Annual Salary
£17,000 to £30,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Design & planning or Property management or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Design & planning or Property management or go back to all job sectors
Demolition operatives dismantle buildings and structures, remove hazardous waste and identify reusable materials.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
5.8% fewer Demolition operative jobs in 2027.
In this job, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work on a construction site.
Your working environment may be physically demanding.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. You could then apply to a demolition company for a trainee position.
Relevant courses include:
You'll usually need:
You could do a demolition operative intermediate apprenticeship.
Another option is to start on a groundworker or construction plant operative intermediate apprenticeship. Then you could move into demolition training when you have experience of working on site or with machinery.
You'll usually need:
You may be able to work as a site labourer, plant operator or construction tradesperson and complete on-the-job training in demolition.
You can apply for jobs directly with demolition contractors if you're over 18 and have construction work experience. Some employers may ask for GCSEs or equivalent in maths, English and design and technology.
You can find out more about working in demolition from Go Construct.
With further training, you could specialise in a particular demolition method, for example the use of explosives.
With experience you could become a site supervisor, safety officer or move into contract management.
You'll need: