Junk removal costs $100-$800 per truckload in 2026, with most jobs between $200 and $500. Pricing is based on how much of the truck your junk fills: a single item runs $75-$150, a quarter truckload $150-$300, a half truckload $300-$500, and a full truckload $450-$800. A full-service hauler includes the labor to carry everything out, the truck, and disposal or recycling fees. Heavy debris like concrete or dirt is priced separately by weight. Decluttering before a move is one of the best ways to cut your moving cost — every pound you don't move saves on freight.
| Load size | Approx. volume | Cost | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single item | — | $75-$150 | One couch, mattress, or appliance |
| Minimum / 1/8 truck | ~2 cu yd | $100-$200 | A few bags and one item |
| Quarter truckload | ~4 cu yd | $150-$300 | Small bedroom cleanout |
| Half truckload | ~8 cu yd | $300-$500 | Garage or large room |
| Three-quarter truck | ~12 cu yd | $400-$650 | Multiple rooms |
| Full truckload | ~15-16 cu yd | $450-$800 | Whole-home or estate cleanout (per truck) |
Most national haulers price by the fraction of their truck you fill. A standard junk-removal truck holds roughly 15-16 cubic yards (about the volume of 4-5 pickup-truck loads).
Estimate your junk removal. Choose the load size, add any special-fee items, and note stairs.
| Item | Typical removal cost | Special fee? |
|---|---|---|
| Couch / sofa | $75-$150 | No |
| Mattress / box spring | $75-$150 | +$25-$50 disposal |
| Refrigerator / freezer | $90-$175 | +$30-$60 refrigerant recovery |
| Treadmill / exercise equipment | $75-$150 | No |
| Hot tub (drained, may need cutting) | $350-$800 | Disassembly labor |
| Tube / CRT TV | $50-$100 | +$10-$40 e-waste |
| Tires (each) | $10-$25 | Recycling fee |
| Construction debris (per load) | $150-$600 | Priced by weight |
| Option | 2026 cost | You do the labor? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service junk removal | $100-$800/truckload | No — they carry it out | Moderate junk you don't want to handle |
| Roll-off dumpster (10-20 yd, ~1 week) | $300-$600 | Yes — you load it | Large renovations / whole-home cleanouts |
| Bagster-style bag + pickup | $30-$50 bag + $100-$200 pickup | Yes — you fill it | Small-to-medium DIY projects |
| DIY haul to dump | $30-$120 tipping fees + your truck/time | Yes — everything | Cheapest if you have a truck and time |
For a big cleanout where you'll do the loading, a dumpster is cheaper per cubic yard. For convenience on a few items or a garage, full-service junk removal wins.
Decluttering before a move is one of the highest-ROI things you can do, because long-distance moves are priced by weight. Every 1,000 pounds you remove saves roughly $550-$1,050 in full-service interstate freight. A $300 junk-removal job before a cross-country move can easily save more than that in shipping — and you avoid paying to transport things you'd discard at the destination anyway.
The Nguyen family is moving cross-country and clears out their garage first: about a half truckload of junk including one old refrigerator and two mattresses, with a short carry to the driveway (no stairs).
| Line item | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Half truckload base | ~8 cu yd | $400 |
| Refrigerant recovery | 1 refrigerator | $45 |
| Mattress disposal | 2 mattresses @ $35 | $70 |
| Junk removal total | $515 | |
| Moving freight saved | ~900 lbs not shipped cross-country | −$500-$950 |
The $515 cleanout roughly paid for itself in avoided cross-country freight — before counting the convenience of arriving at the new home without junk to deal with.
These require special disposal through your municipality's household hazardous-waste program. Ask the hauler for their exclusion list before booking.
Junk removal pricing varies by market mainly because landfill tipping fees and labor costs differ. Representative 2026 half-truckload (~8 cubic yard) prices, no special-fee items:
| Region / market | Half truckload | Full truckload |
|---|---|---|
| Major metro (NYC, San Francisco, Boston) | $380-$600 | $600-$950 |
| Large metro (Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver) | $320-$520 | $500-$800 |
| Mid-size city | $280-$460 | $420-$700 |
| Smaller market / rural | $240-$420 | $380-$620 |
High-cost coastal metros run noticeably higher because both disposal fees and the crew's hourly cost are elevated. Where free municipal recycling or donation drop-off exists, diverting items from the landfill can shave the disposal portion in any market.
Before paying to haul anything, sort your junk into four piles — it directly lowers the volume you pay for and may even generate a tax deduction:
For a move specifically, this sort does double duty: it shrinks both the junk-removal cost and the weight-based moving freight you'll pay to transport whatever you keep.
The sequence matters for both cost and stress:
Some junk-removal and move-out-cleaning companies bundle services, which can be cheaper than booking each separately. Ask whether a combined cleanout-plus-haul rate is available.
$100-$800 per truckload, with most jobs $200-$500. Pricing is volume-based: a single item runs $75-$150, a quarter truckload $150-$300, a half truckload $300-$500, and a full truckload $450-$800. Full-service includes the labor to carry everything out, the truck, and disposal fees. Heavy debris like concrete is priced separately by weight.
$75-$150, usually reflecting the company's minimum charge. Some items add fees: mattresses often add $25-$50 because landfills charge to accept them, and refrigerators or freezers add $30-$60 for EPA-required refrigerant recovery. Tube TVs and electronics may add an e-waste fee.
It depends on volume and labor. Full-service junk removal ($100-$800/truckload) carries everything out for you — best for moderate junk. A roll-off dumpster ($300-$600 for a 10-20 yard for a week) is cheaper per cubic yard for large cleanouts but you load it yourself. For a big renovation, a dumpster usually wins; for a few items or a garage, junk removal wins on convenience.
Mainly volume — how much of the truck you fill. Also weight (heavy debris like concrete and dirt is priced by weight), special disposal fees (mattresses, refrigerant appliances, tires, paint, electronics), labor difficulty (stairs, basements, attics), location (urban disposal fees run higher), and whether items can be donated/recycled. Hazardous materials usually can't be taken at all.
Yes, most full-service haulers take them with extra fees. Refrigerators, freezers, and AC units add $30-$60 for EPA-required refrigerant recovery. Mattresses and box springs add $25-$50 each due to landfill fees and recycling rules. Standard furniture, exercise equipment, and general junk are included in the volume price with no surcharge.
To summarize the cost picture for a move-related cleanout:
Treated as part of the moving budget rather than a separate expense, a well-timed junk-removal job both lowers your moving freight and gets you into the new home without a pile of things to deal with on day one.
If you're trying to decide between booking a full-service hauler and renting a dumpster, the deciding question is simple: how much are you throwing away, and do you want to load it yourself? For a few items or a single room, a hauler that carries everything out is the obvious, low-hassle choice and rarely justifies a dumpster's flat weekly rate. For a multi-room purge, a garage-and-attic cleanout, or a renovation, a roll-off dumpster you fill over several days almost always costs less per cubic yard — provided you have the time and the muscle. Use the calculator above to price the haul-away option, then get one dumpster quote for the same volume, and let the gap (and your appetite for loading) make the call. Either way, doing the cleanout before your moving estimate keeps your moving quote honest and your freight bill lower.