When a garage or shed on your property has to go and it is a structure that is firmly planted on the grounds with electricity running through it, how does one proceed? Sure, you could get a demolition permit from the city and tear it down yourself, but the problem comes in with the electrical work, and possibly with the removal of concrete. In these areas, you may need to hire some professional help, and a general contractor is probably your best bet because a general contractor can manage both the concrete and electrical work. Here is the electrical handyman's role in this job and how he can do all or part of the teardown job for you.

Shutting off the Source of the Electricity

Most sheds, barns, and garages or other outlying buildings get their electricity from the main box in your home. If your electrical switches in the box are not all labeled (or are labeled incorrectly), then you may need someone's help with deciphering which switch controls the power to the structure you are tearing down. Once you have found the correct switch, label it, and then flip it to the "off" position so that the handyman or handywoman can begin removing the electrical wiring and electrical features from the structure. 

Removing the Electrical Components

If this is a garage, there is a good chance that there are outlets everywhere, a garage door opener (whether it still works or not), and lighting with light switches that all need to be removed and deactivated so that tearing down the structure does not result in electrocution. Your contractor will look for all of these features and remove them one by one. It may take some time, especially if he or she has to cut through walls and locate the wiring to remove it or cap the wires to prevent electrical power from flowing out of exposed wires. If you plan on building something else in its place, then you will want the contractor to preserve the wiring until you are ready to rebuild. 

Carefully Removing the Structure

Even though the electrical components have been removed, capped, or deactivated, you still want to be careful with how you take down this structure. Using a sledgehammer is a good approach to start with, since you can avoid hitting any areas where there was something electrical. It is also better than trying to bulldoze the structure, since you could hit and destroy something electrical that you are trying to preserve for the next building. Your contractor for electrical and concrete will offer some solutions to make the process go fast, but without any undesired consequences. 

For more information, call an electrical handyman in your area.

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