A professional storage unit cleanout typically costs about $85 to $550 for a single truckload with Junk Master, depending on how much material needs to be removed. Very large or densely packed units that require more than one truckload can cost more.
At Junk Master, we price cleanouts primarily by how much space your belongings take up in our truck, not simply by the square footage of the storage unit. Our current published pricing starts with an $85 minimum charge and goes up to $550 for a full 15-cubic-yard truckload. Labor, loading, hauling, and normal dump fees are included. (1)
Current Denver competitors publish storage-unit cleanout prices ranging from around $100–$250 for small units to $600–$1,200+ for very large units, showing just how much the final price can change based on volume. (2)
Quick answer: The dimensions on the storage-unit door don’t determine the bill. A half-empty 10×10 can cost less to clear than a packed 5×10 because junk removal is usually priced by the actual volume being hauled.
Average Storage Unit Cleanout Cost
Junk Master’s current junk removal price schedule is:
| Amount Removed | Current 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 15-yard truck | $550 |
One full Junk Master truckload equals approximately 15 cubic yards, or roughly four regular pickup-truck loads. These published prices include labor and normal disposal costs. Certain televisions and computers have separate recycling fees. (1)
This volume-based approach is common in professional junk removal. 1-800-GOT-JUNK, for example, says multi-item jobs are also priced according to how much truck space the material occupies. (3)
Storage Unit Cleanout Cost by Unit Size
Storage-unit dimensions can give you a rough starting point, but they should not be treated as an exact price calculator.
Extra Space Storage lists common unit capacities ranging from 200 cubic feet for a 5×5 to 1,600 cubic feet for a 10×20, assuming typical eight-foot ceilings. (4)
5×5 Storage Unit
A 5×5 unit is roughly the size of a storage closet.
If it contains several boxes and a few small pieces of furniture, the cleanout may fall toward the lower end of the pricing scale. A unit packed tightly from floor to ceiling can cost considerably more.
5×10 Storage Unit
A 5×10 provides around 50 square feet of floor space and can hold furniture, a mattress, boxes, and other belongings from a small room or apartment. (4)
The actual removal cost depends on how much of that space you have used.
10×10 Storage Unit
A 10×10 unit contains about 100 square feet of floor space and roughly 800 cubic feet of total storage capacity with an eight-foot ceiling. It can hold furniture, mattresses, tables, shelving, and a significant number of boxes. (4)
Denver-area competitors currently quote roughly $250–$500 for many 10×10 cleanouts. (2)
10×20 Storage Unit
A 10×20 can hold the contents of multiple rooms or a house, so a completely packed unit may require a full truck or even multiple loads.
Current Denver market pricing for large storage-unit cleanouts commonly starts around $450–$600 and can rise significantly when multiple truckloads are required. (2)
How Much Does It Cost to Empty a 10×10 Storage Unit?
A 10×10 storage unit cleanout commonly runs around $250–$500 in the Denver market, but the actual price depends on how much material is inside.
The physical dimensions tell us how much the unit could hold—not how much you’re actually asking us to remove.
For example, these two 10×10 units could have completely different prices:
Unit A: One couch, mattress, dresser and 10 boxes.
Unit B: Furniture, appliances and boxes packed almost to the ceiling.
They’re both 10×10 units, but Unit B takes substantially more truck space and labor.
For the most accurate estimate, open the door and take photos showing the entire unit.
What Affects Storage Unit Cleanout Pricing?
How Full the Unit Is
This is usually the biggest factor.
A quarter-truck worth of belongings costs less than a full truck, regardless of whether those items came from a 5×10 or 10×20 unit.
Furniture and Heavy Items
Couches, mattresses, dressers, appliances and other large items consume truck space quickly.
Extremely heavy or unusual materials may also require additional handling or disposal arrangements.
Stairs, Elevators and Access
A drive-up unit is easier to clear than an interior unit located several hallways away from the truck.
Elevators, stairs, narrow corridors and long carrying distances can all make the cleanout more labor intensive.
