Here's how junk removal cost works in South Florida. Most companies around here, us included, don't charge by the hour or by the item. You pay for how much of our dump trailer your stuff fills. That one price covers the labor, the carrying, the loading, the drive, the dump or recycling fees and the sweep-up at the end.
Junk removal cost by trailer load
We haul with a 6 x 12 foot dump trailer with 4-foot sides. Full, that's 288 cubic feet, or about 10.7 cubic yards. Here's what each size of load costs.
| Load | Roughly | Our price | Typical job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum load | Under 1 cubic yard | $105–$125 | A washing machine or dryer |
| 1/8 load | About 1.3 cubic yards | $150–$200 | A small sofa and a loveseat |
| 1/4 load | About 2.7 cubic yards | $250–$300 | A full-size bedroom set, dresser included |
| 1/2 load | About 5.3 cubic yards | $350–$425 | A small garage cleanout |
| 3/4 load | About 8 cubic yards | $475–$550 | A 1-bedroom apartment's worth of furniture |
| Full load | About 10.7 cubic yards | $600–$650 | A packed single-car garage cleanout or a small 2-bedroom apartment cleanout |
Heavy pieces like armoires, and specialty items like pianos, hot tubs and play sets, get priced on their own, not by load.
A whole-home cleanout usually takes 2 or 3 trailer loads. Heavy stuff like tile, concrete and dirt hits the trailer's weight limit way before it fills the space, so we price that by weight.
Why one item still has a minimum
The trailer still has to drive out, and the dump still charges a minimum fee, whether we take one chair or ten. So a single-item job has a minimum. If you're paying the minimum anyway, toss in the other stuff you've been meaning to get rid of. Might as well make the trip count.
What makes junk removal cost more
- Long carries. A pile in the driveway typically costs less than one in the back yard behind a pool enclosure.
- Stairs. Walk-up condos with no elevator require much more labor, which drives the price up.
- Taking things apart. Hot tubs, play sets and big furniture that won't fit through a gate or door.
- Dense material. Concrete, tile, dirt and roofing are heavy, so they're priced by weight. That's most construction debris removal.
- Recycling fees. Fridges need the refrigerant recovered, which is part of appliance removal. Tires and electronics have their own fees too.
Use the free city pickup first
Every city around here runs free bulk pickup, with a size limit. Pompano Beach allows about 4 cubic yards a week and Boca Raton about 2, for example. Our post on bulk trash pickup limits has more. Put out what the city will take for free, then call us for the rest. You only pay for what's left.
Related service: Junk and Furniture Removal