About junk removal prices in Vancouver

How much does it cost to get your rubbish hauled away? This is a question many residents of Vancouver are faced with and finding reliable information on disposal rates can be difficult. Before I start listing average junk removal rates and fees, I should cover some important information on what these rates are based.

Running a junk removal business in Vancouver is expensive and most of these expenses come from sources that most people are not aware of. For example most think that hauling companies just pay for their gas, labour and dumping fees at the North Shore Transfer Station in North Vancouver. However, there are other hidden costs that cannot be seen by the client. For, example, running and maintaining a big truck is taking a big chunk of the profit for most rubbish removal businesses. Ask any owner of a regular size diesel pickup truck and you will be shocked to find out how much more that person spends than if he was the owner of a regular size car.  The city of Vancouver introduces new waste management regulations every year and these usually force companies to adjust the way they do business. This is not to say that recycling is something we don’t like to do, but it needs to be understood that these new policies cost more money. For example, in the past we were able to pickup a load of garbage and just dispose it at the dump. Nowadays, a rubbish disposal company has to sort out junk into different categories and visit few places around Vancouver to dispose them according to recycling regulations.

How much does it cost to get rid of junk?

Most rates are based on the volume your trash takes. Companies have different size trucks but most are around 10 cubic yards. Junk removal fees range anywhere from $300 to $700 depending on how big the company is. However, be prepared to hear some crazy estimations. We had many clients who called another junk disposal company which quoted them $1500 per load. This is unrealistic way of doing business in Vancouver. The issue with comparing prices is that some companies operating in Vancouver use little tricks to hide extra fees. For example you might be quoted $300 but at the end of the job you will be informed that this did not include the dumping fees. This is a common practice in the waste disposal industry in British Columbia. When comparing disposal fees, make sure you are comparing total rates which include disposal fees, labour,taxes and other extra fees.

Another point that has to be made is that some items carry extra fees. For example the city of Vancouver regulations require all mattresses or box springs to be recycled. The metal and wood is removed from the mattress for recycling. Taking apart the mattress is not an easy process and therefore, junk removal companies are charged extra fees on top of the disposal fees. That cost is passed to the client.

Drywall is another example for an item which costs more to get rid of. The North Shore Transfer Station charges double for disposing dry wall. Dry wall is recycled as well.

If you have single or couple of items such as furniture, then each item carries a disposal fee. For example a couch could cost you anywhere from $60 to $100. For single items you have to watch out for small companies which are basically a guy with a pick up truck working part time. Most of these guys are unreliable and you might end up losing the whole day waiting for him. Also you have to consider the fact that you have to let this guy into your house. We hear of cases from Craigslist where there are guys offering cheap house services for the purpose of casing the property.

Hope this article on junk removal prices was useful to you and don’t hesitate to contact me for more information.