Before demolition starts, it’s important that the utilities and services to and from the house be disconnected. This includes things like gas, electricity, water supply, and drainage.
Electricity and gas, in particular, pose a serious safety risk if they’re still active when demolition takes place. There’s no shortage of stories about demolition workers getting a very nasty surprise when cutting through live cables.
The other danger of demolishing before services have been properly terminated is the potential for damage to the supplies of neighboring homes, or to the local power, gas, water, or drainage infrastructure in general. If that happens, the demolisher is liable for any repairs or losses by law. As employers, it’s also up to the demolishers to ensure their employees aren’t hurt on the job.
