A professional house cleanout can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a partial cleanout to $1,000 or more for an entire furnished home. Large estates, heavily cluttered properties, or houses requiring multiple truckloads can cost several thousand dollars.
At Junk Master, we don’t price a house cleanout simply by square footage. We primarily look at how much material needs to be removed and how much space it takes up in our truck.
Our current published junk removal rates are:
| Load Size | Junk Master Price |
|---|---|
| Minimum pickup | $85 |
| 1/8 truckload | $150 |
| 1/4 truckload | $250 |
| 1/3 truckload | $300 |
| 1/2 truckload | $350 |
| 2/3 truckload | $400 |
| 3/4 truckload | $450 |
| Full truckload | $550 |
Our trucks hold about 15 cubic yards, or roughly four regular pickup-truck loads. Normal labor, loading and dump fees are included in these prices. (1)
Quick answer: The amount of stuff inside the house matters much more than the home’s square footage. A nearly empty 2,000-square-foot house can cost less to clear than a packed 1,000-square-foot home.
Average House Cleanout Cost
There isn’t one useful national “average” that applies to every house.
Current 2026 industry data illustrates just how wide the range can be. Angi reports professional estate cleanouts ranging from approximately $275 to $4,000, with an average around $1,250, depending on the size and scope of the property. (2) College HUNKS similarly lists about $1,000–$2,500 for many three-bedroom estate cleanouts, with larger five-bedroom properties potentially exceeding $6,000. (3)
Those aren’t Junk Master’s rates, but they show why a full-house cleanout can’t be priced accurately from bedroom count alone.
Junk Master’s published pricing is based on truck volume. If the belongings fit within a single truckload, the current maximum listed one-load price is $550. A house that requires two, three or more loads becomes a larger project.
The most reliable way to know your actual cost is to show us what’s inside the property and get an upfront quote.
What Determines the Cost of a House Cleanout?
Several factors can turn one house into a $300 cleanout and another into a much larger project.
Amount of Junk and Furniture
Volume is usually the biggest factor.
A house containing one couch, two mattresses and several boxes requires far less truck space than a property containing complete bedroom sets, appliances, garage contents, basement storage and decades of accumulated belongings.
Junk Master’s own pricing policy puts it simply:
“Our pricing is based on load size.” (1)
That’s why it’s more useful to look at everything that needs to leave than the size printed on a real-estate listing.
Number of Truckloads
A full Junk Master truck holds approximately 15 cubic yards.
Some houses fit comfortably into one load. Others don’t.
Our House Clearance service notes that even a modest two-bedroom home can sometimes fill multiple truckloads once furniture, boxes, appliances and the contents of closets, basements and garages are pulled out.
Large properties commonly become expensive because of volume, not necessarily because the crew spends dramatically more time inside the home.
Property Access
Accessibility can also affect how complicated the cleanout becomes.
A ranch-style home with a driveway next to the door is easier to clear than a property with:
- Multiple flights of stairs
- Long carrying distances
- Narrow doorways
- Limited truck parking
- Finished basements
- Attics with difficult access
- Detached garages or sheds
Current Denver junk-removal cost data also identifies debris volume, heavy items and accessibility as significant pricing factors. (4)
Heavy or Difficult Items
Appliances, oversized furniture, exercise equipment and other bulky objects may require additional labor or take up substantial truck space.
Certain electronics also carry separate local recycling fees. Junk Master’s current pricing page lists additional recycling charges for televisions and computer equipment. (1)
Paint, gasoline, solvents, pesticides and similar materials are different. Junk Master does not accept many hazardous compounds as normal junk, and the EPA recommends using appropriate household hazardous waste programs for these materials. (5)
How Much Does a 2,000-Square-Foot House Cleanout Cost?
There is no reliable flat price for cleaning out a 2,000-square-foot house because square footage does not tell us how much stuff is actually inside.
Consider two identical homes.
House A: The owners already moved most of their belongings. Only a couch, mattress, dresser, garage items and some boxes remain.
House B: Every room is furnished, the garage is packed, the basement contains years of storage, and closets are still full.
Both houses are 2,000 square feet.
House B could require several times the hauling capacity of House A.
Current professional cleanout benchmarks frequently put full three-bedroom homes around $1,000–$2,500, although the actual range varies substantially by company, market and contents. (3)
With Junk Master, the better question is not “How many square feet is the house?” but “How many truckloads will everything fill?”
How Much Does an Apartment Cleanout Cost?
An apartment cleanout can start much lower than a full-house cleanout because there is usually less material to remove.
A lightly furnished apartment might require only:
- A mattress
- Couch
- Small dining set
- Dresser
- Boxes
- Bags of unwanted belongings
That could fall within a partial truckload.
A packed apartment containing complete furniture sets, appliances and large amounts of trash can cost much more.
So a 500-square-foot apartment does not automatically have a specific cleanout price. The 500 square feet tells us the size of the unit—not the volume of junk.
This also prevents an important search-intent mistake: an apartment cleanout is not the same thing as apartment cleaning. We’re talking about removing furniture, belongings and junk, not scrubbing kitchens, bathrooms or floors.
Does Square Footage Determine House Cleanout Cost?
No. Square footage can help estimate potential scope, but it does not determine cleanout pricing by itself.
Professional junk removal is commonly priced according to the volume of material being removed.
A 3,000-square-foot house that’s nearly empty might take one truck.
A 1,500-square-foot hoarded property might take several.
This is why asking for photos or completing a walkthrough produces a much more accurate quote than multiplying the home’s square footage by a generic cleanout rate.
