Many demolition companies assess a site before recommending different ways through which a given building can be demolished. Read on and discover why you should not select the use of a wrecking ball if the demolition contractor asks for your input before your building is demolished to make way for a new one.

Greater Pollution Levels

The use of a wrecking ball to demolish a building generates a lot of pollutants. For example, a lot of noise will be made each time the wrecking ball is swung when it strikes the condemned building. Massive amounts of dust are also generated during this use of brute force to demolish a building. The vibrations of the impact can also affect nearby structures. Selective demolition avoids most of this pollution.

Higher Space Requirement

Selective demolition doesn't require a lot of space. This is because demolition crews can work from within the building itself as they retrieve the materials that can be reused before they bring down what remains. The use of a wrecking ball requires a lot of space. Space is needed to accommodate the large crane that will swing the wrecking ball. Space is also needed for the radius through which the wrecking ball will move before striking the building. Such space can be hard to come by in a congested urban setting.

Extra Work Remains

Selective demolition is a good method because it allows for the reuse of materials at a site. For example, the windows and doors can be removed for reuse while the concrete walls can also be taken for crushing and repurposing. However, the use of a wrecking ball and a crane isn't sufficient to complete the demolition exercise. This is because the wrecking ball is unable to break some materials. For example, workers will have to go and remove any rebar that could have been used to reinforce concrete columns.

Highly Skilled Labour Is Required

It is also advisable to avoid using a wrecking ball during house demolition because this method entails hiring highly skilled labour. For example, the crane operator who performs the demolition has to be highly skilled in order to avoid swinging the wrecking ball in a way that can cause the entire crane to tip over. That labour is likely to be expensive to bring to your site. It is better to opt for selective demolition since it doesn't require such technical labour and equipment.

As you can see, the use of wrecking balls and cranes comes with a number of drawbacks that can make a demolition project costly to plan and execute. Ask the building demolition contractor to select another method, such as selective demolition, which doesn't have as many complications.