Junk removal
House Cleanout Cost Calculator
Prices a full house cleanout, where the volume is large and the sorting is the job.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus disposal and the call-out, usually across multiple truck loads. A whole-house clearance is the largest routine job in this trade and it is priced on truck loads plus the labour to fill them. The variables that matter are how much has to be carried rather than wheeled, how many floors are involved, and how much sorting the customer wants: a clearance where everything goes is far faster than one where items are being kept, donated and sold.
What moves the number
- Number of truck loads, which sets most of the disposal cost.
- Floors and access, since upper storeys and narrow stairs slow everything.
- How much sorting and set-aside is required rather than clearing everything.
- Hazardous items throughout, particularly in garages, basements and utility areas.
Where this one goes wrong
Agree what is being kept before the crew starts, in writing and preferably marked in the rooms. A full clearance moves fast, and something disposed of that the customer intended to keep is a problem that cannot be undone. Marking or removing keepsakes beforehand is the practical answer. Expect hazardous material in the garage, basement and under sinks rather than hoping there is none, and check appliances for refrigerant. On a large clearance it is also worth establishing whether donation is wanted, since diverting usable items reduces both loads and tipping fees, but it takes time and needs the customer's agreement.
Before you quote
- Agree and mark what is being kept before starting.
- Check garage, basement and under-sink areas for hazardous items.
- Confirm whether donation sorting is in scope, since it takes time.
Questions
About this calculator
How is a house cleanout priced?
By truck loads plus the labour to fill them, since a whole-house clearance usually takes several. Access, number of floors and how much sorting is wanted all affect the labour substantially, and a clearance where everything goes is much faster than one with items being kept or donated.
How do I make sure nothing I want is thrown away?
Mark or remove it before the crew arrives, and have the list agreed in writing. A clearance moves quickly and disposal is irreversible. Relying on telling someone on the day, across several rooms and several people, is how things get lost.
Can usable items be donated?
Yes, and it reduces both the loads and the tipping fees, but it takes sorting time and needs agreeing in advance. Charities have their own standards on condition, particularly for upholstered items and mattresses, so not everything usable will be accepted.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.8 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $90.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $0.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 1.8 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $90 |
| Parts and materials | $0 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $257 |
| Labour | $162 |
| Before tax | $257 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $257: $162 of labour, $0 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $45 | $176 |
| $68 | $217.40 |
| $90 example above | $257 |
| $135 | $338 |
| $180 | $419 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 1.8 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $90.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $0.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.