How long does an office cleanout take?

Office Cleanout Timeline by Size

Very Small Office (Under 1,000 sq ft, 5–10 desks)

3–5 hours with 3-person crew. Single visit completes the job.

Small Office (1,000–2,000 sq ft, 10–25 workstations)

4–8 hours with 3–4 person crew. Single day.

Medium Office (2,000–5,000 sq ft, 25–60 workstations)

1 day with 4–6 person crew. Possible spillover to half day if access constraints.

Large Office (5,000–10,000 sq ft, 60–150 workstations)

1–2 days with 5–7 person crew. Often phased to fit access windows.

Multi-Floor Office (10,000+ sq ft)

2–5 days with scaled crew. Multi-day work standard. Phased by floor when elevator access is shared.

What Affects the Timeline

Cubicle Disassembly

Major brands (Herman Miller, Steelcase, Haworth) require careful disassembly. Plan 30–60 minutes per workstation. For a 50-workstation office, that’s 25–50 hours of disassembly across crew members.

Electronics Volume

IT equipment requires careful handling and chain-of-custody documentation for commercial work. Adds time but not significant volume.

Building Access

• Loading dock: fastest
• Freight elevator: standard
• Passenger elevator only: slower
• Stair carries: significantly slower

After-Hours Constraints

If work must happen after business hours, the available daily window is shorter. May extend total project days.

Disassembly of Built-Ins

Custom millwork, built-in conference rooms, integrated AV — these require careful demolition. Add days for significant built-in scope.

Crew Scaling

Junk Nurse adjusts crew size to meet your timeline:

• Standard crew: 3–4 people
• Medium crew: 5–6 people
• Large crew: 7+ people
• Multiple simultaneous crews for very large projects

Typical Phased Schedule for Large Offices

Day 1: Easy Access Items

Loose furniture, open workstations, public areas. Build momentum.

Day 2–3: Workstation Disassembly

Cubicles broken down systematically. IT equipment staged for routing.

Day 4: Final Items and Cleanup

Remaining built-ins, deep cleanouts, final broom-clean.

Lease End Crunch

For tight lease-end deadlines:

• Scale crew up
• Run two simultaneous crews if building allows
• Work consecutive nights instead of intermittent
• Pre-stage materials and trucks for efficient loading

What to Have Ready

• Final inventory or scope confirmation
• Building access procedures and COI confirmed
• Elevator reservations
• IT confirmation that hardware is data-cleared
• HR confirmation of furniture going vs. staying

Coordinating With Other Vendors

If the cleanout follows movers, document destruction, or contractor work:

• Confirm those vendors complete before our crew arrives
• Buffer 1 day between when possible
• Last-minute changes can compress timelines

Pricing Includes Time-Based Factors

Office cleanout pricing reflects the time required. Our quotes are based on crew hours, equipment time, disposal volume, and any specialized handling.