10.3 Construction Documents: Demolition Plans

Why Demolition Plans Matter

Before new construction begins, the designer must communicate what existing construction is to be removed. The demolition plan is the drawing that defines this scope. It is typically the first sheet in the construction-document set because the contractor must complete demolition before any new work can begin. On the IDIX exam, demolition plans test knowledge of drawing conventions, hazardous material abatement, construction phasing in occupied buildings, and structural constraints on what can and cannot be removed.

---

Drawing Conventions

Demolition plans use specific line conventions to distinguish what stays from what goes:

On a demolition plan, everything to be removed is drawn with dashed lines — walls, doors, fixtures, ceilings, floors. Items to remain are drawn with solid lines. A demo limit line (sometimes called a scope boundary) may be used to define where demolition stops, particularly in phased projects or tenant build-outs within a larger building. Hatching is typically not used on demolition plans for items to be removed — the dashed line is the sole indicator.

Abatement: Asbestos and Lead

Before demolition proceeds, the project must address hazardous materials identified in a pre-construction survey. Two federal regulations govern abatement:

Asbestos — NESHAP (40 CFR 61.145)

The Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), codified in 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M, Section 61.145, requires notification and regulated work practices when the amount of Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM) meets or exceeds:

• 260 linear feet on pipes, or
• 160 square feet on other facility components, or
• 35 cubic feet off facility components (where length or area could not be measured previously)

If any one threshold is met, the owner must notify the appropriate agency (EPA or delegated state) before demolition, use accredited abatement workers, and follow emission-control work practices. NESHAP applies to institutional, commercial, industrial, and large residential facilities — but excludes residential buildings with four or fewer dwelling units. Even when RACM is below thresholds, a notification-only requirement still applies to full demolitions of regulated facilities.

Lead — RRP Rule (40 CFR 745, Subpart E)

The EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule applies to work that disturbs painted surfaces in housing, childcare facilities, and preschools built before 1978 (lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978). Key requirements:

• The renovating firm must be EPA-certified ($300 fee, valid 5 years)
• A certified renovator must be assigned to each project
• Lead-safe work practices must be followed (containment, minimize dust, thorough cleanup)
• The EPA lead pamphlet ("Renovate Right") must be distributed to occupants before work begins
• Minor repairs disturbing ≤6 sq ft per room indoors or ≤20 sq ft exterior are exempt — unless the work involves window replacement or demolition, which are always covered

---

Construction Phasing in Occupied Buildings

When demolition occurs in an occupied building — a tenant renovation in an active office, a hospital wing upgrade, a school remodel — the designer must develop a phasing plan that sequences demolition to minimize disruption and maintain life safety:

• Phase boundaries — temporary barriers (dust partitions, fire-rated partitions if required) separating demolition from occupied areas
• Egress maintenance — at no point during demolition may required exits be blocked; if an exit is temporarily removed, a temporary exit must be provided
• Noise and dust control — work scheduled during off-hours; negative-air machines with HEPA filtration for dust containment
• Utility shutdowns — coordinated shutdowns of HVAC, power, water, with temporary rerouting as needed
• Occupant notification — advance notice of noise, dust, and access changes

The phasing plan is a separate drawing that shows the sequence of demolition areas, temporary barriers, and temporary life-safety measures.

---

Existing Conditions and Hazardous Materials Survey

A demolition plan is only as accurate as the existing-conditions survey that preceded it. Before the designer can specify what to remove, a survey must document:

• As-built walls — which are load-bearing, which are partitions
• Existing MEP — routing of mechanical ducts, electrical conduits, plumbing lines that may be affected
• Hazardous materials — asbestos, lead, mold, PCBs in caulk or ballasts
• Structural elements — slab, beams, columns, and their load paths

The hazardous materials survey drives the abatement scope — a separate specification section, typically Division 02 41 00 (Demolition) or 02 82 00 (Asbestos Remediation), that the designer includes in the project manual.

---

Structural Constraints

The most critical rule in demolition: load-bearing elements cannot be removed without structural engineering review. A wall that appears to be a partition may actually carry load from the slab or roof above. Before any wall is designated for removal on the demolition plan, the designer must confirm — via the existing-conditions survey, structural drawings, or a field investigation by a licensed structural engineer — whether the wall is load-bearing.

If a load-bearing wall must be removed, the demolition plan must note temporary shoring and show where a new beam or transfer structure will carry the load. The structural engineer designs the temporary support and the permanent replacement; the interior designer coordinates the demolition sequence with the structural drawings.

---

Exam Scenario

A typical IDIX demolition question shows a partial demolition plan with a wall drawn in dashed lines and asks what the dashed line convention means. The correct answer: the wall is to be removed as part of the demolition scope. A follow-up question may ask whether removing a specific wall requires structural review — the answer depends on whether the wall is load-bearing, which the designer must verify before including it in the demolition scope.