Junk removal pricing in San Diego runs from $129 for a single-item pickup to $800+ for a full-truck whole-house cleanout. The price depends on volume, not hours, not weight. Here’s what you’ll actually pay in 2026 — by scenario, by item, by what’s in the pile.
What drives the price?
Three things, in order of importance:
- Volume — what fraction of a 20-cubic-yard truck bed your stuff fills. This is ~80% of the quote.
- Specific items with disposal fees — mattresses, fridges with refrigerant, TVs, hot tubs, tires, and paint all have per-item surcharges because they carry per-item disposal costs.
- Access — ground-floor driveway access is the baseline. Tight side-yard gates, locked storage units, and third-floor walk-ups don’t change our flat-rate pricing, but they can affect our ability to same-day.
What does NOT affect price for most haulers: your city within San Diego County, how far we drive, whether it’s stairs, whether it’s a weekend. That’s all baked into the volume rate.
2026 flat-rate price ranges
| Load size | Rough volume | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Single item (one couch, one fridge) | 1/8 truck | $129–$179 |
| Small room / bedroom set | 1/4 truck | $249–$299 |
| Large room / garage clear | 1/2 truck | $399–$449 |
| Multi-room / serious garage | 3/4 truck | $499–$549 |
| Whole-apartment / full garage | Full truck (20 cu yd) | $550–$750 |
| Whole-house cleanout | 2–3 truckloads | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Estate cleanout (2,500+ sq ft) | 3–6 truckloads | $3,000–$9,000+ |
These are our ranges and they line up with most of the honest haulers in the county. The low end of every range assumes standard items — furniture, boxes, bedding, appliances. The high end accounts for higher disposal-fee items.
Specific-item surcharges
These items carry disposal fees, so they’re typically priced separately from the volume rate:
- Mattress or box spring: $45–$60 each (California CRRC recycling)
- Refrigerator or freezer: $55–$85 (EPA-certified refrigerant reclaim)
- TV (CRT or LCD): $35–$60 (e-waste handling fee)
- Hot tub / spa: $399–$650 depending on size (cutting, electrical, multi-trip)
- Tires: $10–$20 each (state tire disposal fee)
- Paint cans (unopened): Usually declined — we’ll route to County HHW
Bundle discounts typically apply when you have multiple items — a bedroom set with mattress + box spring + frame, or a kitchen refresh with fridge + range + dishwasher.
Scenarios and what each actually costs
“I have one couch to get rid of.” $99–$179 flat for a single-item pickup. Matches most curbside-removal services except we actually come today.
“I’m upgrading my bedroom set.” Mattress + box spring + bed frame + one dresser: about $229–$275 bundled.
“My garage is stuffed to the rafters.” Most full-garage cleanouts run $399–$650 depending on how deep it goes. 2-car vs 3-car, and whether there’s a workshop setup in there, matters.
“Parent is downsizing to a smaller place.” Whole-house cleanouts on a 1,500–2,000 sq ft home typically run $1,800–$3,500 over 1–2 days. Includes sort-in-place, donation coordination, and broom-clean finish.
“Estate situation — parent passed, need to list in 6 weeks.” Estate cleanouts on a 2,500–3,500 sq ft home with a packed garage typically run $3,500–$7,500 over 2–3 days. Includes walk-through, flag-valuables pass, donation routing, and listing-ready handoff.
Where surprise costs usually come from (and how to avoid them)
“Dump fee” line items added at the end. Ask up front whether disposal fees are included in the quote. Our quotes include them; some haulers surprise with them after the load.
Hourly vs. flat rate. If a hauler quotes “$150/hour + dump fees” and the job is expected to take 2 hours, you might pay $400 — but you also might pay $600 if they slow-walk. Flat-rate by volume puts that risk on us, not you.
Added volume when the pile grows. Mid-job, you see more stuff you want to add. We adjust the quote on the spot — not a “discovered more than expected” retroactive bump.
Hazardous waste you didn’t know about. Paint, pesticides, motor oil, propane, ammunition — no hauler can legally take these. If they’re in the pile, expect to hear “these are yours to drop at the County HHW facility.”
How to save 20–40% on your pickup
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Sort first. Pull what you’re keeping, pull donation-worthy items for a separate charity pickup, and pull HHW. Your haul-volume drops and your price drops with it.
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Go direct to charity first. Father Joe’s, Habitat ReStore, St. Vincent, and Salvation Army all do pickup schedules that run 2–6 weeks. If you have the time, free is free.
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Bundle jobs. If you need a mattress out today and a garage cleanout next month, save the mattress for the garage day. Bundled pricing is cheaper than two separate pickups.
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Check SDG&E for working appliances. Working second fridges and freezers get free pickup AND a $50 credit from SDG&E. Only works for working units, but worth checking before you pay anyone to haul.
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Use the City of San Diego’s free bulky-item pickup. Scheduled curbside pickup runs 4–8 weeks out but it’s free. Good for non-urgent singletons.
When a private hauler beats free
Free municipal pickup is great when you have time. It’s the wrong choice when:
- You have a buyer walkthrough this week
- Tenant left a mess and the unit needs to re-list
- The truck rental ends today
- HOA fine notice is pending
- The junk is visibly in the yard or driveway in violation of city code
In those cases, same-day pickup at a flat rate beats a 6-week wait every time.
What we do for a quote
Call us at (858) 808-6055 or text photos of the pile to the same number. We’ll give you a volume estimate and a flat-rate quote in the call. No in-home estimate required. No deposits. Confirmed price before the crew arrives.
If you’re comparing haulers, ask three questions: (1) Is the price flat-rate or hourly? (2) Are disposal fees included? (3) Will you sort and donate before landfill? If all three answers are yes, you’ve got a good hauler.