How much does house clearance cost?

Our homes are our personal sanctuaries. Coming home to a spacious, clean, and tidy home can easily uplift our moods after a long, tiring day. If you get too busy and need help making space in your basement, garage, or entire home, house clearance is a good idea! But how much does a house clearance cost?

On average, how much a house clearance costs start at $90 for an extra small clearance or (a fourth of a truck) and $450 for a large clearance (one full truckload!).

However, costs are measured differently by different service providers. Some measure by volume, some by weight, while others prefer a one-off fee. These could get confusing especially for first-timers! Want more guidance in doing your house clearance? With our price guide, you can find out exactly how much is a house clearance and make an informed choice for your own home.

Factors that affect house clearance costs

Whether you just want to make some space at home, planning to move out, or doing some renovation, house clearance can improve your home. When it comes to cost, the volume of items will be reflected in the prices. To help you prepare the right budget, we listed the essential factors to keep in mind that will affect the costs involved in house clearance.

Quantity of items

As mentioned, a house clearance can be paid according to volume, weight, or item type. Whichever method you choose, the more items you need to be cleared, the more expensive. A clearance that will cover the load of half a van will be cheaper than a clearance that will cover the whole van.

Aside from these, you may also opt to hire a skip bin which costs around $300 to $400 per day. A skip bin is a container rented per day for the disposal of household rubbish or construction wastes.  However, costs can escalate especially if you hire a skip bin for more than one day.

Type of items

In case you only want to get rid of a few items instead of a whole van, the same principle is observed. Bulkier and heavier items will be charged higher compared to smaller and lighter items. To illustrate, the cost of clearing a small appliance like an oven which will cost around $40 per hour will differ from clearing a piano which is around $75 to $90 per hour. These will further be discussed below.

Location  

In addition to these, the price of house clearance will vary depending on the location. If you live in Sydney or Perth, expect house clearance prices to be slightly higher compared to the rest of the US.

Aside from this, you might also face extra fees if you live in a remote and rural location as it will be more challenging to bring the truck or van to your area. It will take longer and consume more gas in the process.

Per-item price list

If you want to get an idea on what is the average cost of a house clearance per item, we’ve prepared an itemised list showing estimated costs of the most common items. This can help you align your expectations and avoid any surprises in the future:

Additional costs to consider

Aside from the quantity, type of item, location, recycling costs, vehicle costs, and special disposal of items are additional costs to consider.

Depending on the house clearance provider, items that need special disposals such as electrical and electronic goods or radioactive goods might incur an additional fee. Disposal of the said items needs special handling and prior training to be done safely. Some of these also require special equipment in the process hence the additional fee.

Tips to minimise costs

To reduce house clearance costs, it helps to do initial preparations like pre-sorting of items and personally reselling these online or within your close circles. You can also get discounts through the resale of valuable items from your house clearance specialist.

Do an initial sorting

Do an initial sorting of your items and check if some items can be resold online. Aside from generating an added revenue, you will also help make the clearing process faster and more efficient by doing initial segregation. This will also reduce the amount of stuff to be cleared, which will help decrease house clearance service costs.

Check free local trash removal services

Depending on your location, you can also check with your state or city on free waste removal and recycling services. This will help in decreasing the number of items to be cleared.

Ask for the resale value of cleared items

While your house clearance specialist is in your home, check the estimated resale value of valuable items and align if these will be deducted from the current fees or paid after selling.

Get multiple quotes

Having a range of options is always helpful, so it’s worth it to ask for a few quotes. Get quotes from house clearance specialists nearest your location and find one that suits your budget and has good reviews.

Feel like refreshing your attic, basement, or the entire home? Whether you want a whole room clearance or just want to get rid of many bulky items, get personalised house clearance quotes in minutes when you put up a task on Airtasker.