A recliner and a garage full of remodel debris aren't the same job, so there's no honest single price for junk removal. This page shows the typical ranges published cost surveys report, what makes a Valley job land high or low in those ranges, and how to get an exact number for your own pile without a site visit.
Typical ranges (not Legacy's prices)
Across the national surveys, the middle of the market sits in the low hundreds. HomeAdvisor gives a normal range of $133 to $372 and an average of $241.[1] Thumbtack says most people pay around $199,[2] This Old House puts the typical job near $250,[3] and Fixr's older figure is $300.[4]
Los Angeles runs higher than the national picture. Thumbtack's Los Angeles range is $149 to $460, against $134 to $306 nationally on the same page.[2] That fits what you'd expect from local labor costs and disposal fees, which we cover below.
By load size
Most haulers price by how much of their truck your things fill. Here's how two surveys split a truck into fractions:
| Load | 2026 surveys (HomeAdvisor, This Old House) | Fixr (Jan 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Single item | $60–$150[1] | Pays the minimum load[4] |
| 1/8 truck (minimum) | $75–$125[1],[3] | $75–$125[4] |
| 1/4 truck | $125–$200[1],[3] | $125–$175[4] |
| 1/2 truck | $200–$400[1],[3] | $175–$375[4] |
| 3/4 truck | $400–$600[1],[3] | $375–$450[4] |
| Full truck | $600–$800[1],[3] | $450–$650[4] |
Two cautions. First, the HomeAdvisor and This Old House tables are identical row for row, so treat them as one data point, not two. Second, "a truck" isn't a fixed size; one company's half load can be another's third. When you compare quotes, compare what fits, not just the fraction.
By common item
| Item | Published range |
|---|---|
| Couch | $100–$200[4] |
| Other furniture | $80–$400 per piece[1] |
| Mattress | $75–$150[1],[4] |
| Refrigerator | $100–$200[4] |
| Major appliances (general) | $60–$250[1] |
| Hot tub | $150–$600[4] or $200–$600[1] |
| Construction debris | $200–$600[4] |
| Debris, gravel or dirt (per truckload) | $100–$800[1] |
Dumpsters and cleanouts
| Job | Published range |
|---|---|
| 15-yard dumpster, one week | $600 average, delivery and landfill fees included[5] |
| 20-yard dumpster, one week | $672 average[5]; $275–$700[1]; $275–$450 (2025)[6] |
| Estate cleanout | $275–$4,000, $1,250 average[7] |
Fixr's state table shows why a national dumpster number undersells California: it lists a 10-yard bin here at $400 to $600 a week, near the top of its state ranges.[6] Our dumpster vs. junk removal comparison covers when a bin makes sense.
What drives the cost in the Valley
Surveys give you the shape of the market. Where a specific Valley job falls in it comes down to five things.
| Factor | What pushes it up |
|---|---|
| Volume | More of the truck filled; bulky pieces that don't stack |
| Weight | Concrete, dirt, rock, tile, safes, full file cabinets |
| Access | Stairs, long carries, hillside yards, tight side gates |
| Special handling | Refrigerant appliances, mattresses, e-waste, tires |
| Timing | Same-day requests on a busy day |
Disposal: what the landfill charges
Whatever can't be donated or recycled ends up at a landfill, and that cost is built into every price. It's also the one part anyone can check. For the Valley, the landfill open to public drop-off is Sunshine Canyon in Sylmar.[8] Its posted rates, dated July 1, 2024, are $120 a ton for household trash,[9] with a one-ton minimum charged on every load[9] and a $19.71 environmental fee on each load.[9] Appliances add $115 each and computers or monitors $85 each.[9]
That one-ton minimum is what a do-it-yourselfer runs into. A pickup bed with a dresser and a few bags pays the same as a full ton, $120 plus the $19.71 fee, before any per-item charges.[9]
On the east side of the Valley, Scholl Canyon in Glendale isn't a general fallback. By ordinance it only takes waste from Glendale, Pasadena and a short list of nearby communities,[10] and it also sets a one-ton minimum, with trash at $85.91 a ton.[11] Our landfill guide covers every site near the Valley.
Weight
Landfills and transfer stations charge by weight, which is why a truck of concrete costs far more to dump than the same truck of cardboard.[2] That's why surveys show such wide ranges for construction debris and dirt. If your pile includes tile, stucco, pavers or soil, mention it before anyone quotes.
