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Eviction Cleanouts: Pricing, Legal & PM Guide

Every day a unit sits full is $30–$65 in lost rent. Fast-turnaround eviction cleanouts keep your PM clients happy and your trucks booked weekly.

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Last updated: Mar 2026

Pricing

Pricing Tiers

Pricing considerations for the job size, materials and access requirements.

Studio / 1-Bedroom

$300–$800

  • Full contents removal from all rooms and closets

  • Tenant-owned appliance clearing where applicable

  • Broom-clean finish so PM can show unit immediately

  • Before and after photo documentation for PM records

Charge high-end:

Charge $700⁠–⁠$800 when you encounter hoarding-level volume, heavy water damage, mold on surfaces, biohazard such as pet waste or rotting food, or when contents weigh significantly more than a typical studio — these conditions add 1⁠–⁠2 extra crew-hours and increase dump tonnage fees by 30⁠–⁠50%.

2-Bedroom

$500–$1,200

  • Full apartment clearing including all rooms, closets, and storage areas

  • Heavy item removal — couches, mattresses, dressers, box springs

  • Typically 1⁠–⁠2 full truck loads at 3⁠–⁠4 cubic yards each

  • Broom-clean finish with debris-free floors and counters

Charge high-end:

Hit the $1,000⁠–⁠$1,200 range when you find excessive debris piled in every room, heavy furniture on upper floors without elevator access, damaged contents like broken glass or soaked carpet, or when the unit requires three or more crew-hours and multiple dump runs — always quote the surcharge before starting work.

3-Bedroom+ / House

$1,000–$3,000+

  • Full property clearing including all living spaces, bathrooms, and kitchen

  • Garage, shed, yard, and porch clearing if applicable

  • Typically 2⁠–⁠3 full truck loads, sometimes 4 for heavily packed homes

  • Broom-clean all rooms and sweep garage slab

Charge high-end:

Price above $2,500 for hoarding-level homes where contents reach ceiling height in multiple rooms, biohazard situations involving animal hoarding or human waste, multi-level properties with no elevator, or homes with attached structures like workshops or finished basements packed floor to ceiling — these jobs can consume 6⁠–⁠8 crew-hours and $200+ in dump fees alone.

Commercial Unit / Office

$800–$2,500+

  • Full commercial space clearing of furniture, equipment, and inventory

  • Cubicle tear-down and removal if present

  • Large-item handling — desks, filing cabinets, commercial shelving

  • Broom-clean for landlord walkthrough

Charge high-end:

Exceed $2,000 for large retail spaces or warehouses with heavy commercial equipment, multi-room office suites with built-in cabinetry, or any space requiring dumpster staging and multiple days of clearing — commercial evictions also carry higher insurance exposure so verify your GL covers commercial property.

Add-ons

  • Same-day / next-day service+$100–$200
  • Deep cleaning (walls, floors, appliances)$200–$500
  • Severe condition surcharge (hoarding, biohazard, heavy damage)+50–100%
  • Carpet removal and haul-away+$75–$200
  • Exterior / yard debris clearing+$100–$300
Assumptions behind these rangesAssumptions behind these ranges
  • 2⁠–⁠3 person crew at $18⁠–⁠$25/hour per laborer
  • 2⁠–⁠5 hours on-site depending on unit size and condition severity
  • PM rate card baseline: studio $350, 1BR $500, 2BR $750, 3BR+ $1,200
  • Dump fees average $55⁠–⁠$80/ton at MSW landfills — budget 1⁠–⁠3 tons per job
  • Fuel and truck wear per job averages $35⁠–⁠$65 depending on distance to disposal site

Checklist

Pre-Quote Checklist

Property managers value speed and predictability above all else. Build a rate card by unit size, add surcharges for condition severity, and quote in under 60 seconds. PMs who manage 50+ doors do not have time for custom estimates on every unit.

0 of 7 verified

Field operations

Equipment & PPE

Required

  • Hand trucks and furniture dolliesStarter for moving heavy dressers, couches, and mattresses efficiently.

    A convertible hand truck handles 80% of eviction contents. Budget $80⁠–⁠$150 per truck.

  • Heavy-duty contractor trash bags (3-mil)Eviction contents are mixed and heavy — loose clothing, kitchen items, broken glass.

    Standard bags rip immediately. Buy 3-mil 42-gallon bags in bulk at $0.35⁠–⁠$0.50 each.

  • Broom, dustpan, and basic cleaning suppliesEvery eviction cleanout ends with broom-clean floors.

    Carry a push broom, corn broom, dustpan, all-purpose spray, and paper towels. Costs under $40 and sets you apart from haulers who just dump and leave.

