How Much Does Junk Removal Cost? [2024 Data]

Junk Removal Cost Factors

Let's start by clarifying that we're not talking about traditional residential trash removal. Traditional garbage and recycling services cost between $25 and $100 per month but will depend on where you live. The local company may supply specific bins or require you to buy ones of a certain size and style, and the price is often included in your property taxes or utility bills.

For our purposes, junk removal refers to bulky items, electronics, appliances, and chemicals that shouldn't go in your weekly trash bins. These include items such as large pieces of furniture, tires, construction equipment, paint cans, or oversized yard waste. Whenever in doubt, check with your local waste management service or local sanitation department about whether or not you can put the items out with your regular garbage. If not, read on to see what junk removal will cost.

Type of Junk

Junk removal prices almost always begin with the question: what are you looking to remove from your property? While we will break down each common variety and cost of junk removal below, assume that prices will range between a minimum charge between $60 and $150 for a single, bulky item, closer to $600 for removing large appliances and furniture, and a maximum of around $700 for a full truckload of mixed garbage.

The table below includes standard prices for some common types of junk homeowners seek to get rid of.

Amount of Junk

Here's what you can expect to pay to haul within a 20-yard dump truck:

Dumpster Rental Cost

You always have the option to rent a dumpster instead of paying for junk hauling services. You’ll spend more time and energy filling the dumpster yourself, but you’ll often pay less for the actual junk removal since you’re saving on labor.

The cost to rent a dumpster is around $380 for a single week, which includes the haul-away service, dumpster permit costs, and dumping fees. You could pay more if you need a large roll-off dumpster, sometimes up to $800 per week.

The largest roll-off dumpster can hold around 40 cubic yards of debris, so you’ll be able to get more junk in it than a haul-away service would in a standard truck, potentially saving you money.

Cost to Dump at Landfill

Hauling debris to the landfill yourself will cost between $50 and $100 per ton, depending on local rates. Most professionals will include these fees in their base price, but you can save money on labor costs if you have a truck you can use to transport the waste yourself. Of course, you’ll instead be paying for the junk removal in time and effort.

Recycling Services

Items like tires, scrap metal, and some electronic waste are recyclable, but they also come with a hauling and recycling fee. For example, tires cost between $5 and $15 per tire to recycle.

If you have local recycling programs and a vehicle capable of transporting your debris, you might be able to recycle everything at no cost other than the time and effort it takes to get your items to the recycling site.

Home Clearing Services

If you need a house fully emptied, junk removal companies may be just the first step in the process. Call in cleaning professionals for deep cleaning or general cleanout services after the junk is gone. These deep cleans often cost about $0.20 per square foot or between $120 and $360 as a flat fee for the whole house.

Time

When you need your junk removal services affects the cost, too. Most homeowners carry out construction and renovation projects in the spring and early summer, so your costs could be a touch higher during these seasons. You might want to time your junk removal services for the off-season to save a bit of money.

Additionally, if you need to get rid of your junk in a rush, you could pay a small premium to expedite the junk removal.

Local Disposal Fees

Regardless of who is hauling your junk away, you’ll often have to pay dumping fees once it gets to its destination. Whether you haul your junk yourself or pay a professional to do it, these fees will usually sit between $50 and $100 per ton.

That price can go up significantly if you’re getting rid of hazardous waste, as there are special considerations for disposing of hazardous waste safely that drive up the disposal fees. Expect to pay between $250 and $500 per ton if your waste is considered hazardous.

Labor

Labor costs make up the vast majority of the price of junk removal and will often come included in the base rate for the cost of professional junk removal or the cost to rent a dumpster. The total you’ll pay for labor depends on how much junk you have, how bulky it is, and how much it weighs, but in most cases, labor costs for junk removal will fall between $100 and $300.

Permits

You may incur additional fees for parking a dumpster on public property such as the street or sidewalk. The cost of a dumpster permit will widely range depending on where you live but expect anywhere from $10 to $100 a week.

Additionally, a junk hauling company will often include the dumping fees in the cost of the dumpster, so your total could be much higher if you need to get rid of hazardous materials in your dumpster.

Location

Finally, the cost to remove junk will depend on your geographical location and the location of the junk on your property.

More expensive areas will often have higher average junk removal costs because labor prices increase to keep up with the higher cost of living. The difference isn’t usually drastic, but you could pay 10% to 20% more or less than the national average, depending on where you live.

Additionally, professionals will consider how much of their time and effort will go into accessing the junk once they’re on your property. If you have landscaping debris on the front lawn, and your pro can back the truck up right to the area for easy loading, you’ll pay less for labor than you would if you have appliances or bulky furniture that you need your movers to maneuver up or down stairs and around tight corners in your home.

