Interior Demolition
When it comes to your home, you have big ideas, and sometimes those ideas require a blank slate. Interior demolition is the first step.
Whether you're looking to spruce up your kitchen or remodel your entire house, interior demolition is a great way to get the home of your dreams.
Depending on your vision, it can be a major project or a small task.
Some of the most common interior demolition projects include:
Ripping out cabinets
Removing non-load-bearing walls
Removing flooring
Removing appliance(s)
Option 1: Hire a Contractor
More often than not, hiring a contractor to handle your interior demolition is the best way to go.
There's simply too much going on behind the scenes to know exactly what you'll find after ripping out that cabinet or tearing down that wall.
Option 2: Do It Yourself
Whether you want to remodel a single room or strip out an entire house, interior demolition may be in your future.
But interior demolition isn’t always as simple as taking a sledgehammer and going to town on a wall.
Interior demolition takes some background knowledge and a little skill to know how to remove various interior items without doing serious damage to the walls, floors, structure, appliances, etc.
Do:
Remove an old bathroom vanity
Remove kitchen cabinets
Remove a non-load-bearing wall with no electrical/plumbing
All of this is relatively simple and straightforward and can be accomplished with a few basic tools, like pry bars, claw hammers, screwdrivers, or a reciprocating saw.
Don’t:
Remove appliances hooked up to electricity or plumbing unless you have experience doing so
Remove anything if asbestos is present
Remove a load-bearing wall
Remove a non-load-bearing wall if unsure of electrical/plumbing
Do I need to get a permit for interior demolition?
Yes, in Calgary you are required to have a Building Permit if you are doing any interior demolition. Permits can typically be acquired at your local Buildings Department and are just a way to acknowledge that you will:
Shut off all utilities
Ensure there is no water running to the home
Notify neighbors of upcoming demolition
If you're hiring a contractor to handle your demo, then it's likely they'll get the necessary permit(s) for you, but don't assume—always discuss this with them.
Once you’ve received your permit, it’s always advised that you post it on your front door.
That way, any passing neighbors are aware that whatever work going on inside is entirely legal.
What am I supposed to do with all that debris?
Once the demo is all said and done, there’s going to be a mess, and a dumpster is the best way to get rid of it.
Roll-off container rentals are the secret weapon to demo debris cleanup, and they double as a catchall for other junk you’ve been meaning to get rid of over the years, too.
The fact that these containers come in all different sizes, from 10 to 40 yards, makes it easy to find the size that’s perfect for your project.
Pro Tip: Rent the dumpster before you start your project. That way, it will be easier to keep your work area (and the rest of your home) from piling up with debris, dust, and dirt.