1 Scope
NOTE This standard covers the selective, engineered removal of designated building components, systems, and portions of an existing structure within a defined limit-of-work boundary, together with the protection of all adjacent construction that remains. (1.1)
NOTE Selective demolition differs fundamentally from full structure demolition: the controlling objective is not efficient removal but the integrity, weather-tightness, and continued service of the work that stays. Every method, sequence, and protection requirement in this standard derives from that constraint. (1.2)
1.3The Contractor shall remove only the items designated for removal on the demolition drawings or in the demolition schedule, and shall protect all other construction.
1.4The Contractor shall field-verify existing conditions before demolition begins.
1.5The Contractor shall not rely on Owner record drawings as a guarantee of as-built conditions.
NOTE Record drawings on renovation projects are routinely out of date. Concealed conditions, prior unpermitted alterations, and undocumented structural modifications are common, and the Owner does not warrant the accuracy of existing-condition documents. The contract drawings disclose existing conditions to the extent known; they are not a substitute for the Contractor's own field verification. (1.5.1)
NOTE Hazardous material abatement is excluded from this scope. (1.6)
1.6.1Removal of asbestos-containing material, lead-based paint, PCB-bearing equipment, and other regulated materials is performed under separate specialty contracts that must be complete, and clearance-verified, before selective demolition of the affected area proceeds. This standard coordinates with that work and confirms clearance; it does not specify abatement procedures.
2 Referenced Standards
2.1Work shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited or a more recent edition is adopted by the authority having jurisdiction.
2.2Where referenced standards conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
| Standard |
Title |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1926.850 |
Preparatory Operations (Demolition) |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 |
Asbestos (Construction) |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1926.62 |
Lead (Construction) |
| NFPA 241 |
Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations |
| ASSE A10.6 |
Safety Requirements for Demolition Operations |
| EPA 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M |
National Emission Standard for Asbestos (NESHAP) |
| EPA 40 CFR Part 745 |
Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP Rule) |
| IBC |
International Building Code (Chapter 34, Existing Structures) |
| IEBC |
International Existing Building Code |
| ASTM E2026 |
Standard Guide for Seismic Risk Assessment of Buildings |
| ANSI/AIHA Z9.2 |
Fundamentals Governing the Design and Operation of Local Exhaust Ventilation Systems |
3 Submittals
3.1 Action Submittals
3.1.1The Contractor shall submit the following action submittals for review before any demolition begins:
- Demolition plan identifying limits of work, items to remove, items to remain, and items to salvage
- Demolition sequence plan describing the order of removal and the maintenance of load paths during phased work
- Engineering survey report prepared by a competent person per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.850
- Engineer-stamped temporary shoring and bracing drawings for any removal affecting a gravity or lateral load path
- Dust, noise, and vibration control plan, including enclosure and exhaust details where required
- Utility disconnection and verification plan identifying responsibility for each shutoff and the method of confirming each line is dead
- Pre-demolition photographic and video documentation of existing conditions within and adjacent to the limit of work
- Debris management and waste-diversion plan with target diversion rate and disposal facility identification
☑ Demolition plan (limits, remove, remain, salvage)
☐ Demolition sequence plan
☑ Engineering survey report (competent person)
☐ Engineer-stamped shoring and bracing drawings
☐ Dust, noise, and vibration control plan
☑ Utility disconnection and verification plan
☑ Pre-demolition photo and video documentation
☑ Debris management and waste-diversion plan
3.1.2The engineering survey shall be performed by a competent person before demolition starts and shall address structural condition, utility hazards, and mechanical equipment.
3.1.3Where the work removes any element contributing to a gravity or lateral load path, the survey and shoring design shall be reviewed by the Engineer of Record.