If you’re trying to estimate the time involved rather than the price, our guide to how long a house cleanout takes explains how property size, volume, sorting and access affect the timeline.
House Cleanout Cost by Truckload
For Junk Master, truck volume gives you a much more useful pricing framework:
Small cleanout: $85–$250
This may cover a few individual items through roughly a quarter-truckload.
Medium cleanout: $300–$400
This represents roughly one-third to two-thirds of a truck.
Large single-load cleanout: $450–$550
This covers approximately three-quarters through one full 15-cubic-yard load.
Whole-house or multi-load cleanout: Varies
A fully furnished home may require more than one truckload, so the crew needs to see the volume before providing an accurate total.
These are based on Junk Master’s currently published load prices and are not estimates for every house. (1)
Money-saving tip: Don’t pay to haul something you can easily sell or give away. Pull out clearly valuable items before the crew arrives and let the cleanout team handle what remains.
DIY vs. Professional House Cleanout Costs
DIY can absolutely cost less if you already own a truck, have plenty of help and don’t mind doing the labor.
But make sure you’re comparing the total cost, not just the dump fee.
Doing it yourself may involve truck or trailer rental, fuel, disposal charges, multiple landfill trips, donation runs, moving equipment and an entire weekend—or several weekends—of lifting and sorting.
Professional cleanout service bundles those steps together.
Junk Master’s standard pricing includes loading items from anywhere on the property, hauling, normal disposal fees and cleanup of the work area. The crew also prioritizes donation and recycling when possible. (1)
For a garage with a handful of items, DIY might make perfect sense.
For an entire furnished home, estate, rental turnover or heavily cluttered property, professional removal becomes much more attractive because an experienced crew can handle the entire project at once.
The EPA also recommends reusing and donating usable household goods whenever practical rather than automatically sending everything to disposal. (5)
How Can You Lower the Cost of a House Cleanout?
The simplest way to reduce the price is to reduce the volume being hauled.
Before the cleanout, separate anything you want to:
- Keep
- Sell
- Give to family
- Donate
Don’t spend days perfectly organizing the junk itself. Once you’re confident everything important has been removed, the crew can work much faster.
Also identify hazardous materials ahead of time rather than mixing them into normal household junk. Paint, oils, pesticides, gasoline and certain chemicals require appropriate disposal methods. (5)
For an estate or inherited property, handle documents, photographs, jewelry and sentimental items before removal day.
For a rental property, make sure you have the legal right to remove anything left behind before the cleanout begins.
How Do You Get an Accurate House Cleanout Estimate?
The fastest way is to show the cleanout company what actually needs to leave.
Take photos of:
- Each furnished or cluttered room
- Basement
- Garage
- Attic
- Large appliances
- Large furniture
- Outdoor items
- Anything unusually heavy
Photos give the crew a much better idea of volume than simply saying, “It’s a three-bedroom house.”
Junk Master also offers free on-site estimates. You receive the price before anything is loaded, so you can decide whether you want to proceed.
If you’re cleaning out a rental after tenants move, visit our Rental Property Cleanouts in Commerce City page for information about clearing furniture, belongings and trash before repairs and turnover.
For a complete property clearance, Junk Master can handle bedrooms, living spaces, garages, basements, appliances, furniture and accumulated household belongings in one coordinated project.
Call (720) 999-0466 for a free, no-obligation estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a full house cleanout cost?
A full house cleanout can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the amount of furniture and junk, number of truckloads, accessibility and any special disposal requirements. Junk Master prices primarily according to the volume being removed.
How much does it cost to clean out a 2,000-square-foot house?
There is no fixed price based solely on 2,000 square feet. A nearly empty 2,000-square-foot home may require only one load, while a fully furnished or heavily cluttered home of the same size may require several truckloads.
How much does an apartment cleanout cost?
Apartment cleanout prices depend primarily on how much furniture, junk and other material needs to be hauled away. A lightly furnished apartment may require only a partial truckload, while a packed unit can cost considerably more.
Can I sell items during a house cleanout?
Yes. If you own the belongings and they still have value, separating items to sell before the cleanout can reduce the amount you pay to have removed. You can also donate usable belongings rather than disposing of them.
What should I remove from a house before selling it?
Remove unwanted furniture, personal belongings, boxes, garage clutter, basement items and other junk that will not stay with the property. Clearing the home makes it easier to clean, repair, photograph, stage and show to potential buyers.
Which areas of a house usually take the longest to clean out?
Garages, basements, attics and storage areas often take the longest because they tend to contain years of accumulated belongings. Areas with stairs, poor access or large numbers of small loose items can also slow down a cleanout.
References
1. Junk Master, Junk Removal Pricing & FAQs.
2. Angi, How Much Do Estate Cleanout Services Cost? [2026 Data].
3. College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving, How Much Does an Estate Cleanout Cost? Guide to Pricing.
4. Angi, How Much Does Junk Removal Cost in Denver, CO? [2026 Data].
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Household Hazardous Waste and Waste Reduction Guidance.
Author
Junk Master Team
Junk Master is a locally owned, family-run, licensed and insured Colorado junk removal company serving Commerce City, Denver and surrounding Denver Metro communities. The team handles whole-house cleanouts, rental property cleanouts, estate cleanouts, apartment cleanouts, furniture removal, appliance removal, donation, recycling and full-service junk hauling.
Email: junkmasterdenver@gmail.com
Social Profiles: Facebook | Yelp
About Junk Master: Junk Master provides residential and commercial junk removal and property cleanout services throughout the Denver Metro.