Write a useful demolition brief

Name the property municipality, the rooms or structures involved and whether anyone will occupy the property during the work. Describe the current condition in ordinary language. Then describe what you want left at the end: exposed framing, a retained floor, an empty room or a cleared detached-structure footprint. These outcomes are different scopes.

Keep future renovation ideas in a separate note. A new opening or a changed layout may need assessment beyond removing finishes. Label anything that is still undecided so it is not silently included in a quote.

List items to remove, items to retain and areas that must remain accessible. Include access constraints such as a shared entrance, stairs, a narrow gate or a building manager booking system. Do not identify a wall as non-structural unless an appropriate assessment supports that conclusion.

Ontario’s consumer guidance recommends a clear work description in written agreements. Your enquiry brief is a starting document; the agreed scope should resolve its unanswered questions before work is authorized.

Finish with the decision you need next: a scope discussion, an assessment or clarification of an exclusion. Tell YAK which information you already have, such as drawings or assessment reports. Do not send identity documents, access codes or tenant records with an initial enquiry.