NOTE OSHA 29 CFR 1926.850 requires the survey by a competent person; the Engineer of Record review is the structural check that the remaining structure is adequate at every stage of removal. The two are distinct: the competent-person survey is a safety screen, the Engineer of Record review is a structural certification. (3.1.3.1)
3.2.1The Contractor shall submit the following informational submittals before and during the work:
- Hazardous material clearance documentation furnished by the Owner confirming abatement is complete in the area of work
- EPA/state NESHAP notification confirmation where regulated asbestos-containing material is disturbed at or above the notification threshold
- EPA RRP firm certification where pre-1978 lead paint is disturbed in a residential or child-occupied facility
- Qualifications of the competent person and of any engineer stamping shoring drawings
- Fire-watch and impairment coordination records under NFPA 241 during hot work or suppression-system impairment
☑ Owner hazardous-material clearance documentation
☐ NESHAP notification confirmation (if RACM disturbed)
☐ EPA RRP firm certification (if pre-1978 lead paint)
☑ Competent person and shoring engineer qualifications
☑ NFPA 241 fire-watch and impairment records
3.3 Closeout Submittals
3.3.1The Contractor shall submit the following closeout submittals before final acceptance:
- Waste-diversion report documenting tonnage recycled, salvaged, donated, and landfilled, with the achieved diversion rate
- Disposal facility receipts and weight tickets for all hauled debris
- Capping and pressure-test records for abandoned piping stubs
- Record documentation of utilities disconnected, capped, or rerouted
☑ Waste-diversion report with achieved rate
☑ Disposal receipts and weight tickets
☑ Capping and pressure-test records
☑ Record documentation of disconnected utilities
4 Quality Assurance
4.1The Contractor shall designate a competent person, as defined by OSHA, with authority to stop work upon discovery of an unanticipated hazard.
4.2Temporary shoring and bracing drawings shall be prepared and stamped by a licensed structural engineer where any structural element is removed.
NOTE A structural element is any wall, slab, beam, column, or deck that carries gravity or lateral load. Ambiguity about load-bearing status is the single most common cause of progressive failure during selective demolition. (4.2.1)
4.2.2Where the drawings do not identify which elements are load-bearing, the Contractor shall stop work and request engineering review before proceeding.
4.3The Contractor shall stop work and notify the Engineer of Record upon discovery of any structural condition, concealed utility, or regulated material not disclosed in the contract documents.
4.4Demolition operations shall comply with ASSE A10.6 and OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T.
4.5 Pre-Demolition Condition Documentation
4.5.1The Contractor shall photographically and video-document the condition of walls, floors, ceilings, equipment, and adjacent construction before any demolition begins.
NOTE Pre-demolition documentation is the factual record that resolves later disputes over damage to retained work and over the as-removed condition of salvaged items. Without it, the question "was that crack there before we started?" has no answer, and every salvage handover becomes a negotiation. (4.5.1.1)
4.5.2Documentation shall be date-stamped and retained for the duration of the project and the warranty period.
4.5.3Where the Owner designates items for salvage, the condition of each salvaged item shall be documented at the time of removal.
5 Hazardous Material Coordination
5.1Demolition of any area shall not begin until the Owner has furnished written clearance documentation confirming that regulated materials in that area have been abated and clearance-tested.
NOTE Asbestos, lead-based paint, and PCB-bearing materials are abated under separate prerequisite contracts. Proceeding with demolition before clearance exposes workers to regulated contaminants and converts an ordinary removal into a regulated-material event with its own notification, containment, and disposal obligations. The clearance document, not a verbal assurance, is the gate. (5.1.1)
5.2Where demolition unexpectedly encounters suspected regulated material, the Contractor shall stop work in the affected area, isolate it, and notify the Owner before proceeding.
5.3Where regulated asbestos-containing material is disturbed at or above the NESHAP threshold, notification shall be submitted to the EPA or delegated state agency at least 10 working days before disturbance.
NOTE EPA 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M sets the notification threshold at 260 linear feet on pipes or 160 square feet on other facility components of regulated asbestos-containing material. Most commercial renovations that disturb such material meet or exceed this threshold, so the 10-working-day notice is the planning-critical item. (5.3.1)
5.4Asbestos exposure controls shall meet OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101.
5.4.1The asbestos permissible exposure limit is 0.1 fiber per cubic centimeter as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
5.5Lead exposure controls shall meet OSHA 29 CFR 1926.62 for demolition of pre-1978 construction.
5.5.1Painted surfaces in pre-1978 construction shall be evaluated by XRF or paint-chip sampling before demolition; the OSHA action level is 30 µg/m³ and the permissible exposure limit is 50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
6 Utility Identification and Disconnection
6.1All utilities serving the area of work shall be identified, disconnected, and verified de-energized or depressurized before demolition begins.
