How Do You Calculate Demolition Debris Waste

How Do You Calculate Demolition Debris Waste?

A demolition project always leaves a heavy load of debris behind it after completion, which mostly includes bricks, drywall, steel, wood, etc.
A new construction can only take place when you remove this debris and clear the site.

When it comes to commercial demolition, though, it becomes difficult to fit all this waste into contractor bags. It often requires more than one dumpster.

However, property owners find themselves in great confusion when it comes to deciding how many dumpsters they would need to fit all the junk produced after demolishing a commercial building.

Is there any formula to estimate? Yes, there is. Here is a formula to calculate how much demolition debris your commercial site will produce, helping you to determine how many dumpsters you will need.

The basic formula to calculate demolition debris waste

This formula will yield an estimate of the quantity of debris that your project will generate. But for this, you need to know the dimensions of your property in feet.
Once you have them, plugging in some simple numbers and doing basic math will give you the estimated result of demolition waste of your commercial property.

The equation to calculate demolition debris waste
(Length x Width x Height x 1/3) / 27

In this equation, you are first calculating the area of your property by multiplying length times width times height. After that, the number you get is further multiplied by ⅓ and divided by 27 to convert this number into cubic yards.

Size of the area
Dimensions are the most important variables to determine the demolition debris waste estimation. You can either measure these dimensions by yourself or find them in your property’s blueprint. Whatever way you choose, getting these measures in feet is crucial to calculate this equation.

Airspace
You must be thinking about the importance of multiplying by ⅓. The one-third accounts for airspace within rooms. This calculation takes into account an entire space, but there is a lot of space between the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. When we tear down the property, the airspace accounts for one-third of the entire property.

Cubic yards
The area measurements are calculated in feet. But a dumpster’s capacity is usually measured in cubic yards. So when you calculate the debris in cubic yards, you not only determine how many dumpsters you will need to rent but also what size of dumpsters you will need.

Why is it important to calculate demolition debris waste?

Calculating the amount of demolition debris is crucial not only to determine the number of dumpsters you will need but also to get an idea of what equipment you will need to collect the waste and load it into the dumpsters for site removal.
The right number of dumpsters and equipment helps you stay on the budget, as hiring too many of these can increase your commercial demolition cost.

Contact Deft Demo for customised calculations.

The equation given here helps you estimate the debris generated. But if you wish to find a customised calculation for your project, we would love to help you. Contact Deft Demo today, and our experts will guide you with customised calculations and consultation on managing your commercial demolition project.

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