Getting the commercial demolition of a building completed is just the first stage of a process; the clean up from the demolition often takes far longer, and requires its own detailed set of planning to ensure the site is safely, efficiently, and responsibly cleared to the finish required by our client.
Clearing up after a Chicago demolition isn't just a case of hauling all the debris to a landfill; everything has to be sorted, picking out materials that can be recycled or re-used, and ensuring there are no toxic or hazardous materials revealed by the flattening of the commercial or industrial building.
Like every other stage of commercial demolition, planning is essential, and once the pre-demolition inspection has identified the ideal method of demolition and the materials in the building, a clean up process needs to be designed and planned around those two factors. Building implosions always leave you with a big pile of debris to sort, but sometimes manual demolitions can allow for the clean up process to be ongoing alongside the demolition works.
Keeping the clean up process safe and in full regulatory compliance
Sorting through a large pile of debris raises as many safety risks as the demolition itself, and it's essential that clean-ups are carried out by commercial demolition specialists who have well trained workers and all the right equipment to get the job done safely and within a schedule.
It surprises many people that most of the debris from a building demolition is recycled in some way; building insulation, concrete, metals, flooring and ceiling tiles, roofing products, plasterboard, and wiring should all be salvaged and recycled through a range of specialist facilities licensed to do so.
Professional sorting is critical to ensure full compliance with regulations and permits, and requires a range of heavy plant machinery to sift through and load up materials for haulage to recycling facilities. Throughout the process it's essential to maintain watchfulness for any hazardous or toxic substances revealed by the demolition, that require expert removal for disposal.
The process can take days or even weeks depending on the size of the debris pile, but it shouldn't be rushed; experienced demolition contractors will always get the job done as quickly and responsibly as possible, and will be well practised identifying and dealing with the many materials that go into a commercial or industrial building.
Getting the right finish from a commercial demolition clean up
Gradually, everything is hauled off to recycling facilities or specialist disposal sites, however it is important for clients to discuss with their demolition company what kind of finish they want on the site. Typically it is the contractor's responsibility to ensure the soil on site is left healthy and free of any hazardous or toxic substances, but standards and descriptions vary across different demolition companies.
Sometimes clients have requests such as grass seeding the site, whilst others will be planning an immediate new build and simply want the ground levelled; whatever finish you require, it helps to plan for it so have the discussion early with your demolition provider and make sure it's part of your contract.
Whenever you are planning a commercial demolition company, ensure you find one with the right approach to planning and clean ups; environmentally responsible disposal and recycling is essential in the modern industry, and a simple process for experienced teams; but always check if permit and landfill fees are included in your quote!
At US Industrial we routinely carry out clean-ups and act as steel buyers all as part of our commercial demolition services; our team have many years of experience taking care of every aspect of planning, safety, and legal compliance on building sites across Chicago and Illinois, which has some of the most demanding regulations in the US.