NOTE Undiscovered live branch circuits, active sprinkler mains, and pressurized gas lines are the most dangerous surprises in selective demolition. The verification step — proving each line is dead, not merely assuming a labeled disconnect — is what prevents an arc flash, a flooded floor, or a gas release mid-demolition. (6.1.1)
6.2The demolition plan shall assign responsibility for each utility shutoff to either the Owner or the Contractor and shall state the method of verifying each line is dead.
● Owner-furnished terminations; Contractor verifies dead
○ Contractor-furnished shutoffs at panels and valves
○ Owner terminates electrical; Contractor terminates mechanical and plumbing
6.3Electrical circuits serving the area shall be verified de-energized by test and locked out before any conductor or device is disturbed.
6.4Domestic water and gas piping to be abandoned shall be capped and pressure-tested at the cut.
NOTE An uncapped abandoned water or gas stub leaks into the wall cavity long after the crew has left, surfacing as concealed water damage or a gas odor months later. Capping and proving the cap at the time of cut closes that liability. (6.4.1)
6.5Fire sprinkler piping serving the area shall be drained and isolated under an impairment permit before heads or branch lines are removed.
● Required (active system serves the work area)
○ Not required (no suppression in the work area)
6.6Routing, extents, and points of disconnection for concealed utilities shall be as shown on the demolition plan utility disconnection plan. 7 Limits of Work and Removal Definition
7.1The limit of demolition shall be defined on the demolition drawings, by itemized schedule, or by both.
NOTE A line drawn on a plan answers "where"; an itemized schedule answers "what and to what extent." The most common demolition RFI — "remove to subfloor, to structure, or just to finish surface?" — is generated entirely by drawings that say "remove wall" and stop there. Each removal must state its termination plane. (7.1.1)
7.2Each item designated for removal shall be classified as remove and salvage, remove and reinstall, or remove and legally dispose.
NOTE These three dispositions drive entirely different handling, documentation, and storage obligations. "Save the light fixtures" stated verbally and undocumented is the classic dispute generator; the disposition belongs on the drawings, item by item. (7.2.1)
Remove and legally dispose
Remove and salvage to Owner
Remove and reinstall in new work
Remove and recycle (diverted)
7.3Scope method for defining limits of demolition
○ Line-of-work drawn on demolition plans
○ Itemized demolition schedule
● Both plan line-of-work and itemized schedule
7.4Each removal shall terminate at the plane indicated on the drawings — to finish surface, to subfloor or substrate, or to structure.
To finish surface only
To substrate or subfloor
To structure
7.5Items, locations, and extents not reducible to a schedule shall be coordinated from the drawings selective demolition plan. 8 Configuration and Method
8.1The demolition configuration shall be selected to match the structural role of the removed elements and the sensitivity of adjacent retained work.
NOTE Non-structural partition stripping, structural element removal, facade selective demolition, roof cut-outs, and MEP demolition each carry different engineering, protection, and sequencing burdens. The configuration set on this datasheet drives whether engineer-stamped shoring, temporary weather protection, or negative-air containment is mandatory. (8.1.1)
☑ Interior non-structural partitions, ceilings, finishes
☐ Interior structural (load-bearing walls, deck openings, beam/column)
☐ Exterior cladding/facade (veneer, panel, EIFS)
☐ Roof section (deck and insulation cut-out)
☑ MEP systems (piping, conduit, ductwork)
☐ Historic rehabilitation (special-care methods)
☐ Phased occupied-building demolition
8.2The cutting method shall be selected for the material and for proximity to retained construction.
NOTE Saw-cutting gives clean, controlled edges next to work that remains; mechanical breaking is faster but transmits impact and vibration; hand tools are mandated near fragile or character-defining features. The choice is a trade-off between speed and the energy delivered into adjacent construction. (8.2.1)
● Saw-cutting (controlled edge near retained work)
○ Mechanical breaking (hoe-ram, breaker)
○ Hand tools (near fragile or historic features)
8.3Concrete saw-cuts shall follow the marked cut line within a tolerance of ±1/8 in.