Disposal Fees
Normal disposal fees are included in Junk Master’s published volume pricing.
Certain electronics are different. Televisions and computers currently carry separate local recycling fees, which are added to the load price. (1)
Paint, gasoline, solvents, oil and other hazardous materials also require specialized disposal. The EPA recommends using appropriate household hazardous-waste collection programs rather than placing these materials in ordinary trash. (5)
What Is the Minimum Charge for Junk Removal?
Junk Master’s current minimum charge is $85. (1)
A minimum charge covers very small pickups where there isn’t enough material to justify charging for a larger portion of the truck.
If you’re clearing an actual storage unit rather than removing one or two items, the job will usually be priced according to the fraction of the truck your belongings occupy.
What Does a $99 Junk Removal Offer Usually Cover?
A $99 junk removal advertisement generally represents a starting price or very small pickup, not the price for clearing an entire packed storage unit.
Large multi-item jobs are commonly priced by truck volume. National junk removal companies use fractional truckloads for precisely this reason. (3)
Before hiring any company based on an advertised starting price, ask whether the quote includes:
- Labor
- Loading
- Transportation
- Dump fees
- Cleanup
- Fuel or trip charges
- Additional heavy-item fees
Junk Master’s standard volume pricing includes loading, labor, hauling, normal disposal, and cleanup of the work area. (1)
DIY vs. Professional Storage Unit Cleanout Cost
Doing it yourself may be cheaper when you have a small amount of junk, access to a truck, and enough help to lift everything safely.
But remember to include:
- Truck or trailer rental
- Fuel
- Disposal fees
- Donation trips
- Multiple dump runs
- Moving equipment
- Your time
A professional cleanout becomes more attractive when the unit contains furniture, appliances, dozens of boxes, or enough material to require repeated trips.
Our guide on how to clean out a storage unit walks through the DIY process step by step. How to Clean Out a Storage Unit
How to Reduce the Cost of a Storage Unit Cleanout
The easiest way to lower the price is to reduce the amount that needs to be hauled.
Before your appointment:
- Take home anything you’re keeping.
- Sell valuable belongings.
- Donate usable items when practical.
- Recycle appropriate materials.
- Clearly identify everything that can go.
You do not need to carry everything into the hallway or parking lot. Junk Master loads items directly from the unit.
Money-saving tip: Don’t pay a junk removal crew to haul something you could sell for $100. Pull out anything clearly valuable before the cleanout and let the crew handle what remains.
If you’re paying monthly rent on a unit you no longer need, don’t forget that delaying the cleanout can also cost money. Another month of storage rent can easily erase whatever you saved by putting the job off.
If you’ve already fallen behind on payments, read our guide to what happens to an abandoned storage unit in Colorado before your account progresses further. What Happens to an Abandoned Storage Unit in Colorado?
Get an Exact Storage Unit Cleanout Price
The easiest way to know what your cleanout will cost is to let us see what’s actually inside.
Junk Master provides upfront, all-inclusive pricing for storage unit cleanouts throughout Commerce City and the Denver Metro. We handle the lifting, loading, hauling, donation, recycling, disposal, and final cleanup.
View our storage unit cleanout service or call (720) 999-0466 for a free estimate. Storage Unit Cleanouts in Commerce City
References
1. Junk Master, Junk Removal Pricing & FAQs. Junk Master Pricing & FAQs
2. Denver-area storage unit cleanout pricing comparisons.
3. 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, What Does Junk Removal Include in the Price? 1-800-GOT-JUNK pricing guide
4. Extra Space Storage, Storage Unit Size Guide. Extra Space Storage size guide
5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Household Hazardous Waste. EPA Household Hazardous Waste 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 storage unit cleanouts, house cleanouts, property cleanouts, furniture removal, appliance removal, recycling, donation, and full-service junk hauling.
Email: junkmasterdenver@gmail.com
Social Profiles: Facebook | Yelp
About Junk Master: Meet the Junk Master Team