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Anyone have experience with junk removal services?

Kacho

Gold Member
Good, bad? I have a bunch of old furniture I need to dispose. Trying to decide between using a junk removal service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK or renting a truck to haul the stuff myself.
 
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Raven117

Member
Yup. I do. Really depends on how much furniture and how much irritation you are prepared to deal with.

First, I’d see if you could donate some of it. Good will takes a lot of that stuff.

The 1800 junk guys will show up, take your stuff, and be done very quickly. Probably less than an hour or two. Not super cheap though. You will pay for not breaking a sweat.

Renting a truck and doing it yourself, still have to pay for the truck, and then inconvenience a buddy to help. Probably will take a big chunk of your Saturday.

But, yeah, the service itself was pretty good in my experience
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Not super cheap though
That’s what I was worried about. I guess I should call them up to get an estimate. I have a bunch of furniture that needs to go. I’d just hate to drop a grand on something like this.
 

Mistake

Member
You can actually haggle most junk removal services when they come to give you an estimate. They don't want to leave empty handed
 

Raven117

Member
That’s what I was worried about. I guess I should call them up to get an estimate. I have a bunch of furniture that needs to go. I’d just hate to drop a grand on something like this.
Yeah, start there. I seem to recall that’s about where it starts. (But probably changes by location).

How much stuff we talking?
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
If you live in a residential neighbourhood and the product is in decent condition and not too massive taking up the whole curb. Leave it on your curb. Someone will come by and grab it. I see people leave old couches on the curb all the time.

The day before garbage day, sometimes a pick up truck will go around looking for stuff to grab. I threw out my old microwave a month ago. Disappeared the next morning and garbage bins werent even picked up yet. I've seen the pick up late at night. It can be full of anything big and small. as long as it looks like it's worth money, they'll figure out a way to grab it.
 
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Kacho

Gold Member
Yeah, start there. I seem to recall that’s about where it starts. (But probably changes by location).

How much stuff we talking?
Two seat couch
Treadmill
Grandfather clock
Wood table
The top part of a wooden hutch
Yard lumber (5 pieces)
 

Raven117

Member
Two seat couch
Treadmill
Grandfather clock
Wood table
The top part of a wooden hutch
Yard lumber (5 pieces)
This doesn't quite seem enough to pay the 1-800 guys. That would take you and a buddy less than 20 minutes to load up. That said, do you know where you will even take this stuff? That needs to be part of your calculus as well.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
This doesn't quite seem enough to pay the 1-800 guys. That would take you and a buddy less than 20 minutes to load up. That said, do you know where you will even take this stuff? That needs to be part of your calculus as well.
It's more for the convenience so I don't have to deal with the truck rental + 45 minute drive to the dump + dump fee.

I got a PM from someone giving me advice and a rough estimate. Gonna give the guys a call and see what they can do.
 

RiccochetJ

Gold Member
Paris, France - go on city hall website, fill out the form to schedule pickup, put things out of your front door at designated time, it will be picked up.

Cost: 0.
I see you don't understand how taxes work if you think it didn't cost you anything.
 

Dr.Morris79

Member
Never used any. When it comes to junk, I normally go old school..

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My neighbours ~
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Me ~
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True story :messenger_sunglasses:
 

Raven117

Member
It's more for the convenience so I don't have to deal with the truck rental + 45 minute drive to the dump + dump fee.

I got a PM from someone giving me advice and a rough estimate. Gonna give the guys a call and see what they can do.
Dude, I hear ya. Often, the price of paying those guys versus what you would have to do personally (with associated costs), makes it worth it to just pay it.

Good luck. Dealing with that stuff is always a drag.
 

