Deconstruction vs Demolition | Kenilworth & Beyond
As a design-build team, we are intricately involved in all stages of home builds, which often includes demolition or deconstruction, a stage that is a bit less glamorous than what follows. Nonetheless, our team is just as passionate about getting it done the right way as the rest of the process. If you’re curious about the difference between deconstruction vs demolition, we’re here to guide you through.
Deconstruction vs Demolition Process
Deconstruction and demolition are often used interchangeably, when in reality they have completely different processes and implications for the design-build process.
Deconstruction involves carefully disassembling a structure with the goal of salvaging and reusing as many materials as possible. The process consists of systematically taking apart the building, piece by piece, in a manner that allows for the preservation and recovery of materials such as lumber, bricks, fixtures, and appliances – and even 100-year-old treasures – as you can see in these videos of foundation recycling in Kenilworth, a Winnetka design-build project deconstruction, deconstruction of a 1920s co-op on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, and another home deconstruction in Kenilworth.
Deconstruction requires skilled labor and careful planning to ensure that materials are salvaged safely and efficiently. As a team that values and prioritizes green building, we love deconstruction for its environmentally-friendly nature, reducing the amount of waste that heads to landfills, as well as materials needed for the new build (also making it cost-effective by nature). Deconstruction is often more time and labor intensive, but can be a more sustainable option and also provides the homeowner a tax write-off for the donated materials, which most often outweighs the cost of the process. A true win-win. Our team is even able to give rough estimates of the donatable value of a house for homeowners who are considering deconstruction and donation.
On the other hand, demolition involves tearing down a structure using heavy machinery such as excavators, bulldozers, and wrecking balls. The primary goal of demolition is to safely and quickly remove the structure from the site, typically with less emphasis on salvaging materials. When a structure is unsafe, structurally unsound, or offers no salvageable materials, demolition is highly preferred. Demolition is usually more efficient than deconstruction and can be particularly helpful when time and budget constraints are significant. During demolition, 92% of the materials can usually be separated and recycled. Though the materials are not used in the new home build, the decision to pursue demolition or deconstruction is made carefully and methodically on a case-by-case basis by our team of experts by weighing a variety of factors.
If you’re curious about whether deconstruction vs demolition is right for you, or looking to deconstruct or demolish and then build, our team would be happy to chat with you about the process.
Demolition vs Deconstruction Processes in Kenilworth and Beyond
Certain towns, like Kenilworth, Illinois have extensive demolition and deconstruction regulations to protect their communities. The Scott Simpson Design + Build team has completed the Village of Kenilworth demolition process many times, and is highly familiar with the paperwork, process, and legal requirements involved. Because demolition requires particular expertise, we encourage you to reach out to professionals when embarking on your journey to get the job done correctly.
Family Focused Kenilworth Home
Our expertise extends to the North Shore and beyond – if you’re curious what demolition or deconstruction and design-build would look like in your location, we warmly invite you to reach out. We are dedicated to sustainability not only as it relates to thoughtful deconstruction, earth-friendly materials and long-lasting quality construction, but also the recycling of 97% of our construction waste during the build.
