Junk Haulers Near Me: Compare Prices and Services [2026]

Junk haulers near me charge between $75 and $800 per job in 2026, with most homeowners paying $150 to $350. The exact price depends on three things: how much junk you have, what type of hauler you hire, and whether items are inside your home or already at the curb.

Franchise haulers like 1-800-GOT-JUNK and College Hunks use volume-based pricing measured in truck fractions. A full truckload runs $400 to $800. A quarter truck runs $150 to $250. Neither company shows prices online — they require an on-site estimate before quoting anything.

Marketplace haulers like LoadUp charge per item with upfront online pricing. A couch costs $80 to $200, a mattress runs about $100, and a refrigerator costs roughly $130. Every order also includes a $50 to $80 service area fee on top of item prices.

Curbside haulers like Dropcurb charge a flat $79 starting rate for items already placed at the curb. No service fees, no on-site estimates, no minimum truckload. You see the exact price when you book online.

There are four types of junk haulers operating in most U.S. cities, and each works differently.

• •Full-service franchise haulers (1-800-GOT-JUNK, College Hunks, Junk King) send a two-person crew in a branded truck. They enter your home, carry items out, load the truck, and handle disposal. You pay for the truck space your items occupy. Expect $150 to $800+ per job.

• •Marketplace platforms (LoadUp, Thumbtack, Angi) connect you with independent contractors. LoadUp sets per-item prices and handles booking. Thumbtack and Angi let you request quotes from multiple local pros. Prices vary widely — $80 to $500+ depending on the contractor.

• •Curbside haulers (Dropcurb) pick up items you place at the curb. No crew enters your home. One hauler with a pickup truck handles everything. This eliminates labor costs and keeps prices at $79 for most pickups.

• •Independent operators are local one-truck businesses you find on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Nextdoor. Prices are negotiable ($50 to $300+) but there are no guarantees on insurance, proper disposal, or even showing up.

Finding a junk hauler is easy. Finding one that shows up on time, charges what they quoted, and disposes of your items legally takes more effort.

• •Check for insurance and licensing. Legitimate junk haulers carry commercial general liability insurance. If a hauler damages your property or injures themselves on your premises, insurance protects you. Ask for proof before booking. Franchise haulers carry insurance through their corporate parent. Independent operators may not.

• •Read reviews across multiple platforms. Check Google, Yelp, and BBB — not just the hauler's own website. BBB complaint data reveals patterns that star ratings hide. LoadUp has 122 BBB complaints in three years, many citing no-shows and on-site price changes up to 400% above the original quote.

• •Get the price in writing before work starts. Full-service haulers quote on-site, and some add charges after loading begins. Insist on a written quote that includes all fees. Curbside services like Dropcurb and per-item services like LoadUp show exact prices online before you book — no surprises.

• •Ask about disposal methods. Reputable haulers donate usable items and recycle what they can. Some independent operators dump illegally to avoid landfill fees, which can result in fines traced back to you as the original owner of the items.

Most junk haulers accept furniture (couches, tables, chairs, dressers, bed frames), mattresses and box springs, appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, microwaves), electronics (TVs, monitors, computers), exercise equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, weight benches), and general household junk like boxes, bags, and miscellaneous clutter.

• •Items haulers typically refuse include hazardous materials (paint, motor oil, pool chemicals, pesticides), medical waste, asbestos-containing materials, and tires. Wet paint and motor oil require hazardous waste collection centers. Most cities run free household hazardous waste drop-off events several times per year.

• •Full-service haulers also handle light demolition debris from small remodeling projects in some markets. Curbside haulers focus on items one person can lift from the curb into a pickup truck — furniture, mattresses, appliances, and boxed items.

The three pricing models used by junk haulers produce very different costs for the same job.

Volume-based pricing charges by how much truck space your items fill. 1-800-GOT-JUNK, College Hunks, Junk King, and Two Men and a Junk Truck all use this model. A single mattress gets charged as 1/8 truck ($149 to $200) even though it takes seconds to load. This model favors the hauler on small jobs and the customer on massive cleanouts.

Per-item pricing charges a fixed rate for each item. LoadUp lists prices online: a couch runs $80 to $200, a mattress about $100, a refrigerator roughly $130. Every order adds a $50 to $80 service area fee. This model is transparent but the service fee makes single-item pickups expensive.

Flat-rate curbside pricing charges one price per pickup. Dropcurb starts at $79 with no service fees, no minimum truckload, and no on-site estimates. Additional items cost $19 to $39 each depending on size. This model is cheapest for 1 to 5 items already at the curb.

BBB data and Reddit threads reveal consistent complaint patterns across junk hauling services.

• •No-shows are the most common complaint. LoadUp's BBB profile shows 122 complaints in three years, with contractor no-shows appearing repeatedly. Full-service franchises are more reliable on arrival because they use employee crews, but scheduling often takes 1 to 3 days.

• •On-site price increases happen when volume-based haulers quote one price on the phone and revise upward after seeing your items. Some customers report quotes doubling or tripling at the door. Getting a written estimate before the crew starts work protects against this.

• •Cancellation fees catch customers who book and then need to reschedule. LoadUp charges a 20% cancellation fee — 50% if you cancel within 24 hours of the scheduled pickup. College Hunks has drawn BBB complaints for a $99 dispatch fee that some customers say was not clearly disclosed before booking.

• •Illegal dumping by independent operators saves them landfill fees but creates problems for you. If items with your name or address are found illegally dumped, you could face fines. Use licensed, insured haulers who provide disposal receipts.

Tipping junk haulers is not required but is appreciated for good service. Industry standard is 10% to 20% of the total job cost, or $10 to $20 per hauler for smaller jobs under $100.

For a $250 full-service job with a two-person crew, a $25 to $50 tip split between them is typical. For a quick single-item curbside pickup, $10 to $20 is a generous gesture. Tipping is more common for full-service haulers who carry heavy items from inside your home than for curbside pickups where the hauler loads from the curb.