The first step in renovation often is
demolition—smashing the old stuff and getting
it out of the way for new construction.
Swing that sledge! Bang! Smash! Wreck! It
looks like an ideal task for working off a
lifetime of insults, frustrations and hostilities.
If you truly begin to think this way,
however, you are in for lots and lots of
headaches.
Small-scale demolition (such as for a
room or building interior) must be a
thoughtful activity. The wrecker must ask
(and answer) three important questions that
deserve careful contemplation:
• How little can I destroy to accomplish
my project?
• How can I be sure that the building
won't fall down?
• How am I going to clean