Full-service junk removal
The crew comes to you, carries items out from wherever they are, loads the truck, sweeps up and takes everything to the transfer station, recycler or donation center. You do not lift anything. This is the most common type of "junk removal service" and is usually priced by how much of the truck your items fill. It suits furniture, appliances, mixed household junk and anything heavy or awkward.
Single-item and small-load pickup
Many haulers have a minimum charge that covers one or two bulky items, such as a couch, a mattress set, a hot tub cover or a treadmill. If you only have one item, compare that minimum with the cost of borrowing a truck and paying the transfer station's minimum fee, and check whether a charity will collect it for free.
Cleanouts
- Estate cleanouts clear a whole home, often after a death or a move into care. Good providers separate items for family review, donation, sale and disposal, and work around a sale or closing date.
- Garage, shed and basement cleanouts mix junk with yard tools, paint, chemicals and scrap metal. Expect the hauler to set aside hazardous items, which cannot go in a normal load (see household hazardous waste).
- Rental and move-out cleanouts for landlords and tenants, often on a tight timeline.
- Hoarding cleanouts need patience and sometimes cleaning and safety precautions; reputable firms explain how they handle sensitive situations and sanitation.
Yard waste and debris
Branches, brush, leaves and sod are heavy and bulky. At the Port Angeles Regional Transfer Station yard waste is weighed and charged at its own rate and must not be bagged; sod, rocks, dirt and stumps are handled separately. The Blue Mountain Transfer Station does not take yard waste at all. If you burn instead, check the burn rules of the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency and your local fire district first.
Construction and demolition debris
Drywall, lumber, roofing and the remains of a shed or deck count as construction and demolition debris. At the Regional Transfer Station, contractors (or the people hiring them) need an accepted Waste Disposal Application, which includes lead paint and asbestos test results where applicable, and demolition within city limits needs a city permit. Asbestos-containing material is accepted only by appointment, wetted and double-bagged. If you are demolishing a shed yourself, read the city's requirements before you start.
Dumpster and bin rental
A roll-off container lets you load at your own pace over days or weeks. You do the lifting; the company hauls the container away. Containers are priced by size and rental period, with weight limits and banned items (typically paint, chemicals, tires, batteries and appliances with refrigerant). In Washington, drop-box service for garbage is a regulated solid waste collection activity; in many areas it is provided by the certificated hauler or the city.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is the company authorized to haul solid waste in Washington? Under RCW 81.77.040, a solid waste collection company may not haul solid waste for compensation without a certificate from the Utilities and Transportation Commission. The UTC has penalized junk, landscaping and debris haulers operating without one. Ask how the company complies, and contact the UTC if you are unsure.
- What is included in the price? Labor, loading, disposal fees, mileage and sweeping up, or are some of these extra?
- Which items cost extra or are refused? Refrigerators, mattresses, tires, paint and hazardous materials often carry fees or must go elsewhere.
- Where will my things go? Ask what is donated, recycled and landfilled. A good hauler can tell you.
- Is the company insured? Ask for proof of liability insurance; crews working on your property can damage floors, walls and driveways.
- Is the quote in writing? Get it after the hauler has seen the items, in person or from clear photos, and ask how the final price will be confirmed on the day.
For how the price itself is set, read how junk removal pricing works.
Frequently asked questions
What is full-service junk removal?
A crew removes items from wherever they are in your home or yard, loads them, cleans up and takes everything to disposal, recycling or donation. You do not lift anything.
Do junk haulers in Washington need a license?
A company that hauls solid waste for pay generally needs a solid waste collection certificate from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission under RCW 81.77.040, with some exceptions. Ask the company and check with the UTC.
Will a junk removal company take paint and chemicals?
Usually not in a normal load. Leftover paint goes to a PaintCare site and household chemicals to the hazardous waste facility.
Is it cheaper to rent a dumpster?
It can be for large, slow projects where you do the loading. For a one-time load of furniture or appliances, full-service removal or self-hauling is often cheaper.
Related guides
- How junk removal pricing works
- Port Angeles and Blue Mountain transfer stations
- Household hazardous waste in Clallam County