Junk Removal Cost by Type

Photo: Studio Porto Sabbia / Adobe Stock

Whether you recently rebuilt the shed or replaced the washing machine, here's how much each type of junk removal costs on average.

Construction Waste Removal 

When charged by the truckload, the cost to remove construction waste ranges from $100 to $800. The odds and ends of a construction project make it much easier to measure the trash by bulk than by piece, so most professionals will weigh the debris or simply charge by the truckload.

However, if there are high disposal rates in your area for construction materials, you may end up paying up to $1,300 to dispose of a 20-yard dumpster of construction materials.

Appliances

Before you roll your old dishwasher out to the curb, check your local requirements for properly disposing of large appliances. Chemicals like freon in refrigerators and freezers can increase the price, while appliances that contain valuable scrap metal can lower it. The table below includes some common junk removal prices for appliances.

Furniture

The cost to haul away furniture will often be on a per-piece basis, although you could end up paying by the truckload if you include your furniture in general junk removal. If you just have furniture to remove, professional junk removers will likely charge a minimum flat fee of $75 to $150 and increase the price per piece by volume thereafter. The actual cost per item will depend on the weight and bulk, as labor costs increase with the difficulty of removing the item.

Keep in mind that slightly worn items may have a home at your local charity or second-hand store. If that’s the case, and you can transport the furniture yourself, you’d likely pay nothing for disposal.

Electronics

Electronics are considered hazardous waste and require special disposal, particularly if the items have batteries. It's worth waiting until you have a collection of e-waste before calling the haulers to save money, as most will charge a flat fee of between $75 and $100 just as a trip charge. Larger items like standalone printers can cost around $200 to remove.

Yard Waste

A standard fall or spring cleanup from a landscaper will cost between $100 and $250. However, if you need large debris from your lawn—branches, leaf piles, stones, etc.—the service will run between $70 and $500, depending on volume.

Hazardous Waste Removal

Hazardous waste requires special recycling and disposal techniques to keep humans and the environment safe, so they cost more to dispose of. Many junk removal companies still provide waste removal services for hazardous waste, but you’ll pay a premium because the waste needs to go to a different facility and cannot go to a landfill.

Some common household items that are classified as hazardous waste include paint, paint thinners, freon, certain types of light bulbs, automotive liquids, household cleaners, lawn care chemicals, pool chemicals, and more. Companies often charge based on the specific material as well as the total weight.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro for Junk Removal

You have a few options for junk removal, including hauling your debris to a dumping site yourself, renting a dumpster, and calling a local junk removal company to pick up the waste and dispose of it for you.

You could save up to $700 per ton by hauling the junk to a local landfill or waste facility rather than hiring a professional, or an average of $400 per ton if you rented a dumpster instead of hiring a professional trash removal service.

The potential savings are substantial, but there are some important things to consider. First, you need to have access to a large truck that can haul heavy items. You might make several trips to the dump, which means you’ll spend a lot of time and energy in the process. 

Even if you don’t have a truck and opt for a dumpster instead, you’re responsible for moving heavy and bulky items in the dumpster, which is challenging, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous.

If you have a small number of items that can safely fit in your car, bringing them to the dump or a local charity can save you hundreds. If you have large or bulky items like furniture, a large amount of debris in total, or you’re dealing with disposing of hazardous waste, it’s a good idea to hire a junk removal professional to take care of everything for you.

7 Tips to Save on Junk Removal Costs

Hoping to cut some unexpected junk removal costs? Here are a few things you can do to help keep your total as low as possible.

• DIY what you can. Any work you can do yourself or with the help of friends and family will save you money on labor. If hauling the junk away isn’t feasible, consider renting a dumpster instead.

• Donate items, if possible. Contact local charities for donatable items and textiles. Habitat for Humanity commonly has donation sites where you can haul your items.

• Lean on bulk pickup. Many local cities and townships will offer bulk pickup included in your regular sanitation service costs to get rid of one or more large items each month, so always look into these services if you only need a few items taken away.

• Look for local hazardous waste disposal programs. If you need to get rid of household hazardous waste, check your area for collection programs. You’ll need to transport the material yourself, but there’s often no fee for disposal.

• Give away tree debris. Advertise branches or tree debris to locals seeking free firewood.

• Prepare your collection site. If you’re having a professional come pick up your items, gather your debris into one area to reduce lifting and sorting costs, if possible. Any time you can save your professionals money, you’ll save on labor costs.

• Get multiple quotes. Shop around to speak with at least three local junk removal companies to compare quotes.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed over 30,000 real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.