Revit Tip: Revit Phasing for Accurate Demolition Documentation

Demolition in Revit is not the same as deleting. To document renovations accurately, model the element that exists today, assign it to the correct existing phase, and then mark it for removal in the appropriate future phase. This preserves the project’s history and lets Revit produce reliable existing, demolition, and proposed documentation from one coordinated model.

Start by reviewing Manage > Phases. A typical renovation project includes:

• Existing — conditions that are currently built.
• Demolition — the phase in which existing elements are removed.
• New Construction — proposed replacement or newly added work.

For an element to be demolished correctly, its Phase Created must occur before its Phase Demolished. For example, an existing partition wall should have:

• Phase Created: Existing
• Phase Demolished: Demolition

Do not erase the wall from the model simply because it will be removed. Deleting it eliminates useful information from existing-condition views, can disrupt room boundaries, and prevents demolition plans and schedules from reporting it accurately. Instead, select the element and assign its Phase Demolished in the Properties palette.

Next, control how that information appears through view phasing. Every plan, section, elevation, and schedule should be reviewed for its Phase and Phase Filter. A dedicated demolition plan commonly uses a phase filter that shows previous construction together with demolished elements. This makes the elements being removed visible while maintaining enough existing context for contractors to understand the scope.

• Use a clear graphic override for demolished work, such as dashed lines, a screened pattern, or a distinct color defined by office standards.
• Keep new work visually separate from demolition work; avoid relying on manual linework to communicate phasing.
• Create view templates for Existing, Demolition, and New Construction plans so all related views remain consistent.
• Check sections and elevations as well as floor plans. An element can be phased correctly but still appear confusing if the view filter is wrong.

When replacing an item, model both conditions. For instance, an existing door that will be removed should remain in the model with a demolition phase assigned. Place the replacement door as a separate element created in New Construction. The same principle applies to walls, windows, casework, ceilings, plumbing fixtures, and other renovation scope.

Be careful with elements that are hosted by other elements. Demolishing a wall may affect hosted doors, windows, inserts, wall sweeps, and room separation behavior. Review dependent components and confirm whether they should also be demolished, retained, or recreated in the new phase. This extra check prevents incorrect schedules and avoids unexpected gaps in proposed views.

Finally, standardize demolition graphics in Manage > Phases > Graphic Overrides rather than applying individual overrides in each view. Centralized settings reduce coordination errors and make drawing output easier to audit. For Revit software, training, and workflow resources, visit NOVEDGE’s Revit collection and explore additional BIM tools at NOVEDGE.

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