How to Price Junk Removal Jobs (2026 Guide)
How to price junk removal jobs in 2026: charge by truck volume, set a real minimum, pass through dump fees, add surcharges for heavy items and stairs, and quote on-site to win.
A homeowner in Denver books a junk removal pickup for a garage full of old furniture, a dead refrigerator, and two mattresses. The first company quotes a flat $250 over the phone, shows up, and drives away having lost money once the crew counted the refrigerant recovery fee on the fridge, the two mattress recycling charges at the transfer station, and the forty five minutes it took to carry everything up from a basement.
The second company sends someone to look at the pile, quotes $420 with the surcharges itemized, and books the job on the spot. Same junk, same truck, two completely different outcomes. One priced the job. The other guessed at it over the phone and paid for the guess out of its own pocket..