Demolition Guides and Articles
Straight answers to the questions we hear most about demolition in Toronto: permits, surveys, asbestos, heritage and scheduling. Written for homeowners, landlords and contractors planning work in North York and across the GTA.
Explainers
01 · Planning
What a Demolition Contractor's Paperwork Should Look Like Before Day One
The documents a Toronto demolition contractor should have ready before work starts: permit, survey, disconnects, insurance, WSIB and a written scope.
02 · Planning
Utility Disconnects: The Step Nobody Budgets Time For
Why gas, hydro and water disconnects delay so many Toronto demolitions, the order they happen in, and how to book them early.
03 · Planning
How to Read a Demolition Scope of Work
A plain-language guide to the sections of a demolition scope of work, what each should say, and the gaps that cause disputes on Toronto jobs.
04 · Health and safety
What Happens When the Survey Finds Asbestos
The steps after a pre-demolition survey finds asbestos in Ontario: Type 1, 2 and 3 work under O. Reg. 278/05, abatement, clearance and demolition.
05 · Structural
Working With an Engineer on a Structural Demolition
When a Toronto demolition needs a structural engineer, what they provide, and how the engineer and demolition crew work together safely.
06 · Permits
The Inspection After Demolition: What Toronto Building Looks For
What Toronto Building checks at the final demolition inspection, how to prepare the site, and common reasons a demolition permit stays open.
Question guides
01 · Question guide
What is a Designated Substance Survey and who is legally responsible for it?
What a Designated Substance Survey is, why OHSA section 30 puts the duty on the owner, and how it affects demolition in Toronto.
02 · Question guide
What is a Notice of Project and when must one be filed?
What an Ontario Notice of Project is, who files it with the Ministry, which demolition jobs trigger it, and how it fits a Toronto project.
03 · Question guide
How do you apply for a demolition permit in Toronto?
Step by step: applying for a demolition permit with Toronto Building, the documents you need, utility disconnects and what can delay approval.
04 · Question guide
What is demolition control and when does it apply?
What demolition control means under Ontario's Planning Act, how Toronto applies it to residential property, and when Council approval is needed.
05 · Question guide
What did the recent Ontario Heritage Act changes mean for demolitions?
How Bill 23 and later amendments changed listed and designated heritage properties in Ontario, and what that means before demolishing in Toronto.
06 · Question guide
Deconstruction versus demolition: which is right for the project?
The difference between deconstruction and conventional demolition, when each makes sense on a Toronto job, and how to combine them.
07 · Question guide
What does a pre-demolition asbestos survey cover?
What a pre-demolition asbestos survey inspects in Ontario, how samples are taken, and how the report shapes demolition under O. Reg. 278/05.
08 · Question guide
What are Toronto's construction noise hours in North York?
The construction noise hours that apply in North York under Toronto's noise bylaw, how exemptions work, and how demolition crews plan around them.
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