8.4Where the configuration includes structural element removal, a demolition sequence plan shall be submitted and the sequence shall maintain load path continuity at every stage.
NOTE A sequence that undermines an adjacent slab or wall before its temporary supports are in place causes progressive failure. The sequence plan is the proof that supports lead removals, not the other way around. (8.4.1)
9 Temporary Shoring and Bracing
9.1Temporary shoring and bracing shall support the dead and live loads of the remaining structure throughout every stage of removal.
NOTE Shoring is designed to the IBC Chapter 16 dead-plus-live loads of the portion of structure left unsupported during the work. Because those loads shift as elements come out, the shoring design and the demolition sequence are one coupled problem, not two independent submittals. (9.1.1)
9.2Shoring and bracing design loads shall be the dead plus live loads of the affected remaining structure determined per IBC Chapter 16.
9.3Engineer-stamped shoring drawings shall be provided for any removal that interrupts a gravity or lateral load path.
9.4Shoring shall remain in place until permanent supports or new structure are installed and verified.
9.5Where selective demolition affects lateral load-resisting elements in Seismic Design Categories C through F, the demolition sequence shall be reviewed against ASTM E2026 and the building's seismic design.
NOTE Removing a shear wall, brace, or diaphragm segment temporarily changes how the building resists lateral load. In higher seismic categories that interim condition can govern, so the sequence — not just the final condition — needs structural review. (9.5.1)
10 Protection of Adjacent Construction
10.1The Contractor shall protect all construction designated to remain from physical damage, water intrusion, dust, and vibration throughout the work.
NOTE Protection is the defining obligation of selective demolition. Every dollar of damage to retained finishes, structure, or systems is avoidable cost, and most protection failures trace to an omitted requirement rather than to bad workmanship — an unprotected roof opening, an unmonitored vibration source, an uncontained dust path. (10.1.1)
10.2Exterior envelope and roof openings created by demolition shall be provided with temporary weather protection at the end of each work period and before any forecast precipitation.
NOTE An exterior cladding or roof cut-out left open is a water-damage claim waiting on the next rain. Temporary waterproofing and flashing maintain the building envelope until the replacement assembly — see
Membrane Roofing for roof work — is installed.
(10.2.1) 10.3Temporary weather protection requirement after envelope or roof demolition
● Required (envelope or roof opening created)
○ Not required (no envelope penetration in scope)
10.4Penetrations and openings in fire-rated assemblies that remain shall be restored under Firestopping, and disturbed sealant joints under Joint Sealants. 11 Dust, Noise, and Vibration Control
11.1The dust containment method shall be selected for the class of contaminant generated by the removal.
NOTE Hoarding alone suffices for clean inert debris; wet suppression controls nuisance dust; a negative-air enclosure with HEPA filtration is mandatory wherever regulated asbestos or lead may be disturbed. Under-specifying containment spreads contamination through occupied space; over-specifying wastes schedule. The contaminant class, not preference, sets the method. (11.1.1)
○ Hoarding/temporary partitions only
● Wet suppression
○ Negative-air enclosure with HEPA filtration
11.2Where regulated material may be disturbed, dust control shall use HEPA filtration rated 99.97% at 0.3 µm.
11.3Regulated-work negative-air enclosures shall maintain a minimum of −0.02 in w.g. relative to the surrounding space.
11.3.1Local exhaust and negative-air enclosures shall be designed and operated per ANSI/AIHA Z9.2.
11.4Vibration monitoring shall be performed where demolition occurs adjacent to fragile, historic, or sensitive construction.
NOTE Impact and mechanical breaking transmit ground- and structure-borne vibration that can crack historic masonry or disturb sensitive equipment well before it is felt as a nuisance. Seismograph monitoring with an enforced peak-particle-velocity limit converts "be careful" into a measured, defensible control. (11.4.1)
11.5Peak particle velocity at the nearest adjacent structure
0.11
0.20.5
Default: 0.5 in/sec
○ Required (historic, fragile, or occupied adjacent structure)
● Not required (no sensitive adjacent structure)
11.6Impactful demolition in occupied or noise-sensitive buildings shall be confined to the hours established on the project and shall comply with local noise ordinances.
