Quickly generate detailed quotes using inputs like junk type, volume, and location. Input your business name, customize cubic foot pricing, and choose from preset junk amounts. After entering details about your junk removal project, you’ll get an attractive quote with itemized costs that can be printed or saved.
Junk Removal Quote Calculator
Single Items
Custom Items
Disposal Fees
Heavy Items
Distance and Labor
How to use this calculator
Enter Business Information: Enter your business name (defaults to “Jerry’s Junk Removal”). Catchy right?
Set Your Rates: Set your rate per cubic foot. This tool defaults to $1.75. According to research from Stephanie Koncewicz, the national average rate for junk removal is $1.25 – $2 per cubic foot.
Estimating Job Size:
You have two options for entering the amount of junk:
- Preset Truckload Sizes:
- ⅛ Truckload = 50 cubic feet
- ¼ Truckload = 100 cubic feet
- ½ Truckload = 200 cubic feet (default)
- ¾ Truckload = 300 cubic feet
- Full Truck = 400 cubic feet
- Multiple trucks available up to 1600 cubic feet (4 trucks)
- Custom Size:
- Check the custom box to enter your own cubic footage estimate.
Additional Costs: The calculator includes several optional add-ons that you can use to customize the quote:
- Single Item Fees (all customizable):
- Carpet: $150
- Furniture: $300
- Mattress: $120
- Large Appliances: $200
- Electronics: $100
- Building Materials: $800
- Hazardous Waste: $500
Learn more about the junk removal business with Sky Lane on Instagram.
Note: The default estimates for single item fees are based on data provided by Stephanie Koncewicz at This Old House Ventures, LLC.
- Custom Items: Add any number of items with specific prices.
- Disposal Fees: Enter additional disposal costs if needed.
- Distance Charges: Enter miles and rate per mile for travel costs.
Heavy Items Section
- Over 500 pounds?
- Select “Yes” if you have items like safes, industrial equipment, or heavy machinery
- If “Yes,” describe items with:
- Approximate weight
- Location (floor/room)
- Access issues
A specialty junk removal truck.
Distance and Labor Fields
- Distance to Property
- Enter one-way miles from your base to job site if desired. This is common for junk pickups that are 30 miles or more from your starting point to ensure profitability.
- Price per Mile
- Standard range: $2-3 per mile
- Covers fuel and vehicle wear
- Labor Efficiency (cubic feet/hour) Default is 60 cubic feet/hour. Of course this is a highly variable number depending on the type of waste you’ll be removing. Adjust for:
- Easy jobs: 70-80 cubic feet/hour
- Standard jobs: 60 cubic feet/hour
- Difficult access: 40-50 cubic feet/hour
- Heavy items: 30-40 cubic feet/hour
Crew Size:
- 1 person: Small, light jobs.
- 2 people: Standard residential (most common). This choice reduces the estimated job completion time by 50%.
- 3-4 people: Heavy items or commercial jobs. This will further reduce the estimated job completion time in the results.
Finally, click the “Calculate Junk Removal Quote” button to get your custom estimate. You’ll see total cost, itemized costs, a visual representation of job size, and other details based on your input. You can print or save this in CSV.
The art and science of quoting junk removal projects
In a surprisingly candid YouTube breakdown, junk removal entrepreneur Sky Lane from Fly By Junk Haulers in Cleveland, OH, drops some serious knowledge that was used to validate and enhance this calculator’s results. Let’s break down the three of the most important aspects of quoting a junk removal project.
1. Never Lock Yourself Into Fixed Prices
“Do not lock the price and back yourself into a corner,” Sky emphasizes, explaining how a seemingly simple job can balloon unexpectedly. That’s why this calculator includes variable inputs for labor efficiency and crew size, allowing for real-time adjustments based on conditions.
The magic number? According to Sky, “your full load price may range anywhere from $400 to $700 for the most part no matter where you’re at.”
Fly by Junk Haulers will remove almost anything: fences, decks, hot tubs, mattresses and more.
2. Weight Matters More Than Volume
Here’s where it gets interesting. While most folks focus on volume, Sky drops this bombshell: “Just because of the volume it takes up in there doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be the same price for everything… weight is a massive factor.”
He illustrates this with a concrete example (pun intended): “If you have a quarter load full of concrete it’s not gonna be two or three hundred dollars maybe five to six hundred dollars.” Based on this insight, I added a special items section and heavy items warning system, which adjusts pricing based on material type instead of just volume.
3. Driving Distance and Access
The third lesson hits your wallet where it hurts: travel costs matter. As Sky puts it, “Keep in mind how far you have to travel to get there. Fuel cost is a big thing.” But it’s not just about getting to the site. He notes that if you “have to walk a quarter mile and go through a maze and walk through dogs and go up 16 billion stairs, obviously you need to add on to that price.”
This insight directly correlates with our calculator’s distance metrics and labor efficiency adjustments. When you’re punching in these numbers, remember: every step and every mile counts, literally.
Understanding the calculations:
Here are the key formulas used to make the calculations in this tool.
Volume-Based Cost:
Volume Cost = Cubic Feet × Price per Cubic Foot
Labor Hours Calculation:
Labor Hours = Total Cubic Feet ÷ (Labor Efficiency × Crew Size)
Total Cost Calculation:
Total Cost = Volume Cost + Single Items Cost + Custom Items Cost + Disposal Fees + Travel Cost
Truck Load Calculations: Enter custom size metrics for more accurate estimates.
Number of Trucks = Ceiling(Total Cubic Feet ÷ 400)
Last Truck Percentage = (Total Cubic Feet mod 400) ÷ 400 × 100
Related tools:
Dumpster Rental Business Calculator: If you run a junk removal service, you could also rent out your trailers, trucks, and other equipment to customers who want to go the DIY route and save money. This tool will help you project revenue and profits of this related service.
About the Author: Brett Lindenberg
