burn. They use it as a training situation and have alot of fun doing it.

 

[Kiohio]

We already checked on the burning. The neighbor has flowers and shrubs. etc that would get destroyed. That and the department said the vinyl siding on the other house may get damaged. So unfortunately thats a no go. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
KO

 

[Kiohio]

That is what we are thinking.
We don't have to remove anything else that is in there.
The windows are gone etc.
I was thinking, we could cut out the LB walls inside as you said then do the corners and put a hole around one of the last corners and pull it with the forklift.
It's an old Massey Ferguson it's pretty heavy and shouldn't have much trouble in low gear.
Then drag the pieces away with the tractor as we seperate stuff with the lift.

KO

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Demolishing a house is a suprisingly dangerous activity. Also, you do want to contain the demolotion so you don't end up with destroyed lot. Lots of nails and crap all over the lot is a very bad thing and the people living there will have nails comming up out of the ground for years. If you try to be clean in the demolition, you will probably be safe as a side affect.

As someone else said, I would take it down in the reverse order that it went up.

Not as much fun, but after it is all added up, it's probably faster and safer unless you're doing it all with heavy equipment (demo grapples, etc.) and not by hand.

Cliff

 

[California]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( As someone else said, I would take it down in the reverse order that it went up.

Not as much fun, but after it is all added up, it's probably faster and safer unless you're doing it all with heavy equipment)</font>

I'll second that. (reverse order to its construction.) Ohio is tornado country, isn't it? That structure will be surprisingly solid.

If you start by using brute force with the forklift or tractor, that won't take it down but would make it more dangerous and unpredictable when you have enter and disassemble stuff by hand.

There's going to be a lot of sawzall and crowbar carpentry before you have weakened it enough to lift out chunks with the diesel equipment you described.

Start with a skillsaw and cut the roof sheeting parallel to the rafters to make manageable chunks of roof. As much as possible use the lifting force of the forklift to break free nailed joints at each stage of the project.

As someone noted, keep the project within the perimeter of the building. Dragging a half-demolished building halfway across the yard won't accomplish anything.

And double your emphasis on safety. I once worked temporarily for a building demolition contractor. (as a carpenter, sealing off the newer half of a school building that was to remain after the older half was demolished.) The foreman/estimator was a badly busted up permanent employee who long ago hadn't gotten out of a falling building fast enough. He pretty much had a guarantee of lifetime employment from this very decent contractor but watching him walk was a constant, chilling reminder to consider safety every moment.