7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, weekdays only
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, weekdays only
After-hours / weekend (occupied-building phasing)
No restriction (unoccupied building)
12 Occupied-Building Operations
12.1In occupied and partially occupied buildings, the Contractor shall maintain required means of egress and egress signage at all times during and after demolition of corridor and partition elements.
NOTE Demolishing a corridor partition can sever an exit path or remove an exit sign from its required location. An interim egress deficiency is a code violation that surfaces at inspection and can halt the work; the egress condition must be planned, not discovered. Phasing and temporary-partition requirements are coordinated through the project's temporary facilities and controls requirements. (12.1.1)
12.2Temporary partitions, egress routes, and signage shall be maintained as the work is phased room-by-room or floor-by-floor.
12.3Hot work performed where automatic fire suppression is impaired shall be conducted under an active fire watch per NFPA 241.
NOTE A partially demolished ceiling can remove sprinkler heads from their coverage zone, silently impairing suppression in an occupied building. NFPA 241 requires that impairment be permitted and that hot work in the impaired area carry an active fire watch with extinguishers staged. (12.3.1)
12.4Fire extinguishers shall be staged at hot-work locations and a fire watch maintained during and after hot work per NFPA 241.
13 Debris Removal and Waste Diversion
13.1Debris shall be removed from the building progressively and shall not be allowed to accumulate beyond the load capacity of any supporting floor.
NOTE Accumulated debris is both a fire load under NFPA 241 and a live load the existing structure may not have been rated to carry. Progressive removal manages both. (13.1.1)
13.2Owner-designated salvage items shall be removed without damage.
13.3Owner-designated salvage items shall be protected after removal.
13.4Owner-designated salvage items shall be stored or turned over to the Owner per their assigned disposition.
13.5All debris other than salvaged items shall be legally disposed.
13.6The Contractor shall divert construction and demolition waste from landfill to meet the project diversion target.
NOTE A diversion rate of 75% to 80% by weight is commonly specified on LEED projects; 50% is a workable default on standard renovation work. The target drives the choice of disposal facilities and on-site separation, so it must be set before debris starts moving. (13.6.1)
13.7Construction and demolition waste diversion target
13.8The Contractor shall track diverted and disposed tonnage and report the achieved diversion rate at closeout.
14 Field Quality Control
14.1The Contractor shall not proceed past each hold point until the preceding condition is verified.
NOTE Selective demolition fails at transitions — utilities assumed dead, clearance assumed complete, shoring assumed adequate. Hold points convert each assumption into a verified gate before the irreversible cut is made. (14.1.1)
14.2Demolition shall not begin until the engineering survey is complete and utilities are verified dead.
14.3Structural element removal shall not begin until shoring is installed and verified and the sequence plan is accepted.
14.4Demolition of a regulated-material area shall not begin until Owner clearance documentation is received.
14.5Vibration monitoring records shall be reviewed against the specified limit, and work adjusted, whenever the limit is approached.
15 Delivery, Storage, and Handling
15.1Salvaged and remove-and-reinstall items shall be protected from damage during removal, handling, and storage.
NOTE A fixture removed for reinstallation that arrives bent or scratched becomes a dispute traceable to the pre-demolition condition record. Protection during the interval between removal and reinstallation is part of the demolition obligation, not a separate concern. (15.1.1)
15.2Salvaged items turned over to the Owner shall be delivered to the location designated by the Owner and documented at handover.
15.3Remove-and-reinstall items shall be stored in a protected, dry, secure location until reinstalled.
15.4Hazardous and regulated debris, where encountered, shall be handled, containerized, and manifested per the applicable EPA and OSHA regulations.
16 Warranty
16.1The Contractor shall warrant that construction designated to remain was protected and that any damage caused by demolition operations will be repaired at no cost to the Owner.
NOTE The warranty on selective demolition is fundamentally a protection warranty: it backs the obligation to leave the retained work undamaged. Repair of demolition-caused damage to retained construction is the Contractor's, regardless of when it is discovered within the warranty period. (16.1.1)
16.2Damage to retained construction discovered within the warranty period and attributable to demolition operations shall be repaired to match adjacent undamaged work.