In this blog “Electrical estimating installation times, how to estimate Electrical Demolition, you will learn how Red Rhino Electrical Estimating Software can help you save time in estimating demolition.

If you have ever struggled trying to estimate electrical demolition, there are a couple of methods that will help you save time and be more accurate.

The term ‘Demo’ in construction means to demolish, remove or take down something. In electrical, demo might mean removing anything from devices like plugs or switches, to panels, circuit breakers, transformers, disconnect switches or disconnecting machine connections, or even lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, junction boxes, feeder or branch conduit and wire, or MC cable.

This writing explains how to estimate demo for commercial and light industrial electrical projects.

There are 2 methods. A simple way and a complex way.

Watch this video to see how fast you can estimate demo using Red Rhino Electrical Estimating Software

Both methods require that you look over the blueprints to understand what needs to be removed.

First, I will explain the simple way to estimate demo. The simple way is used if there is not much demo to be performed.

If there are blue prints you look them over and quantify what must be removed. If there are no blue prints I recommend making a quick sketch of what needs to be removed. That way you have on paper some idea of what needs to be done.

Using the simple method you just figure out how many hours you think it would take to do the demo.

Example 1: How to Estimate Small Demo jobs

From viewing the blueprints, you determine that 18 – 2 X 4 LED light fixtures and the conduit feeding the lights must be removed.

In that case you just calculate how many hours you think it will take to remove those materials.

Say for example there would be 2 men removing the light fixtures. You determine it would take 2 men 4 hours to do the demo. The total number of hours would be 8 hours. (This is for example only your estimate could vary greatly)

How to estimate Remove and Replace. (R & R)

Sometimes you may be required to remove and replace items like light fixtures.

I call this R & R for remove and replace. R & R means there are 2 separate components. Labor to do the demo plus labor and materials to reinstall the fixtures plus conduit, wire and junction boxes and any materials needed to do the reinstall.

Example 2: How to Estimate Demo(Remove) and Replace(R & R)

From viewing the blueprints, you determine that 18 – 2 X 4 LED light fixtures and the conduit feeding the lights must be removed but also must be reinstalled in a different location.

Again, you would determine how long it would take to demo the materials and input the labor in Red Rhino for the demo.

After that, you would simply input the materials needed for the replacement part of the process. In other words you just input the materials you normally would to capture the labor and material cost to re-install the materials.

How to Estimate Large Demo jobs

When estimating jobs that require a lot of demolition, the process is a lot more complex. But using Red Rhino helps speed up the process by using the following method.

Spoiler Alert! When estimating demo there is no material cost because you are only removing materials not adding them. That means you will input materials and change the material price to Zero ($0.00)

Another Spoiler Alert! It takes about ½ the time to demo materials as it does to install them. What this means is you will input materials and change the labor to about ½ of the labor shown.

Let me explain further…

When estimating large demo jobs first I recommend you create a separate section. Call the section Demo. If there are several floors of demo it may require having multiple Demo sections.

You may decide to create sections called ‘Demo first floor’ or ‘Demo second floor’.

When estimating big demo job’s you:

• Make a material list of items to be removed.
• Input the materials into Red Rhino.
• Change the price of materials to ‘0’ Zero (because no materials are needed)
• Next change the labor hours to ½ of what the hours are shown.
• Close counts when cutting the labor in half. In other words, it is okay to be close or approximate to 1/2 of the labor shown.

Other considerations: 

It is also important to understand how demo materials or debris are to be disposed of.

• Are debris to be put in a dumpster on the property or are you required to take it to the dump?
• Who pays for the dumpster(s)?
• How far away is the dumpster located?

Should you add additional labor hours for hauling debris down an elevator and out into the middle of a parking lot where the dumpster is located?

Will you need gondolas or carts to move materials to the dumpster? These things may take more time that you would add to the demo section.