  • Appliance straps and moving blanketsProtects doorframes and hallway walls when moving heavy items.

    One gouge in a property hallway costs $150⁠–⁠$300 to repair and damages your PM relationship permanently.

  • Pry bar and basic tool kitFor detaching tenant-installed shelving, curtain rods, and wall mounts.

    Carry a flat pry bar, Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, and pliers in a small bag.

Recommended

  • Tyvek suits (disposable)Required for severe condition units with animal waste, mold, or heavy soiling.

    Buy in bulk at $5⁠–⁠$8 per suit. Your crew will refuse to enter bad units without them — and they should.

  • Industrial disinfectant sprayHospital-grade quaternary ammonium or bleach solution for basic sanitization after clearing severe units.

    Costs $15⁠–⁠$25 per gallon. Not a substitute for professional remediation but shows PMs you go beyond basic hauling.

  • Portable work lightsEvicted units frequently have power shut off.

    Two battery-powered LED work lights at $25⁠–⁠$40 each let your crew work safely and spot hazards in dark rooms, closets, and garages.

  • Folding utility cartSpeeds up loading loose items from upper-floor units where a hand truck is too bulky for narrow hallways.

    A $60 collapsible cart saves 15⁠–⁠20 minutes per load.

Required PPE — Do Not Skip

  • N95 respirators for all crew on severe condition units — dust, mold spores, and animal dander are guaranteed

  • Cut-resistant gloves (Level A4 minimum) — broken glass, nails, and sharp debris are common in eviction contents

  • Steel-toe boots with puncture-resistant soles — eviction floors often have exposed nails, screws, and broken items

  • Safety glasses or goggles for overhead clearing and dusty environments

  • Disposable shoe covers for PMs who want you to protect freshly cleaned hallway carpet in multi-unit buildings

Workflow

Step-by-Step Workflow

Execute the job safely and efficiently every time.

  1. Verify legal authorization

    Confirm with the PM or landlord that the eviction process is legally complete and they have lawful possession.

    Request a signed work authorization form. In most states, this means the constable or sheriff has already executed the writ of possession. Never take verbal-only authorization — written protects you if the tenant disputes.

  2. Walk the unit with the PM

    Identify every property-owned appliance and fixture that stays — fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer, HVAC units, built-in shelving.

    Mark tenant items for removal. Note condition severity. Take photos of all rooms, closets, garage, and yard before touching anything. This 10-minute walkthrough prevents $500+ mistakes.

  3. Assess and stage

    Evaluate total volume and weight. Identify any items that need special handling — mattresses with bed bugs, electronics with lithium batteries, paint cans, or refrigerators with food still inside.

    Stage donatable items near the door if your route passes a donation center. Separate recyclable metals — a truck bed of scrap metal can offset $20⁠–⁠$40 in dump fees.

  4. Clear all tenant property room by room

    Work systematically from the back of the unit forward.

    Bag all loose items in contractor bags. Move heavy furniture to the truck first while crew energy is highest. Clear closets, cabinets, and storage areas completely. Check attic access panels and under sinks. PMs will call you back if they find a single bag of trash in a closet — and you will eat that trip cost.

  5. Broom-clean and inspect

    Sweep every room, hallway, closet, and the kitchen and bathroom floors.

    Wipe counters and appliance exteriors if deep clean is in scope. Remove all wall nails and hooks if the PM requests it. The unit should look ready for a showing — not just empty. Walk the entire unit one final time to catch missed items behind doors, inside cabinets, or on high shelves.

  6. Before/after photo documentation

    Capture matching-angle photos of every room, the kitchen, each bathroom, closets, garage, and exterior.

    Upload directly to the job record. PMs use these photos for tenant damage claims, security deposit disputes, and insurance filings. Operators who provide clean documentation get preferred vendor status — PMs tell us this is the number one differentiator.

  7. Invoice and follow up

    Send the invoice same-day with photos attached.

    Reference the rate card so there are no surprises. Follow up within 48 hours asking if the PM has any other units that need clearing. One eviction cleanout done well is worth $5,000⁠–⁠$20,000 in annual recurring revenue from that single PM relationship. Always leave a stack of rate cards at their office.

Disposal

Disposal Options & Costs

  1. MSW landfill

    Default    Standard destination for most eviction contents — furniture, clothing, household items, and general debris.

    Weigh your truck before and after to track actual tonnage and avoid overpaying flat-rate dump fees. Most eviction cleanouts generate 1⁠–⁠3 tons depending on unit size.

    $40–$80/ton

  2. Donation drop-off

    Divert usable furniture, clothing in good condition, and working small appliances to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or local shelters.

