Scope and Handover
Who confirms services are isolated before a strip-out?
- scope decisions
- project preparation
Before finishes come down, the project team needs to know which services are released for removal and which remain live. A label on a switch or an appliance that appears disconnected is not a complete handover to the demolition crew.
Map the work zone against the retained systems
List the services crossing or attached to the proposed removal: electrical, plumbing, gas, data, mechanical and building protection systems as applicable. A connection serving the work area may also serve a neighbouring room or unit. Ask the responsible trades to establish those relationships.
Use the same room or drawing references as the demolition scope. Separate “remove after release”, “retain and protect” and “not yet identified”. The ceiling-retention guide is useful where services depend on a ceiling assembly that is being altered.
Have the right trade issue the release
Name the person responsible for each disconnection or isolation, the area it covers and the information the crew will receive. For electrical work, the Electrical Safety Authority provides a Licensed Electrical Contractor lookup. Do not ask a demolition crew or occupant to improvise electrical or gas isolation.
The useful release identifies the affected system, its location, the completed work and any retained live part. This article does not describe testing or lockout procedures; those belong to the responsible professionals and the site's work arrangements.
Define the response to an unidentified connection
If opening a finish reveals an unlisted service, stop the affected removal and refer it to the responsible trade. Record the location and its effect on the work boundary. Do not assume that an unused-looking cable, pipe or outlet is abandoned.
Keep the release record available as phases change. A release for one room does not automatically extend to the next. Agree who can authorise recommissioning and how the crew will be informed if the status changes while the wider project continues.
Discuss this scope with CoreCut
Request an interior-demolition review with the work-zone plan and known retained services. See interior demolition for the removal scope.
Primary planning references
Source links checked 8 October 2026. Confirm the requirements for your property and scope with the relevant authority and qualified professionals.