Junk removal is a volume business — you're really selling space in your truck — but the jobs that lose money are the ones where dump fees and stairs weren't in the number. Here's how to price a junk removal job in 2026.
Price by truck volume
The core unit is the fraction of a truckload. Eyeball the pile, price the volume, and add for anything heavy or awkward.
- ⅛ truckload: about $75–$125.
- ¼ truckload: about $125–$200.
- ½ truckload: about $200–$400.
- ¾ truckload: about $400–$600.
- Full truckload: about $600–$800. Single items run $60–$400; the average job is around $241.
What a junk price has to cover
- Labor — load time, stairs, and any disassembly.
- Dump & disposal fees — the big variable, and the one people forget.
- Fuel & truck — the drive to the site and to the transfer station.
- Overhead & margin — insurance and your profit on top.
Dump fees and access make or break the margin
Heavy debris like concrete, dirt, or roofing is priced by weight, not volume, and can blow up a “half truck” quote. Stairs, long carries, and special-fee items (mattresses, appliances, e-waste, tires) all cost more — price them in instead of eating them at the dump.
Single-item vs full-load pricing
Set a minimum so a one-item pickup still pays for the trip, price common single items up front, and switch to load-based pricing once the pile crosses a threshold. Give the customer the single-item price and the load price so they can decide.
Quote it on the spot
QuoteCrew makes the quote instant. You say the job out loud (“half a truck, garage cleanout, one couch and a fridge, second-floor stairs”), and it builds an itemized quote from your saved rates and texts the customer a link to accept — before you start loading. On your phone, in English or Spanish.
You can price a haul perfectly in your head. You just can't do it fast enough, in the driveway, before they call the next hauler — and that speed is what books the job.
Ranges above are 2026 U.S. national averages and vary by region, volume, and disposal fees; always price from your own local costs.