No hourly rates, no estimator visits
How Junk Removal Pricing Works in Los Angeles
We price every job from a photo, by how much truck space it takes. That one number includes labor, stairs, carrying, disposal fees and donation drop-off. Here's how we get to it, so your quote makes sense before you say yes.
- Same-day pickupText before noon, gone today
- Fully insuredGeneral liability and commercial auto
- Donate before dumpGoodwill Southern California & The Salvation Army
- Sorted on siteIf it still has life, it goes to charity
Priced by volume, not by the hour
Junk removal in Los Angeles is usually priced one of three ways: by the hour, by the item, or by truck volume. Hourly pricing punishes you for stairs and traffic. Per-item pricing turns a garage into an argument. Volume pricing is the simplest to verify: you can look at the truck and see how full it is. We quote in fractions of a truck, and the fraction is set from your photo before we come out.
| Load | What it usually is | Typical crew time |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | One or two items: a couch, a mattress, a refrigerator | 15–30 minutes |
| Quarter truck | A bedroom's worth, a small patio set plus boxes, a studio move-out | 30–45 minutes |
| Three-quarter truck | A two-car garage, a remodel's worth of debris | 1.5–2 hours |
| Full truck | Whole-home cleanout, large yard clearance, office floor plate | 2–4 hours, sometimes two trips |
What moves the number
- Volume is most of it. Bulky-but-light items like patio furniture take space; dense items like dirt and tile take weight allowance, so heavy material is quoted by weight rather than space.
- Weight: concrete, soil, tile and wet carpet are priced by the yard because disposal facilities charge by the ton.
- Access: stairs, long carries, walk streets and elevator reservations are included in the quote, not added later, but they're why we ask about them up front.
- Special streams: mattresses, e-waste and refrigerants have their own handling. They're built into the quote.
What doesn't change the number: how long traffic takes us, how many people we bring, or whether the pile turned out to be slightly messier than the photo. If it's genuinely bigger than what you sent, we tell you the new fraction before we load.
What's always included
- Two-person crew, dollies, blankets, drop cloths
- Loading from wherever the items are, including upstairs and back yards
- All disposal and recycling fees
- Donation drop-off
- A sweep of the area
- Travel anywhere in our Westside and South Bay service area
Why we don't publish a price list
Because a list without a photo is a guess, and guesses turn into a different number at the curb. We'd rather give you one real number in a few minutes. Text photos of everything that's going, your address or ZIP, and anything about access (floor, elevator, alley, gate code) to (310) 905-5138. Miles replies with the fraction and the price. If you'd like to compare, the City of Los Angeles offers free curbside bulky-item pickup through 311 for most household items, and the Santa Monica program allows three free pickups a year before hourly charges apply; both are covered in our guides.
Ways to spend less
- Group items into one pickup rather than several small ones.
- Put what's going in one spot, on the ground floor if you can.
- Tell us what's donatable; it still rides in the truck but it helps us plan the route.
- Use your city's free bulky-item program for a single item on a non-urgent timeline, and use us when you need it gone today or it's more than the program allows.
Pricing questions
Can the quote change?
Yes, if the load is different from the photos. We re-quote the fraction before touching anything and you decide. Prices are set from your photos and may change when the job on the ground doesn't match them, never for stairs, traffic or time.
Do you charge extra for stairs or long carries?
They're part of the quote, which is why we ask about access when you text. We don't add them after the fact.
How is heavy debris like concrete priced?
By weight rather than space, because transfer stations charge by the ton. Send a photo and tell us roughly how many wheelbarrows or buckets; we'll quote it per yard.
Do you offer free estimates?
Every quote is free and comes from your photo, usually within the hour. We don't do in-person estimates because they cost everyone a day.
What payment do you accept?
Cash, credit card and Zelle, paid when the truck is loaded. Commercial accounts can be invoiced.
Is there a minimum charge?
There's a minimum load, which covers a couple of items. Single-item pickups are common and welcome; the quote just reflects the trip.
Ready when you are
Text a photo. Get a price today.
Snap what's going, text it over, and we reply with a clear price, usually within the hour. No visits, no hourly rates, and if the load differs from the photos we re-quote before we lift anything.