    Reduces dump fees by $30⁠–⁠$60 per job and gives you a donation receipt. Schedule drop-offs along your route so you are not making a separate trip.

    Free

  3. Scrap metal recycling

    Separate bed frames, metal shelving, appliance housings, and miscellaneous ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

    Scrap yards pay $0.04⁠–⁠$0.12/lb for mixed ferrous and $0.80⁠–⁠$1.50/lb for clean copper or brass. A single eviction can yield $15⁠–⁠$50 in scrap revenue on top of dump fee savings.

    Revenue: $15–$50per job

Safety & compliance

When to Decline the Job

Walk away from these. The margin isn’t worth the risk.

Red Flags — Decline or Reprice

  1. Eviction not legally complete — removing tenant property before the writ of possession is executed exposes you to criminal theft charges and civil lawsuits in every state

  2. Biohazard conditions such as human waste, used needles, animal hoarding with feces, or decomposition — these require licensed biohazard remediation crews with OSHA bloodborne pathogen training

  3. Tenant still present, claiming occupancy, or physically on the property — do not engage, leave immediately, and let the PM resolve with law enforcement

  4. PM wants you to store tenant property indefinitely without a clear storage timeline or written disposal authorization — you become liable for that property the moment it is in your possession

  5. Structural damage making the unit unsafe — collapsed ceilings, exposed electrical wiring, compromised flooring. Your crew's safety is worth more than any cleanout fee

Profitability

Why This Job Is Profitable

  1. Standard eviction cleanouts yield 55⁠–⁠65% gross margins — a $750 two-bedroom job costs roughly $260⁠–⁠$340 in labor ($18⁠–⁠$25/hr × 2 crew × 3 hours), $55⁠–⁠$80 in dump fees, and $35⁠–⁠$50 in fuel and truck wear, leaving $280⁠–⁠$400 in gross profit.

  2. One property management company with 50⁠–⁠100 doors generates 10⁠–⁠25 eviction cleanouts per year at $500⁠–⁠$1,200 each — that is $5,000⁠–⁠$20,000+ in annual recurring revenue from a single relationship with zero marketing spend after the first job.

  3. Same-day and next-day premiums of $100⁠–⁠$200 per job add pure margin because your fixed costs (labor, fuel, dump fees) remain identical — PMs pay the premium gladly because every vacant day costs them $30⁠–⁠$65 in lost rent.

  4. Rate card pricing eliminates per-job quoting overhead entirely — PM calls, references the unit size, you dispatch the crew and invoice the flat rate. This saves 15⁠–⁠20 minutes per job in estimating time and reduces accounts-receivable disputes by 80%.

  5. Donation and scrap diversion offset 20⁠–⁠35% of dump fees per job — a crew that routinely separates metals and donatable furniture saves $1,200⁠–⁠$2,500 per year in disposal costs across a typical 40⁠–⁠60 eviction cleanout volume.

Risk management

Insurance & Liability

  1. General Liability

    Standard general liability insurance ($1M/$2M) covers eviction cleanouts.

    Your primary risk exposures are property damage to the unit itself — gouged doorframes, damaged flooring, broken fixtures — and accidental removal of property-owned appliances. Many PMs require a Certificate of Insurance naming them as additional insured before they will add you to their vendor list. Budget $1,200⁠–⁠$2,400/year for GL depending on your revenue volume.

  2. Demolition Exclusion

    Demolition exclusions typically do not apply to standard eviction clearing.

    However, if the PM asks you to tear out carpet, remove built-in cabinetry, or strip flooring, verify your policy covers light interior demolition. Some GL policies exclude any structural modification — even pulling carpet nails. Check with your agent before quoting demo add-ons.

  3. Workers Comp

    Workers compensation insurance is required for all W-2 employees in every state.

    Eviction cleanouts carry elevated injury risk — heavy lifting in cramped spaces, exposure to mold and animal waste in severe units, and puncture hazards from hidden nails and broken glass. Expect workers comp premiums of $0.08⁠–⁠$0.14 per dollar of payroll for junk removal classification codes. Severe-condition units increase claim frequency by roughly 25%.

Operator tips

Operator Tips

Know your state's tenant property law cold

Some states like California require landlords to hold abandoned property for 15⁠–⁠18 days and send written notice before disposal.

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Others like Texas allow immediate removal once the writ of possession is executed. Verify the PM has complied with their state's timeline before you touch anything. Getting this wrong cost a Phoenix operator $6,800 in a tenant lawsuit in 2024.

Build a printed rate card and leave it everywhere

Studio: $350. 1BR: $500. 2BR: $750. 3BR+: $1,200.

