How quickly can a commercial property be cleared?

Typical Timelines by Property Type

Small Office (Under 2,000 sq ft)

Typically 1 day with 3–4 person crew. Includes furniture removal, IT equipment, general items, and broom-clean.

Medium Office (2,000–10,000 sq ft)

1–2 days with 4–6 person crew. May require multi-day work for buildings with restricted access or after-hours-only scheduling.

Large Office (10,000+ sq ft)

2–4 days with scaled crew. Often phased to fit business operations or building access windows.

Small Retail Store

4–8 hours with 3-person crew. After-hours work typical.

Large Retail (Big Box)

2–5 days depending on fixture volume and remaining inventory.

Restaurants

1–3 days after gas/hood/refrigerant decommissioning is complete.

Medical Offices

1–2 days after HIPAA destruction and medical waste removal complete.

Warehouses

• Small (under 10,000 sq ft): 1–2 days
• Medium (10,000–30,000 sq ft): 2–4 days
• Large (30,000+ sq ft): 4+ days, often multi-week phased

Apartment Turnovers

Single unit: 2–4 hours typical. Multi-unit turn days: scaled crew, full day.

Factors That Extend Timelines

Access Limitations

• Elevator scheduling (shared with active tenants)
• Stair carries (no elevator)
• Restricted hours (after-hours only)
• Loading dock scheduling

Disassembly Requirements

• Pallet racking disassembly
• Cubicle systems
• Modular furniture
• Built-in equipment

Documentation Requirements

• Chain of custody for IT
• Sustainability reporting
• Photo documentation
• Item-by-item inventory

Crew Scaling

Junk Nurse scales crew size to meet your timeline:

• 3–4 person standard crew
• 5–7 person medium crew
• 8+ person large project crew
• Multiple simultaneous crews for very large projects

Multi-Day Project Coordination

For projects requiring multiple days:

• Daily start and stop times agreed
• End-of-day staging coordinated
• Building access procedures for each day
• Daily progress reporting if requested

Tight Deadline Scenarios

Lease End Crunch

Lease ends Friday, building needs to be empty by Monday. Junk Nurse scales crew and runs overnight if necessary.

New Tenant Move-In Coordination

Old tenant out, new tenant in within days. We complete in time to allow maintenance turn (paint, carpet, fixes).

Court-Ordered Eviction

Court-mandated date. We schedule around legal compliance dates.

How to Plan Your Timeline

1. Identify your firm deadline
2. Schedule on-site walkthrough at least 1–2 weeks ahead for medium-large jobs
3. Confirm scope and crew size during walkthrough
4. Schedule work to complete with buffer before deadline
5. Coordinate any pre-cleanout work (data destruction, contractor work)

Same-Day for Small Jobs

For small commercial jobs, same-day completion is often possible if you call early. Larger jobs require crew and equipment scheduling.