Anyone used a junk removal service?

[foodfiend]

We're getting ready to sell the family home and now we have to clean it up (and out). Lots of clutter, including a few very, very old beds that will be discarded. Has anyone used a junk removal service? In Canada, we have 1 800 Got Junk. It charges by the amount of stuff they have to take out. My brother think it's too expensive (up to $500 for a full van-load). Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ChristyMarie]

A passenger size van? Sounds expensive.

I think I paid about $400-500 for a small delivery truck size where they had to load from the basement and garage.

[honeygirl1971]

I used one when I left Chicago for a few old pieces of furniture no one wanted and a bed. I can't remember how much it was exactly, but Christy's prices sound about right.

[foodfiend]

Sorry I didn't make it clear -- it's a full size truck, not a passenger van. I call these vehicles "vans", as in "moving van".
It sounds like the prices are similar. I think it's worth the cost, especially with all the heavy lifting needed.
Thanks.

[BarbaraL]

About a year ago, I paid $1300 to a local company to clean out my deceased mother's basement and garage. There was alot of stuff, including some construction-type materials. They completely cleaned out the basement underneath a large addition (that was jammed wall to wall), a one-car garage, and also some stuff from the main basement. It look them a day and a half, at least 2 (maybe 3) truckloads, and was well worth the money.

[Canice]

We've used a private service but I'm afraid I don't recall the rates. A friend of mine used the 1-800-got-junk people and he said it was significantly more expensive than when he used a private service. Sorry I don't have the hard numbers, but I would look around at hauling services and get bids and find out whether they include dump fees.

[boisewinesnob]

About a year ago, I paid $1300 to a local company to clean out my deceased mother's basement and garage. There was alot of stuff, including some construction-type materials. They completely cleaned out the basement underneath a large addition (that was jammed wall to wall), a one-car garage, and also some stuff from the main basement. It look them a day and a half, at least 2 (maybe 3) truckloads, and was well worth the money.

Barbara, just curious but did they sort through all that stuff and take it to a donation place or just haul it all to the dump without looking at any of it?

[BarbaraL]

Barbara, just curious but did they sort through all that stuff and take it to a donation place or just haul it all to the dump without looking at any of it?

I think they said they might donate or sell items that were worth it - it's hard to recall. Because of the sheer volume, they were loading up the truck, so I kind of doubt they were going to go through it. We had already donated some stuff to my mother's church and to the Salvation Army (who turned their nose up at a lovely old cedar chest because it had a scratch in it). Since we needed to get the house clear to sell it, we weren't all that concerned about what happened to the stuff.

[MiMo]

As somebody who has used 1-800-GOT-JUNK two times in the past, I can highly recommend them. They charge you based on how much room your junk takes up in the truck. One time, I had them pick up a sofa, a tv, a coffee table, and two boxes of stuff (old clothes, old cookware, etc.) and it was about $150 (which includes labor, taxes, junk disposal). The second time, I had them pick up an old stationary bike and three more boxes of stuff. It cost about $100. When you call (or book online), they ask you what time is best for you to have them pick up your stuff, and then they give you a two-hour timeframe. They call you when they are on their way to pick up your junk. Both times they came within that timeframe and they called 15 minutes before they arrived. And both times the two men who picked up my stuff were professional, courteous and clean-cut. I am planning to use 1-800-GOT-JUNK again before I move this summer to pick up the stuff that I am not donating. Also, you can usually call a day or two before, and they can come out quickly to pick your junk up (service is especially fast if pick-up is on a weekday). I don't think the prices they charge are bad at all. Then again, I live up four flights of stairs, so I'm sure as heck not going to move this stuff myself.

Foodfiend, how much stuff are you going to get rid of in total? You can call 1-800-GOT-JUNK and tell them what you have and get an estimate of what it all will cost. It's usually not as expensive as what you think because they stack the junk in piles to maximize the space in the truck.

[Laura]

this may not help for Canada, but here in CO a friend of mine simply ordered a large dumpster from the waste management company, filled it up and then they came and carted it away. Of course, I don't know the price, but it didn't seem like it was too expensive as we did all the loading.

[rosen]

A friend of mine recently downsized from the family home to a small condo & used GOT JUNK & raves about all they did for her. She had a huge house filled to the brim. She decided what she wanted for her condo & then let the grown kids take what they wanted. Then she had a couple antique dealers go thru & buy what they wanted. She called GOT JUNK for all the rest. It took them 2 loads, but they got everything that was left including the scrap metal that her DH had saved for decades. They will take anything w/ no questions (except hazardous waste). They were polite, clean, quick & took care handling the stuff.

At least in our area, the local franchises keep what they want of what they take & then find dealers or buyers for the rest. Very little really goes to the landfill. That fact alone would sell me! The thought of a dumpster going to a landfill just makes me frustrated. I have no problem w/ someone else making a proffit from a task I don't want to do myself.