·Is it dangerous? Could a child playing there be hurt or killed by falling masonry?
·Is it insured? Would you be personally liable for any injuries that happened, or would the insurance company pay? Are you sure the policy covers derelict buildings in a dangerous condition? Very few do.
·It is an eyesore.
·You have ideas for replacing it
How do you go about getting rid of it?
Sure, a handyman can take apart an old building stone by stone, timber by timber. Are you going to do it yourself? Are you positive that you can work out the order of safe dismantling?
Have you someone to work alongside you, because this kind of work should never be done alone? Would you do the job by hand or hire machinery to help?
If you hire an odd job man to do it, he is unlikely to have any special training, and is likely to be a hazard to himself, you and the general public. Unless he has insurance, you may be liable for any injuries during the demolition process.
Knocking down a building can be a hazardous task, unless you are a qualified and experienced demolition contractor.
Demolition contractors can recognize asbestos when they find it. They know where to find a licensed asbestos removal contractor and to seal off the site until the asbestos has been removed.
The legal consequences of not employing a demolition contractor are very scary. What would happen if a child wandered onto the site and legally required health and safety notices were not posted? Demolition contractors will have insurance to cover this sort of eventuality.
Demolition contractors have the heavy equipment required as well as the experienced operators who can make the job safe for themselves as well as the public.
