Demolition of Prefabricated Panel Houses in Sichuan

The demolition policy for prefabricated panel houses in Sichuan Province is primarily based on the safety level of the houses, with different treatment methods for different levels. It emphasizes that renovations must meet seismic standards, and not all prefabricated panel houses will be demolished.

I. Classification and Treatment Based on Safety Level

1. Grade A or B: The structure is basically safe, and rectification measures are taken. This mainly involves renovating the exterior walls, replacing aging water pipes and electrical wires, repairing leaks, and improving fire safety facilities. The government is responsible for renovating public areas in residential communities, while homeowners are responsible for the costs of interior decoration or elevator installation.
2. Grade C: There are local structural hazards, and seismic reinforcement is prioritized. This includes adding load-bearing columns, repairing cracks, removing rust from steel bars, and updating supporting facilities such as water, electricity, and gas. Demolition and reconstruction may only be applied for if it is technically impossible to reinforce or if reinforcement is meaningless. The application conditions are stringent, requiring compliance with urban planning, verification that the house cannot be repaired and has no value, and majority approval from homeowners through voting. Each region also has restrictions on large-scale demolitions, and the government adheres to the principle of reinforcing and retaining as much as possible rather than demolishing.
3. Grade D: The house is completely damaged and must be immediately vacated. It is usually included in urban renewal or demolition projects, with treatment methods including demolition and reconstruction, monetary compensation, and relocation to replacement housing.

II. Seismic Requirements Sichuan is prone to earthquakes, and prefabricated panel buildings have poor seismic resistance. The policy emphasizes that renovations must meet current seismic standards. If the house originally lacked seismic structures, reinforcement is mandatory. For example, Yibin will first conduct a survey of old houses from the 1980s and 1990s, list them in order of priority, with Grade D dangerous houses at the top. Grade C houses will undergo renovations in conjunction with seismic reinforcement, focusing on solving problems such as leaks, cracks, and aging pipelines. The projects are implemented on a project basis, and the government does not cover all costs.

III. Actual Cases For the residential building at No. 99 Feihong Street in the Suining Economic and Technological Development Zone, homeowners hope for original-site demolition and reconstruction. They need to find a qualified third-party appraisal agency to appraise the house, with the appraisal costs borne by themselves. If the appraisal result indicates that the house is a dangerous building, the homeowners submit the materials to the community, which will then report them up the chain. In the Xiaoqu at No. 67 Hongxing Street in Mianyang City, homeowners believe that the house has met the demolition standards, but upon verification, no significant structural hazards were found, and the xiaoqu has no plans for demolition and renovation. It was included in the 2025 old residential community renovation plan in Fucheng District after application at the end of 2024.