Demolition takes careful planning

20 June 2007

As land becomes increasingly scarce and expensive in the SA residential
property market, two notable trends have emerged: Subdivision of large
stands to accommodate two or three homes where there was one, and the
demolition and replacement of old homes in sought-after areas.

Subdivision is clearly evident in established suburbs such as Bryanston,
Constantia and Waterkloof, where very large stands were prevalent, while
complete rebuilds are noticeable in areas such as Camps Bay and Llandudno,
Houghton and Brooklyn in Pretoria.

But, says Dr Piet Botha, chairman of the Nationlink estate agency group,
as
the knock down-rebuild trend comes to the fore, it is increasingly evident
that homeowners are not considering proper use or disposal of the building
material and rubble that will be generated.

"Demolition of course means the complete destruction of the old house. But
environmental concerns suggest that one should rather consider
deconstruction, where a building is carefully taken down and many of the
fittings and materials become available for reuse. This recycling can be
cheaper than destroying everything - and is much more environmentally
friendly."

It is also essential to plan ahead, before the actual bulldozing takes
place. "You will need to obtain a demolition permit for your local
authority
and will also have to contact the relevant department to disconnect your
electricity and water services while the demolition takes place. Then if
you
happen to have any gas equipment in the home or on the property, this will
need to be physically removed from the premises before demolition can take
place," says Botha.

Removal of rubble will have to take place before new building can start
and
this should also be organised before demolition. There are designated
sites
for the disposal of building rubble and refuse, and it is important to
establish where these are and what the charges are.

The www.Durban.gov.za website, for example, states that building refuse
means refuse generated by demolition, excavation or building activities on
premises. The local bylaws also state that "disposal site" means a site
for
the disposal of refuse which is owned by the council or has been approved
for the purpose by the city engineer.



More.

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Meanwhile, the official Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za) says
clean
soil that can be used as landfill cover will be taken free of charge, but
that soil mixed with building rubble and other objects will be charged for
at R48,58 per 500kg (including VAT). However the rates do differ between
local authorities.

"Homeowners planning to demolish should of course also expect heavy-duty
machinery on site such as bulldozers, tractors, excavators and even
cranes.
For this reason it is crucial to make use of a professional demolition
company, and to ensure that there will be no children or animals on the
site
during the demolition process."