Evolved1

make sure the pudding isn't too soggy but that just ruins everything
Good, bad? I have a bunch of old furniture I need to dispose. Trying to decide between using a junk removal service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK or renting a truck to haul the stuff myself.
cheapest option is to have a container dropped off that you load yourself and then they pick up whenever you're ready (usually no time limit). what we did when i worked construction
 
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12Goblins

Lil’ Gobbie
Can't you call your trash service and schedule a large item pickup? In my city we get one free a year.. stuck some old mattresses, couch, desk, washer and dryer, mower and a bunch of other shit in my driveway and they picked it up in all of 5 minutes and threw it in a giant compactor truck that smashed it into a little cube. Pretty neat
 

badblue

Gold Member
I've used a company called Collage Hunks a few times. They were pretty good and they said they took stuff like furniture to places like Goodwill instead of the landfill.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Can't you call your trash service and schedule a large item pickup? In my city we get one free a year.. stuck some old mattresses, couch, desk, washer and dryer, mower and a bunch of other shit in my driveway and they picked it up in all of 5 minutes and threw it in a giant compactor truck that smashed it into a little cube. Pretty neat
I believe we do. I will give that a try.
 

BossLackey

Gold Member
I've used a company called Collage Hunks a few times. They were pretty good and they said they took stuff like furniture to places like Goodwill instead of the landfill.

Seconding this. FANTASTIC customer service when I called them. Gave me every piece of information I needed in a quick and concise manner.

Dudes showed up quickly, assessed quickly, and took my stuff quickly.

I'm definitely using them again. As other have said, you definitely pay for it, but using money to make your problem someone else's problem feels fantastic lmao.
 

kiunchbb

www.dictionary.com
Good, bad? I have a bunch of old furniture I need to dispose. Trying to decide between using a junk removal service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK or renting a truck to haul the stuff myself.
Check with you local waste/trash service that you already forced to pay monthly, a lot offers 2 to 3 pick up per year with a very generous limitation. The one I have can take up to 20 items each time as long as it fit their truck; even 3 seater sofa.

Alternatively, try put those furniture on the curb for a week if your place allows it, or your neighbor already doing it. You'll be surprised how often those got pickup for salvage or reuse.

Finally the last option, home Depot parking lot, pick the dude with a truck. Show them the picture of the items so you get an estimate.
 

Jenov

Member
You could check with your city or county waste disposal services (usually the same people that you pay to pick up your regular trash). Sometimes they have bulk pick up programs that are free or reduced cost. Ours has a twice yearly call in service for free pick up of old furniture, fridges, large amount of waste, etc.
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
If they're in your area, 1-800-Got-Junk has always been great for me. Expensive though. I own a condo that I rent out, and removing one bedroom and whatever else was there was like $600.

But, the workers were efficient and professional. Like really cool.
 

Machine

Member
I've used 1-800-got-junk twice for personal use. It's not exactly cheap but it's very efficient. If I didn't use them, I would have to rent a truck, find some people to help me move the junk, and then pay disposal fees at the county dump, so it would probably come out about the same. It was all stuff that couldn't be donated like shitty old mattresses and broken down couches. I live in a condo and I'm not able to just set things down by the dumpster.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I'd say for anyone in this situation, just check your city's garbage pick up rules. Some should pick up oversized junk for free. Just leave it at the curb. Just note that on garbage day, the regular trash bags and bins will be cleared first. Big stuff would be taken away another day. so you got to live with it on your curb for possibly a few days till they get around to it.

But if you need it cleared out asap or your city charges a big fee, then ya, look into removal services.
 

poodaddy

Member
Good, bad? I have a bunch of old furniture I need to dispose. Trying to decide between using a junk removal service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK or renting a truck to haul the stuff myself.
Don't use the haul off service man unless you have a truly gargantuan amount of shit to haul off. I've used it twice in my life.

One time, it was very warranted. I bought a building and had to evict a tenant who was a slob, and she left the property absolutely covered in a literal junkyard of old bullshit. That cost me over 1200 dollars and was worth every penny.

The second time I just had a couch, a bed, and an old drum hauled off and that cost me 800 bucks, which is a huge fuckin rip off.

When I rented a truck and did it myself for a separate scenario at a different property, the dump runs cost me like 280 bucks total. I'd very much recommend doing it that way.
 

Azzurri

Member
I used 1800 junk a month ago to throw a bunch of shit we had in our office.

It was abut 700-800, but we threw away a ton of shit like fridges, freezer, a wash and dryer and bunch of other crap.
 

Lunarorbit

Member
We used 1800 got junk once, and while a good service, it was really expensive. Found out our local trash company came out on Wednesdays and removed junk from people's houses for way cheaper

Or you could rent a dumpster and have them get it when full.
 

GeekyDad

Member
Take it to a goodwill and use it as a Tax deduction. If it is in decent shape.
^This.

