· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Junk Removal
Junk removal is priced by volume and labor, and both are affected by what happens before the truck arrives. A small amount of preparation changes the price and the duration.
Consolidate and break down
Put everything going in one place, ideally the garage or the driveway. A crew moving between four rooms takes considerably longer than one loading from a single pile.
Break down furniture and flatten boxes — since you are buying truck volume, an intact wardrobe costs several times what its flat panels do.
Separate what is not going
Anything staying should be physically apart or clearly marked. Items get taken by mistake when a pile is ambiguous, and once it is on the truck it is gone.
Walk the pile with the crew leader before they start, and say explicitly what is not included.
- Consolidate into one location
- Break down furniture and flatten boxes
- Separate or mark anything staying
- Remove hazardous items to their own route beforehand
- Clear a path and a parking space for the truck
Access
Clear the route from pile to truck and make sure there is somewhere legal to park close by. On a narrow Nashville street that is worth thinking about in advance.
Mention stairs, a basement or a long carry when booking, since all three affect the quote and none should be a surprise on the day.
Confirm the price on site
Most companies confirm the price once they see the pile, which is normal. It should be close to the estimate if the photographs were honest.
Get the confirmed figure before loading begins rather than after, which is the same principle that applies to any trade.