depending on basement size and contents. Quote in 60 seconds.
Same-day quotes · Stair-carry crew sizing · Donation routing · Post-flood and water-damage experience
Basements are where everything goes to be forgotten — old furniture, holiday decorations from 1997, exercise equipment that became a clothes rack, boxes of stuff you don't remember packing. We handle all of it including the stair carry that makes basement cleanouts harder than they look. Donation routing for usable items. Crew sized to the stair situation. Photo documentation when requested. Post-flood and water-damaged basements handled with appropriate scope.
Basement cleanouts are operationally distinct from garage and main-floor work because of the stair carry. Everything coming out has to be carried up — sometimes a single flight of inside stairs, sometimes a steep bulkhead to grade, sometimes both. Furniture that came down in pieces 20 years ago has to come up in pieces too, which often means partial disassembly on-site. Old sleeper sofas, sectionals that took four people to bring down, exercise equipment with substantial weight — these are why basement cleanouts price higher per cubic yard than ground-floor work.
Most basement cleanouts run a full day with a crew of 3-4 Loaders depending on stair situation and volume. A finished 1,500 sq ft basement with moderate accumulation runs $700-$1,500 (2-3 truckloads). An unfinished basement that's served as long-term storage for the household, plus the kids' belongings, plus inherited items from a parent's estate that ended up there, can run $1,500-$3,000 (3-5+ truckloads).
Post-flood and water-damaged basements are a specific situation we see regularly, particularly after heavy storms. The cleanout scope is different — water-damaged drywall and insulation aren't disposed as standard MSW in most jurisdictions, mold-affected materials require enhanced PPE, and the work has to coordinate with restoration partners if structural remediation is happening. We work both as standalone (after restoration is complete) and in coordination with restoration vendors on more complex jobs.
What we handle in a basement cleanout
Submit the form below or call. Photos help substantially with basement quotes because the stair situation matters as much as the contents. Wide shots from the bottom of the stairs plus shots looking up the stairs (inside stairs or bulkhead) tell us the crew size we need.
We confirm contents (everything out, or specific items kept), access (interior stairs only, bulkhead, both), and any special situations (water damage, mold, items that require partial disassembly). For post-flood or mold-affected basements, we discuss PPE level and whether restoration partner coordination is needed.
Standard basement cleanouts get 3 Loaders. Heavy stair-carry situations or basements with substantial heavy items (sleeper sofas, exercise equipment, pool tables) get 4. Crew sizing affects price slightly but it's the difference between a half-day job that's done right and a full-day job that wears out a smaller crew.
Most basements take 4-8 hours with the right crew size. We work systematically from the back of the basement forward, taking partial disassembly steps as needed for items that won't fit the stairs intact. Donation-eligible items route to nonprofit partners. Items requiring special handling (refrigerant recovery, electronics, paint) route appropriately.
Basement is swept clean (concrete-clean for unfinished, vacuum-pass for finished). Photo documentation if requested. Final scope confirmation — anything missed, anything removed in error. Final invoice matches the quote unless scope shifted (we flag in real-time, never after).
Basement cleanout pricing is volume-based with a stair-carry adjustment. Standard truckload pricing runs $300-$500 depending on local market — slightly higher than garage truckloads because of the stair labor. Most basement cleanouts run 2-5 truckloads: a partial cleanout (one section of the basement) runs $500-$900, a full finished basement runs $700-$1,500, a packed unfinished basement with multi-decade storage runs $1,500-$3,000 or more.
Three factors shift price: (1) volume of contents (the biggest driver), (2) stair situation (interior stairs only vs. bulkhead-only vs. both; straight stairs vs. switchback; standard rise vs. steep), and (3) special-handling items (sleeper sofas and sectionals that require partial disassembly, exercise equipment with substantial weight, large appliances with refrigerant).
Water-damaged basements add specific scope. If the water/mold remediation has already been completed by a restoration vendor (Servpro, Servicemaster, Aftermath) and we're handling the post-remediation cleanout, pricing follows standard volume-based rules. If we're working in coordination with active remediation, we coordinate scope and pricing with the restoration partner.
What's included in the price: labor (including stair carry), truck and disposal fees, donation routing, special-stream routing for electronics and appliances, basic broom-sweep on completion. What's separately priced: HHW disposal for hazardous quantities, hazmat handling beyond standard, restoration vendor coordination if our scope extends into remediation territory.
Most basement cleanouts price between $500 and $3,000. A finished basement with moderate accumulation runs $700-$1,500 (2-3 truckloads). An unfinished basement with substantial accumulated storage runs $1,500-$3,000 (3-5+ truckloads). Stair situation affects price as much as volume.
No. Stair carry is the whole point — we bring everything up. Crew is sized to the stair situation. For very heavy items (sleeper sofas, exercise equipment, pool tables), we sometimes do partial disassembly on-site to fit the stairs.
Yes, with appropriate scope clarity. If water damage has been remediated by a restoration vendor (Servpro, Servicemaster, Aftermath, Bio-One) and we're handling the post-remediation contents cleanout, standard scope applies. If you have water damage that hasn't been remediated yet, the restoration vendor should handle remediation first; we coordinate with them on contents work.
Visible mold on contents (boxes, fabric items, wood furniture) means those items are typically disposed rather than donated. Mold on structural surfaces (walls, ceiling, floor) requires remediation by a certified vendor before we work — mold remediation is outside our scope. For coordinated jobs, we work after the remediation vendor has certified the space safe for non-PPE crew.
Disconnected and capped: yes. Active equipment requires a licensed plumber (water heater) or HVAC contractor (furnace, AC handler) to disconnect first. We coordinate timing with the disconnect contractor when needed, but we don't disconnect live equipment.
Built-in shelving and workbenches that are attached to walls require disassembly. We handle most disassembly as part of scope. Heavy built-ins with substantial structural attachment (built around plumbing or electrical) sometimes require coordination with a handyman or carpenter.
We handle carpet removal only if it's already pulled up and stacked. We don't tear up installed carpet — that's a flooring contractor's scope. For finished basements where the carpet is being replaced, the flooring contractor typically removes the old carpet and we haul it as part of basement cleanout.
Yes. Donation-eligible items route to local nonprofit partners (Goodwill, Habitat ReStore, Salvation Army). Common basement donations: kept-but-unused exercise equipment, intact furniture, holiday decorations, children's items in good condition, books, sporting goods. Donation receipts available on request.
Tell us about the basement — finished or unfinished, approximate size, stair situation (interior, bulkhead, or both), and roughly what's down there. Photos help us quote accurately and crew accordingly.
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