ᐅ Demolition in Autumn or Winter – Construction Start in Spring?
Created on: 22 Feb 2025 12:42
Q
quisel
Hello everyone,
we are currently planning the construction of a new single-family house. The plot is currently occupied by a basement bungalow from the 1950s, which is scheduled to be demolished as part of the new build. The new house will have a slightly larger footprint than the existing one. The house has been unheated since last year, which is not great for the building fabric (damp basement, mold growth, etc.). Therefore, we would prefer to demolish it sooner rather than later.
In the last family building project, the demolition took place in spring, followed immediately by the start of the shell construction. This time, I am wondering whether it makes sense to bring the demolition forward a bit to be able to start the shell construction right at the beginning of spring. So I have the following questions:
- Does it make sense, from a weather perspective, to do the demolition and possibly excavation work in autumn/winter?
- Could a gap between the autumn demolition and the start of construction in spring cause any problems?
I would appreciate any insights from you!
we are currently planning the construction of a new single-family house. The plot is currently occupied by a basement bungalow from the 1950s, which is scheduled to be demolished as part of the new build. The new house will have a slightly larger footprint than the existing one. The house has been unheated since last year, which is not great for the building fabric (damp basement, mold growth, etc.). Therefore, we would prefer to demolish it sooner rather than later.
In the last family building project, the demolition took place in spring, followed immediately by the start of the shell construction. This time, I am wondering whether it makes sense to bring the demolition forward a bit to be able to start the shell construction right at the beginning of spring. So I have the following questions:
- Does it make sense, from a weather perspective, to do the demolition and possibly excavation work in autumn/winter?
- Could a gap between the autumn demolition and the start of construction in spring cause any problems?
I would appreciate any insights from you!
M
motorradsilke23 Feb 2025 16:38quisel schrieb:
The basement should be rebuilt! No DIY work is planned – but there really isn’t anything “valuable” left inside or installed anymore.
Regarding securing it, do you mean preventing the slope from sliding? Yes, for example with children playing nearby.
motorradsilke schrieb:
Yes, for example with playing children.I don’t see playing children as an issue on a fully enclosed/fenced property.M
motorradsilke24 Feb 2025 10:48Well, an excavation pit tends to attract children to climb over fences, especially when no one is around.
Besides, it doesn’t really help you. The demolition only takes a few days even without doing it yourself. I would simply schedule the work to start a few days before the main construction begins.
By the way, we had both the demolition and the new construction done by the same general contractor to avoid any potential issues later on, such as improper compaction or similar problems.
Besides, it doesn’t really help you. The demolition only takes a few days even without doing it yourself. I would simply schedule the work to start a few days before the main construction begins.
By the way, we had both the demolition and the new construction done by the same general contractor to avoid any potential issues later on, such as improper compaction or similar problems.
Companies often raise prices at the turn of the year. Therefore, starting demolition earlier might already pay off. If the general contractor (GC) is also responsible for demolition, it is less critical since it should be included in the fixed price, allowing the GC to decide when to carry out the demolition or possibly insert it in the schedule as needed.
What should definitely not be done well in advance is preparing the final grading. This can easily be damaged by weather conditions, especially frost, requiring it to be redone shortly before laying the foundation slab.
Apart from that, I can't think of many pros or cons.
What should definitely not be done well in advance is preparing the final grading. This can easily be damaged by weather conditions, especially frost, requiring it to be redone shortly before laying the foundation slab.
Apart from that, I can't think of many pros or cons.