If you plan on doing some serious demolition work, you’re probably going to need a couple of dumpsters. But how many times will you need to call for demolition debris removal? To figure that out, you will first have to calculate your estimated debris load. To do your calculations, you have to know how much debris your project is going to produce. The calculation for attending a good estimate is easy to use and will give you an accurate figure. Here is the basic formula for calculating demolition debris waste, so you can rent the right amount of dumpsters.
The Basic Formula
While, this formula will not calculate the exact amount of waste you will produce, it will give you a figure that is surprisingly close. You will multiply the length of the area in feet by its width and its height. Then multiply the resulting number by 1/3 and / 27. Dividing by 27 converts the answer into cubic yards. The equation is as follows:
(Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Height (ft) x 1/3) / 27
The Equation Explained
Size of the Area
To calculate your demolition debris waste, you must know the dimensions of the space to be demolished in feet. This is easily found by checking the blueprints for the building. You also want to take certain factors into account, like the number of floors, as well as any intersecting walls that may be present.
Airspace
The part of the equation that includes multiplying by 1⁄3 accounts for air space within the room or the rooms to be demolished. Your calculations take into account the entire space, but there is a lot of empty space between the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. This 1/3 simplified the number that takes into account the airspace, differentiating it from solid Mass.
Cubic Yards
The measurements recommended are in feet, because dumpster measurements are made in cubic yards, you need to do a conversion for this. This is where the dividing by 27 comes into play, because there are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard. This part of the equation is important to help you figure out what size dumpster you will need.
Dumpster Wagon is ready to help you out with your demolition project, no matter how large it may be. Our dumpsters are available, so you just need to give us a call and reserve a dumpster with our dumpster rental services. Alternatively, give us a call and we will help you to figure out your needs for the disposal of your demolition debris.
Construction Dumpster Rental – How Many Dumpsters Do You Need When Demolishing A House?
If you would be demolishing your home, it is important to note that the removal of demolition debris is going to be a major part of the cost. When you get a rough estimate of how many Roll Off Dumpsters you will need for your home demolition project, you will have a better estimate of how much the overall demolition is going to cost you.
The number of dumpsters you will need for your demo project is going to be based on the size of your home, as well as the materials that were used to build it. So here are some examples using common house sizes, that are stick built.
- A 1000 square ft home will produce an estimated 135 cubic yards of debris, requiring ten of our 14 yd dumpsters.
- For a 2000 square foot home, you can expect an estimated 270 cubic yards of debris, requiring approximately 19 14 yd dumpsters.
- A 3000 square foot home will produce an estimated 405 cubic yards of debris, requiring 30 of our 14 yd dumpsters.
Calculating the Demolition Needs of a 2000 Square Foot Home
Every house is different, and so your exact results may vary considerably. Factors that affect the amount of debris include building material, whether brick or wood exterior, whether the house was built on a concrete slab or has a basement. As well, possible deconstruction for use of materials prior to demo can be a factor.
For this example, we will first calculate how many cubic yards of construction and demolition debris the home will produce. Materials would include siding, wood, roofing, drywall, lathe and other components used to build a home. We will not be including any concrete foundation, green waste or any tree canopy removal.
Assuming a two story house with dimensions 40 feet by 25 feet, here is the formula and calculations:
Construction & demolition debris including siding, wood, drywall, roofing etc.
(Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Height (ft) x 0.33) ÷ 27 = cubic yards of demolition debris
(40 ft L x 25 ft W x 20 ft H x 0.33) ÷ 27 = 244.4 cubic yards of debris
The next step is to calculate how many dumpsters would be needed for this example demolition project. We will divide the total 244.4 by the size of our dumpster.
244.4 cubic yards of debris /14 cubic yard dumpster = 17.45 dumpsters or 17 to 18 dumpsters
Number of Dumpsters Needed for Concrete Foundation Debris
The number of dumpsters you would need for the debris of a concrete foundation is separately calculated becasue concrete needs to be hauled away in loads by itself, i.e. concrete only loads. Concrete is dumped at a concrete recycler and doesn’t go to a landfill, so it cannot be mixed with other debris.
An average foundation is between 8 and 10 inches thick. For the same example using the 2000 square foot home, we will use the scenario that the house is built on a concrete slab. If your home features a crawl space or basement, you will need to calculate the floor and wall areas separately using the same formula, and then add them all up.
Here is the calculation for the concrete slab foundation:
(Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Height (ft)) ÷ 27 = cubic yards of debris
(40 ft L x 25 ft W x 0.67 ft H) ÷ 27 = 24.8 cubic yards of concrete debris
Because concrete is so heavy, the next part of the calculation changes from the previous step. 24.8 cubic yards of concrete debris will weigh more than 50 tons or 4000 lbs per cubic yard. So 24.8 cubic yards of concrete is equal to 99, 200 lbs. One of our dumpsters has a capacity of 6000 lbs, so you would need 16 to 17 dumpsters to haul this load away.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
How is debris measured?
You need to multiply the three dimensions; length, width, and height, or depth. This gives you the total cubic yards of debris. For example, measuring a pile of dirt would be 3 yards x 1 yard by ⅓ yard to give you 1 cubic yard of dirt.
How many cubic yards of debris will a house have?
- A 1000 square ft home will produce an estimated 135 cubic yards of debris.
- For a 2000 square foot home, you can expect an estimated 270 cubic yards of debris.
- A 3000 square foot home will produce an estimated 405 cubic yards of debris.
How many dumpsters are needed to demolish a house?
- A 1000 square ft home will produce an estimated 135 cubic yards of debris, requiring 10 of our 14 yd dumpsters.
- For a 2000 square foot home, you can expect an estimated 270 cubic yards of debris, requiring approximately 19 14 yd dumpsters.
- A 3000 square foot home will produce an estimated 405 cubic yards of debris, requiring 30 of our 14 yd dumpsters.
How do you calculate concrete debris?
There is always 5% waste for any of the cement you pour. So you will need to calculate for the actual quantity plus waste. So multiply the quantity formula by 1.05, which expresses 105%.
How many dumpsters will I need?
To determine the number of dumpsters you will need for your project is simple. Divide your cubic yards of debris by the capacity of our dumpsters, which is 14 cubic yards.
How to calculate house demolition?
House demolition costs on average $4 to $10 per square foot. But it can be up to $25 per square foot in instances where there is lead or asbestos in the building material. These estimates would make the cost of knocking down a 1500 square foot home anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000.
If you are in need of demolition debris removal, Dumpster Wagon has got you covered. We have a fleet of dumpsters and flexible options. You can reserve your dumpsters on the days that will work with your project by using our online reservation platform. Or you can call us for all your construction dumpster rentals questions if you need help deciding which service to select. Our lines are open 24/7.