In brief
- The biggest factor is volume: how many van or lorry loads the contents fill.
- Access, stairs, parking and heavy items add time and labour.
- Some items cost more to dispose of properly: fridges and freezers, sofas and armchairs, mattresses.
- Good photos or a short video are usually enough for an accurate fixed quote.
- Be wary of a very low price with no written quote and no proof of registration.
There’s no single price for a house clearance, because no two houses are the same. A tidy two-bedroom flat and a three-bedroom house with a full loft, garage and shed are very different jobs. This guide explains what a fair quote is built from, so you can compare like with like.
We don’t publish price lists. Our quotes are free and fixed once we’ve seen the job, by photos, video call or a visit, and there are no hidden extras for the work we’ve agreed.
Volume: the main thing you’re paying for
Most clearance firms price mainly on how much there is to take. That’s usually measured in loads (how many times a van or tipper truck will fill) or in cubic yards, the same unit skips are sold in.
Volume drives the cost because it decides how many people and how many hours the job needs, how many trips to recycling and disposal sites there are, and how much the disposal fees come to at the other end.
Things that people often forget to count:
- the loft, which can easily hold as much as a bedroom
- the garage and shed, including tools, paint tins and garden equipment
- the garden: pots, slabs, old furniture, green waste
- inside wardrobes, cupboards and under beds
- fitted items you want removed, like old kitchen units or carpets
A house that’s been lived in for decades will usually hold far more than it looks from the front room.
Access, stairs and parking
The same amount of furniture can take twice as long to move from a third-floor flat with no lift as from a bungalow with a drive. When we quote, we look at:
- Stairs and lifts. Upper-floor flats, narrow staircases and loft ladders add time.
- Parking. Can a van park close to the door? Permit zones, yellow lines and long walks from the road all matter.
- Distance and route. Long corridors, tight doorways and steps through a garden slow things down.
- Heavy items. Pianos, safes, solid wood wardrobes, cast iron baths and garden stone may need extra people.
- Things to dismantle. Beds, wardrobes and units that won’t come out in one piece.
Items that cost more to deal with properly
Some household items have to be handled in particular ways by law, and that has a cost.
Sofas, armchairs and other upholstered seating
Waste upholstered domestic seating that contains persistent organic pollutants (POPs) must be incinerated, not sent to landfill. These chemicals were used as flame retardants in covers and foam. The Environment Agency’s rules cover sofas, sofa beds, armchairs, recliners, upholstered kitchen and dining chairs, stools, futons and bean bags, among others. Landfill sites can’t accept it, and it has to be kept separate from other waste. The full detail is in the gov.uk guidance on managing waste upholstered domestic seating containing POPs.
A sofa in good condition with its fire safety label can often be reused instead. gov.uk sets out the conditions for reuse: it must be used for the same purpose, need no more than minor repair, carry appropriate fire safety labels and be stored so it isn’t damaged. Anything that doesn’t meet those conditions is waste and goes for incineration.
Mattresses
Mattresses aren’t covered by the seating rules, but they’re bulky and few charities can take them, so they’re usually priced as an item to dispose of rather than reuse.
Fridges, freezers and electricals
Fridges and freezers contain refrigerant gases and insulation that need specialist treatment, so they go to approved recycling facilities rather than general waste. Other electrical items (WEEE) are separated for recycling too.
Things outside a standard clearance
Asbestos, gas bottles, fuel, chemicals and clinical waste need specialists, and we can arrange them separately. Rubble and soil are heavy, so they’re usually priced by weight.
What brings the price down
- Reuse value. Good furniture, working appliances and saleable items can go to charities and reuse projects instead of disposal, which lowers the cost of dealing with them.
- Sorting first. Taking out what the family wants, and what you’ll sell yourself, means less to clear.
- Flexible timing. If there’s no deadline, it can help to fit around the team’s diary.
- Clear access. A parking space by the door and a clear route out saves time.
How to get an accurate quote from photos
For many jobs, especially probate clearances where the family lives far away, photos or a short video are enough for a fixed quote. To get one that won’t change on the day:
- Photograph every room, including the loft, garage, shed and garden, from a corner so the whole room shows.
- Open wardrobes and cupboards and photograph inside.
- Show the way out: stairs, hallway, front path and where a van could park.
- Point out anything heavy or unusual, like a piano, safe or chest freezer.
- Say what’s staying: furniture the family is keeping, fitted wardrobes, curtains or carpets.
- Mention any deadline, such as a tenancy end date or completion day.
A video walk-through works just as well and is often quicker. We can also do it on a video call.
Warning signs of a cowboy quote
The cheapest price can turn out to be the most expensive if your waste ends up dumped in a lane. Be careful if a firm:
- can’t give you a waste carrier registration you can find on the public register
- gives a price over the phone without seeing photos or the property
- won’t put the quote in writing, or says “we’ll see on the day”
- only takes cash and gives no receipt
- has no landline, address or business name you can check
- quotes far below everyone else
- is vague about where the waste goes
- adds charges once your things are already on the van
If waste from your property is fly-tipped, it can be traced back to you, and you can be fined. Our guide on how to check a waste carrier shows how to check a firm in a couple of minutes.
Common questions
Is a house clearance quote free?
Ours is. We give free, no-obligation quotes from photos, a video call or a site visit, and the price is fixed in writing once we’ve seen the job.
Why do quotes vary so much between firms?
Mostly because of how much they’ve allowed for volume, labour and disposal. A firm that plans to recycle properly, separate seating containing POPs and pay licensed disposal fees can’t match one that fly-tips. Compare what’s included, not just the total.
Can the price change on the day?
A fixed quote shouldn’t change for the work that was agreed. It can change if more turns up that wasn’t shown, like a full loft nobody mentioned, which is why good photos matter. We’ll always tell you before doing anything extra.
Why does it cost more to take away a sofa?
Most upholstered seating has to be kept separate and incinerated under Environment Agency rules on persistent organic pollutants, rather than landfilled. If a sofa is in good condition with its fire label, it may be reusable instead.
Can valuable items reduce the cost?
Reuse can lower what it costs to deal with the contents. For anything of real value, it’s usually better for the estate to have it valued and sold separately, and we can put you in touch with an independent valuer.
Read more about our house clearance service, our furniture and appliance removal, or see the full list of services.