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Severe condition: +50⁠–⁠100%. Same-day: +$100⁠–⁠$200. Print 50 laminated cards and leave them at every PM office, real estate office, and apartment leasing desk in your market. One $12 stack of rate cards generated $14,000 in first-year revenue for a two-truck operator in Tampa.

Same-day availability wins the account

Property managers need the unit cleared yesterday.

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The operator who answers the phone at 8 AM and has a crew onsite by noon wins repeat business for years. Block 2⁠–⁠3 open slots per week specifically for PM rush work. Reliable same-day availability is how you beat competitors who quote lower but schedule a week out.

Before/after photos on every single job

PMs use your photos for tenant damage claims, security deposit disputes, and insurance filings.

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Upload matching-angle shots of every room directly to the job record using ScaleYourJunk's driver portal. This single habit differentiates you from 90% of junk haulers and is the number one reason PMs cite for choosing a preferred vendor.

Cross-sell deep cleaning and carpet removal

After clearing a unit, offer deep cleaning ($200⁠–⁠$500) and carpet tear-out ($75⁠–⁠$200 per room).

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Many PMs outsource these to separate vendors, adding days to their vacancy timeline. If you can do cleanout plus deep clean in one visit, you save the PM 2⁠–⁠3 days of vacancy and add $200⁠–⁠$500 in revenue per job at 60⁠–⁠70% margins.

FAQ

How much does an eviction cleanout cost?

Most eviction cleanouts cost $300⁠–⁠$1,200 depending on unit size and condition. Studios and one-bedrooms run $300⁠–⁠$800, two-bedrooms cost $500⁠–⁠$1,200, and three-bedroom homes or larger properties range from $1,000 to $3,000 or more. Severe conditions like hoarding or biohazard add a 50⁠–⁠100% surcharge. Same-day service adds $100⁠–⁠$200. Property managers typically receive flat rate card pricing by unit type.

How long does an eviction cleanout take?

A standard eviction cleanout takes 2⁠–⁠5 hours on-site with a two or three person crew. Studios and one-bedrooms average 2⁠–⁠3 hours. Two-bedrooms run 3⁠–⁠4 hours. Three-bedroom homes and larger properties may take 4⁠–⁠6 hours depending on volume and access logistics like stairs and elevator availability. Same-day completion is standard for units up to two bedrooms.

Can I remove tenant property before the eviction is final?

No. You cannot legally remove tenant property until the eviction process is fully complete and the landlord or property manager has lawful possession. In most states this means a sheriff or constable has executed the writ of possession. Some states also require a 15⁠–⁠30 day holding period for abandoned property before disposal. Always get written authorization from the PM confirming legal completion before you start work.

How do I get eviction cleanout clients from property managers?

Visit property management offices with a printed rate card and a copy of your Certificate of Insurance. Offer to clear their next unit at your standard rate with same-day availability. Most PMs have a unit sitting full right now. After your first job, provide before/after photos same-day and follow up asking about additional units. One successful job with fast turnaround and clean documentation typically secures the relationship for years.

How much does junk removal insurance cost for eviction cleanouts?

General liability insurance for junk removal operators runs $1,200⁠–⁠$2,400 per year for a $1M/$2M policy depending on your annual revenue and crew size. Workers compensation adds $0.08⁠–⁠$0.14 per dollar of payroll. Many property managers require proof of insurance and additional insured status before adding you to their vendor list. Budget $2,500⁠–⁠$4,500 total annually for GL plus workers comp for a two to three truck operation.

Resources

Related Resources

Guide

Property Managers Vertical

Build $25K–$100K in recurring annual revenue from PM relationships with rate cards, preferred vendor status, and same-day dispatch workflows.

Specialty Job

Foreclosure Cleanouts

Similar property clearing for bank-owned and REO homes — pricing, workflow, and how to land asset management contracts.

Regulatory

Eviction Cleanout Legal Requirements

State-by-state legal compliance guide for tenant property removal timelines, holding periods, and written notice requirements.

Feature

CRM & Customer Management

Tag PM accounts with custom rate cards, track job history per property, and automate follow-up for recurring cleanout accounts.

Pricing

ScaleYourJunk Pricing Plans

Starter at $149/mo includes CRM, dispatch, and load-based booking. Growth at $299/mo adds QuickBooks sync and per-truck P&L.

Turn PM Relationships Into Monthly Revenue

Same-day dispatch, rate card pricing in your CRM, and before/after photos from the driver portal — everything you need to become a PM's preferred vendor.

Included in Starter ($149/mo) and Growth ($299/mo). Annual billing is available.

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