Demolition of a property: the mandatory diagnostics for the project manager

Pre-demolition diagnostics, an essential step

Before demolishing a house or a building, the project manager is required to have pre-demolition diagnostics carried out. With these diagnostics, it will be possible to detect the presence of hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead or pests such as termites. Indeed, these elements can harm the health of occupants or the environment, so it is essential to carry out these diagnostics and thus guarantee the safety of the various parties present on the demolition site and to limit the environmental impact of the site while complying with the regulations in force.

Which diagnostics are mandatory before demolishing a property?

Several property diagnostics must be carried out before proceeding with the demolition. The number and nature of the diagnostics vary depending on the year of construction, the location or the nature of the property (building, house, commercial premises, etc.).

The main diagnostics required before demolition are:

• Asbestos AMO (Asbestos client project management assistance)
• Pre-demolition asbestos diagnostic (DAAD): This is a mandatory diagnostic for all properties with a building permit predating July 1997.
• Lead diagnostic (CREP): If the construction dates from before 1949, this diagnostic is required.
• Termite report: For all at-risk areas, which are defined by prefectural decree.

It should also be noted that since 2022, for buildings of more than 1000m2 or that housed the manufacture and/or storage of hazardous substances, it is also necessary to have a PEMD diagnostic (Products, Equipment, Materials, Waste) carried out. This diagnostic makes it possible to identify the quantity and nature of the waste to be removed, and in particular the possibilities for reuse (re-use, recycling, recovery) or sorting recommendations.

The pre-demolition asbestos diagnostic: a strict obligation

As a reminder, asbestos is a natural material, made up of fibres that are not visible to the naked eye. It was a very widespread insulating material in the construction sector thanks to its technical properties of acoustic insulation, thermal insulation and fire protection.

But coming into contact with asbestos or being exposed to it can pose risks to your health. It is therefore a material that has been banned since 1997 in France.

By calling on professionals to carry out a pre-demolition asbestos diagnostic, it will thus be possible to identify the presence or absence of asbestos in your property.
The technicians will then carry out a DAAD (pre-demolition asbestos diagnostic).

It should be noted that asbestos diagnostics carried out during a sale or included in a DTA (Asbestos Technical Diagnostic) are not sufficient in the case of a demolition. Indeed, they only concern “accessible” materials.

The pre-demolition asbestos diagnostic must search for the presence of these pollutants and these materials in all the construction elements and the entire structure to be demolished. Thus, boxed-in or concealed elements must also be taken into account when our teams visit.
Our technicians may be required to carry out destructive testing and numerous samples.

Trust the professionals at RITMODiag to carry out your pre-demolition diagnostics.

The importance of having these diagnostics carried out by recognised professionals

It is crucial to carry out these diagnostics in order to guarantee the safety of those working on the demolition site, to adapt all the demolition procedures and to comply with the regulations and the health and environmental constraints.

By calling on professionals to carry out the pre-demolition diagnostics, you benefit from reliable expertise and you protect yourself from administrative or criminal penalties, for example.

If the pre-demolition diagnostics are carried out sufficiently in advance, the project manager will thus be able to take all the necessary measures quickly.

How pre-demolition property diagnostics are carried out

It should not be forgotten that, as the project manager of a building that is going to be demolished, you are under the obligation to have certain diagnostics carried out, as mentioned in the bulleted list above.

Call on our experienced diagnosticians to support you and benefit from the intervention of a certified company.

A diagnostician will come to the site in order to carry out an inspection of the entire property and all the elements concerned: ceilings and suspended ceilings, wall coverings (renders and paints), ventilation ducts, floor coverings (tiling, floor tiles), etc. This list is not exhaustive; it is important to identify all the hazardous materials that will have to be removed with care and those likely to show traces of asbestos and lead.

Samples will be taken; their number varies depending on the surface area and the technician’s observations. During the asbestos diagnostic or a pest report, destructive testing may be carried out. These samples are sent to a laboratory as soon as possible.

If there is confirmed presence of asbestos, an asbestos removal plan will have to be put in place before any demolition of the house or of the property.

After the diagnostic reports have been drawn up, the technician will provide them to the project manager or owners.

These documents can then be passed on to the parties involved in the site, such as the demolition and asbestos removal companies, or even to the town hall if necessary.

Do not forget to keep these documents in order to justify the progress of the work and to be able to provide the regulatory documents in the event of an inspection.

Call on the experts at RITMODiag for a rapid intervention

Before any house demolition or demolition of any other property, it is crucial to call on qualified professionals in property diagnostics to guarantee a rapid intervention and results ensuring the compliance and safety of your site.

Contact RITMODiag now to find out more about the services offered by our technicians and benefit from the advice of our teams regarding the steps to follow and the regulations in force.

We act as quickly as possible for all your requests for pre-demolition
diagnostics.

Would you like to request a quote? Call our team on 02.31.15.64.88 or
tell us about your project via the contact form below.