Oregon Construction & Demolition Employment

Posted on January 17, 2019 by admin

construction site workersIt has been a big year for demolition companies in Oregon. In fact, the entire U.S. has experienced a 4.7 percent increase, or 330,000 net new construction jobs, between October 2017 and October 2018. Oregon alone added 10,400 jobs, an amazing record high increase in the labor pool for the industrial demolition and construction industries. Continue reading →

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Will Wooden Skyscrapers Grace Portland’s Skyline?

Posted on December 7, 2018 by admin

Foggy Oregon ForestFor more than a hundred years, Oregon has been the leading producer of wood products in the nation. Almost half the state is covered in forests, much of which is on federally owned land. Ever since a 1991 ruling in which a federal judge prohibited “harvests in national forests where the endangered spotted owl lived,” Oregon has been operating at a fraction of what peak capacity once was. That may change as developments in wood product technology ushers in an exciting new era of wooden construction, and in turn industrial demolition.   Continue reading →

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How Do Balers & Shears Maximize Scrap Metal Recovery?

Posted on November 15, 2018 by admin

Bin with recycled scrap metalDemolition companies in Portland and other major metropolitan centers often have scrap material leftover at the end of a project. This scrap can be turned into a lucrative commodity. Recycled steel accounts for over half of all steel used globally.

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Are Robots the Answer to C&D Labor Shortages?

Posted on October 22, 2018 by admin

robot demolition siteIndustrial demolition and construction companies are hurting for skilled workers more intensely than in the past.

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Portland’s City Council Votes Strengthening Procedures for Demolishing Older Homes

Posted on September 4, 2018 by admin

Portland-older-buildingUrban growth and the demolition of historic homes in Portland has been a topic of debate for years. In the midst of a construction boom in response to the thousands of new residents the city welcomes, some Portlanders are concerned about projects that threaten the area’s unique historic homes. In February 2018, city commissioners voted to strengthen procedures regarding the demolition of older homes. At the same time, they did not extend the deconstruction mandate for homes built after 1916. As Portland demolition rules tighten, the number of homes requiring deconstruction remains unaltered. Continue reading →

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Oregon Demolition Pros Talk Portland’s Brick Buildings & Safety

Posted on August 1, 2018 by admin

brick-building-and-stairsOregon is earthquake territory. Researchers and officials are urging the public to prepare for a Cascadia earthquake as more tremors are noted off the southern Oregon coast. While they’re common along the Blanco Fracture Zone, there’s more activity just off the Cascadia subduction zone near the trench, which could result in a quake with an 8.5 to 9 magnitude.

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Portland Demolition Experts Examine Seismic Upgrade Mandate

Posted on July 2, 2018 by admin

brick-buildingThe Pacific Northwest is prone to four different types of earthquakes, depending on where they occur. Three of these source zones cause shaking that could threaten life and property: Cascadia megathrust, deep intraplate and crustal faulting. In May 2018, Portland’s city council decided to push their vote regarding the seismic retrofitting of 1,650 unreinforced masonry buildings, which are susceptible to collapse during an earthquake, to June 2018. Without the seismic upgrades, the brick buildings in question could be among those requiring the most attention from demolition companies in Portland if they topple during a quake. Continue reading →

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Nonresidential Construction to Spike Through 2019

Posted on June 18, 2018 by admin

commercial-demolition-construction-2018

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Construction isn’t going to slow down soon anytime soon. Although the industry faces rising material costs and labor shortages, the American Institute of Architects projects that construction spending for nonresidential projects will increase by 4 percent in 2018 and will continue to grow at a similar pace through 2019. AIA expects the commercial and retail construction sectors to experience much of the gains in 2018, but the industrial and institutional construction sectors will make up the bulk of growth by 2019 as clients focus on sustainability and prefabrication. To make room for new construction opportunities, Portland demolition contractors will be busy preparing sites. Continue reading →

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C&D Industry Continues to Expand Portland’s Urban Core

Posted on June 6, 2018 by admin

portland-urban-core-expandsPortland demolition and construction is booming as the city’s its urban core expands. From new construction to building renovations, the area is experiencing a record number of active construction projects. In 2017, Portland had 45 projects on the books, the highest number documented since Downtown Clean & Safe began releasing its development and redevelopment reports, which gauge economic activity and vitality. Much of this growth is happening in Central City, an area divided into 10 sub-districts that stretch from the Lloyd and Pearl districts to South Waterfront and Powell Boulevard, as well as from the West Hills to SE 12th Avenue. An additional 56 projects are anticipated for 2018 and beyond, keeping construction and demolition companies in Portland busier than ever. Continue reading →

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Can Off-Site Construction & On-Site Demolition Work Hand-in-Hand?

Posted on May 23, 2018 by admin

modular-home-architectureThe Portland demolition industry is constantly evolving as construction trends and technologies emerge. One of the most recent trends making waves is off-site construction, a building process that occurs away from the final point of installation. It includes modular and prefabrication construction. With construction processes happening off-site, will demolition still have a place? Absolutely. As communities prepare plots and remove existing buildings to make room for modular solutions, they’ll depend on demolition companies to ensure the land is safe and ready to go. Continue reading →

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