And probably don't even have to take it. And if Goodwill won't pick it up, usually there are local outlets similar that will gladly pick it up at no charge. You'll be donating something of value to those in need, and saving a pretty penny. Win-win.
 
We do. The estimate was like $500 bucks and I’d have to throw everything in the dumpster myself. Didn’t seem worth the price.
Yeah, 500 is a little steep. That’s sucks man.
Every May/June I rent a 10yard dumpster for 300 just to get rid of the shit that cumulated over the year.
 

John Marston

GAF's very own treasure goblin
We used 1800 got junk once, and while a good service, it was really expensive.
When I was in hospital & rehab my friend surprised me by painting my apartment & clearing the clutter.

By "clutter" I mean over 100 cases of beer which were stacked everywhere.
The last few months I was a hermit and did not return my empty cases.

1-800-GOT-JUNK took care of it for 950$ 😄
 

JBat

Member
See if there's a local service. The bubba with a truck in town said his minimum was 75 but cut it to 40 for me because I could get all the stuff outside and he happened to be in my area when we scheduled the pick up. Super nice dude and professional.
 
When I've had a bunch of stuff to throw out, I just broke it down into parts and put it in my trash for pickup. Took a few weeks to be clear of it all, but it didn't cost me extra.
 

Lunarorbit

Member
When I was in hospital & rehab my friend surprised me by painting my apartment & clearing the clutter.

By "clutter" I mean over 100 cases of beer which were stacked everywhere.
The last few months I was a hermit and did not return my empty cases.

1-800-GOT-JUNK took care of it for 950$ 😄
Fuck that seems expensive. I'm guessing they were in the basement and nasty so you didn't wanna do bottle redemption (or maybe they don't have it where you are john)
 

bitbydeath

Member
I’ve used 1800-Got-Junk a few times, they’re expensive but they get the job done. Had them take apart a 12 foot trampoline the kids stopped using, and a large swing set. Was worth the money.
 

John Marston

GAF's very own treasure goblin
Fuck that seems expensive. I'm guessing they were in the basement and nasty so you didn't wanna do bottle redemption (or maybe they don't have it where you are john)
I don't have a basement & it wasn't nasty per se, there was just a lot of them 😆

They were neatly stacked in rows where I could maneuver like in a maze.
I took some pictures back then but deleted them because of the overwhelming shame.

We do have bottle redemption I just didn't care at the time.
Looking back on it now feels like a bad dream.
 

rm082e

Member
We do. The estimate was like $500 bucks and I’d have to throw everything in the dumpster myself. Didn’t seem worth the price.
That's steep. I've rented a 15 yard dumpster a few times for $350. Might call around to other services in your area if you can find them.

I had to clean out my in-law's house when they passed a couple years ago. I found a local charity place that picked up furniture. They brought a truck and a couple of guys to move the stuff. They only take usable items though, no broken junk. You might google for something similar.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
When I have a lot of stuff to get rid of I usually rent a 10 yard dumpster. Mainly do it when I have waste left over from home improvement projects. That's around $350.

If I have furniture that I want to get rid of I call the kidney foundation and the come pick it up. The people at the local Goodwill are jerks so I don't donate to them any more.
 

Dr.Morris79

Member
This is also a great way to get really high off of all those treated furniture pieces.

23320cb8d7ea246157ea3bf813405d4d.gif
That's just a bonus! 👀

..I don't really burn furniture though :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I do have to cut it up though and ruin the car :cautious:

Our removal services here are utter trash. It's a 50/50 if it ends up being fly tipped down a country road..
 

Lunarorbit

Member
I don't have a basement & it wasn't nasty per se, there was just a lot of them 😆

They were neatly stacked in rows where I could maneuver like in a maze.
I took some pictures back then but deleted them because of the overwhelming shame.

We do have bottle redemption I just didn't care at the time.
Looking back on it now feels like a bad dream.
Since of my friends basements were war zones; corner with broken glass, hole in drywall,bad smells...

My second job in middle school was at a bottle redemption center in the summer. Had to sort cans/bottles by company i.e. pepsi,coke. Some many yellow jackets cause of the sugar on the cans.

Think we got paid 4.25/hr.
 
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