How Long Does It Take To Demolish A House?

Here is how long it takes to demolish a house.

Time is a precious commodity in all aspects of human endeavor. This is evident in the time-based costing for projects such as house demolition among others.

Speaking of demolition, less time demolition time translates to lesser costs most of the time.

Due to its importance, we’ll be considering the time it will take to complete a house demolition job. Ordinarily, it takes longer to build a structure than it takes to tear it down.

As such, the time taken for an average home to be demoed will be under focus.

Are you ready? Because we are!

Average Duration For House Demolition

When it comes to the amount of time it takes to demolish a house, you’ll need to first consider the procedure involved. The procedure here refers to the process or demolition technique.

The two most common house demolition processes are mechanical demolition and deconstruction.

These are different approaches by which a building is demoed. They’re also distinct in the sense that the time taken to complete each method varies widely.

We’ll need to discuss each procedure to better understand how it affects the time required for completion.

• Mechanical Demolition

One of the most common houses demolition methods is the mechanical demolition approach. This is also known as the traditional method where heavy machinery is involved.

Excavators and wrecking balls among others are deployed for such jobs.

Now, mechanical demolition is known to take lesser time to complete compared to other methods. However, when there are certain useful components of your structure that need salvaging, a different approach may be necessary.

Sometimes, a combination of both deconstruction and mechanical demolition is considered. Deconstruction helps with salvaging useful materials before the building is mechanically demolished.

Now, deconstruction adds to the time taken to complete a demolition job.

Normally, demolishing a house using the mechanical method takes only a couple of hours. This includes the removal of debris. However, a combination of both mechanical demolition and deconstruction significantly increases or extends the time of completion.

The slow and painstaking process of deconstruction means that you’ll need to hold off on using big demolition tools or machinery until it’s completed.

For a fuller understanding of what deconstruction is about, we’ll need to consider the second demolition process.

• Deconstruction

This type of building demolition takes longer to complete than the mechanical method.

You’ll have to look at the actual process to understand why. Deconstruction is mostly applied to house demolition jobs where useful building materials or components need to be salvaged.

Such salvaged materials are sold, donated, or reused.

Here, the use of hand tools is common. This involves a manual process that’s gradual and painstaking. You may want to remove a window or other hardware considered valuable.

Deconstruction significantly affects completion time. Unlike mechanical demolition which can take a few hours to complete, deconstruction can last for several days.

Depending on the number of people involved, this can take anywhere from a few days to a week.

The more people involved in deconstruction, the lesser time it takes to complete. The opposite is true when a single individual is involved or a few people. So, are these the only factors affecting completion time for demolition jobs?

Not at all! Let’s consider the following;

Accessibility Affects Demolition Time

The time spent on demolishing a house will be significantly impacted by access to such a structure.

Here, we’re talking about the ease of moving big demolition machinery to the site. Some homes are located in difficult terrains such as slopes.

Additional accessibility challenges may also include buildings surrounded by rocky terrains or trees. It will take a longer time to maneuver through such obstacles to get demolition equipment to the site.

Are there other Structures Located too Close to Yours?

To have an idea of the amount of time it takes to complete a demolition job, you’ll need to consider the nature of your surroundings. Certain buildings may be constructed too close to each other.

For structures flanked by other buildings, a more careful approach to demolition will be necessary.

This helps to avoid causing damage to other buildings close by. Here, the site will need to be carefully assessed to determine how best to approach or perform the procedure.

Due to the added challenge posed by nearby buildings, a DIY approach won’t be advisable.

In other words, such projects are best left to professionals or demolition contractors. It tends to be safer and easier to complete the job.

For buildings standing alone, the time taken for completing demolition work is lesser.

Removal of Utilities

Most buildings are hooked onto utility lines.

Now, to demolish such, you’ll need to have such utilities disconnected or removed. The time taken to remove utilities adds to the completion time of a demolition project.

You have the choice of having such utilities removed before the arrival of demolition contractors or have them perform the procedure for you.

When demolition contractors are involved in the disconnection or removal of utilities, it adds to the demolition time.

Type of Foundation

The type of foundation your house rests on has a lot to do with the time it takes to complete its demolition. There are several types of foundations ranging from concrete slabs, pier foundations, crawl space foundations, and so on.

Foundation types like concrete slabs are more difficult to tear down or get rid of. A home with such a foundation will take a longer time to complete the demolition process.

Debris Cleanup

An additional factor that affects the completion time for house demolition projects is debris removal or cleanup.

Most reputable demolition contractors include post-demolition cleanup as part of their services. A more comprehensive house demolition job will require the area cleared of any debris.

Cleanup time adds to the duration of a demolition job.

Here, the volume of debris is also considered. Bigger houses produce more debris and attract more clean-up costs. Hence more time is required for cleanup.

You’ll need to make as many inquiries as possible from your demolition contractor before the process begins.

Such inquiry helps you determine how long the entire project will take. Of course, an onsite assessment of the house is necessary to help establish a timeframe for completion of demolition.

This is because not all demolition jobs are the same. Each differs from the other.

With the above information, you now have an idea of how long it takes to demolish a house. The most reliable way of knowing the time required for completion of demolition projects is by involving an expert as stated earlier.