Access: stairs, hills and long carries
Thumbtack's national data shows jobs with stairs averaging $197, compared with $188 with no stairs and $176 with an elevator.[2] That's a small gap on an average job, but it grows with the load. In Studio City, Sherman Oaks or Encino hillside homes, a hot tub on a terraced lot or a sofa coming down a long outdoor staircase can take a crew much longer than the same item in a flat Van Nuys driveway. Photos of the path out, not just the item, make a quote more accurate.
What your city already covers
City bulky pickup changes the math, because anything the city takes for free is space you don't pay a hauler for.
| Program | Cost |
|---|---|
| City of LA bulky pickup | Free, no set limit, for homes LASAN services[12] |
| City of LA metal appliance pickup | Free[13] |
| Burbank bulky pickup | Free for most items[14]; $12.14 each for appliances, mattresses, tires and gas lawn equipment[14] |
| Glendale bulky pickup | Free, including major appliances[15] |
| Pasadena bulky pickup | 2 free a year; extra pickups cost more[16],[17] |
Burbank's fee has applied since July 1, 2025, and is billed per item.[14] Burbank residents can skip it for a mattress by dropping it at the Recycle Center themselves.[14]
"Free" still costs time and effort. LA needs a booking at least one business day before trash day,[12] Glendale three business days,[15] and Pasadena two weeks.[16] Every program collects from the curb, so the carrying is on you, and LA won't take concrete, bricks or dirt.[12] See city pickup vs. a private hauler for how to split a job between the two.
Timing
A same-day slot is handy when you're closing escrow or handing back keys, and some haulers charge for rush jobs, so it's fair to ask. For Legacy: Same-day service most days when you reach us by early afternoon; next-morning slots are common.
What a quote should include
Before you compare two numbers, make sure they cover the same work. A low figure that leaves out disposal or charges extra for stairs isn't low. For Legacy, Your quote includes loading, hauling, disposal and sweep-up. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Things worth asking any hauler:
- Is disposal (landfill or recycling fees) in the price, or added after?
- Are there extra charges for stairs, heavy items, mattresses or appliances?
- If the load is smaller than it looked in the photos, does the price come down?
- Is the price fixed before loading starts?
How Legacy prices a job
Pricing is based on how much truck space your items take up, plus labor. Free photo quotes by text: send photos and get an exact price. Legacy doesn't publish a price list, so none of the ranges on this page are Legacy's. A family-run crew based on Victory Blvd in North Hollywood, Legacy quotes each job from what it can see, and you get the number before any work begins.
Many customers describe it working that way. As Oleg L. wrote on Google: "Sent them photos of what needs to be done, agreed on price, and they took care of everything quickly. Collected payment only after finishing." The pricing page explains how truck space is measured.
The real cost of doing it yourself
A DIY haul has more line items than it looks. Start with the truck rental, mileage and fuel; we don't list rental prices because they vary by company and date. Then:
- The landfill minimum. Sunshine Canyon bills a full ton on every load.[9]
- A tarp. An untarped load costs $175 extra there.[9]
- Paperwork and hours. Bring a completed Origin Report Form;[8] the landfill is closed Sundays.[8]
- Separate stops. Paint and chemicals go to a S.A.F.E. Center, which is free but caps each visit at 15 gallons or 125 pounds.[18] The landfill won't take hazardous or liquid waste, car batteries or whole tires.[19]
For one or two big pieces, free city pickup usually beats both a rental truck and a hauler. For a mixed load that needs carrying, compare the full DIY total against a quote. Our junk removal vs. DIY truck rental page runs through it.
Ways to lower the cost
- Split the job. Put what you can carry out on LA's bulky pickup day[12] and pay a hauler only for the rest.
- Donate first. The Salvation Army offers free pickup by ZIP code,[20] and Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA picks up for $50 or takes drop-offs at its ReStores for free.[21] The donation guide lists places by area.
- Take hazardous items yourself. S.A.F.E. drop-off is free for LA County residents.[22]
- Have everything ready. Items grouped in the garage or on the driveway load faster than things spread across three rooms and a side yard.
- Keep heavy material separate. Concrete or dirt priced as its own load is easier to quote than a mixed pile.
- Do it all in one visit. The garage, the patio set and the old sofa in one trip usually cost less than three separate pickups.
Text photos for an exact price
Ranges only get you so far. The quickest way to a real number is two or three wide photos that show the whole pile, a close-up of anything heavy or unusual, and a line about stairs, how far the truck can park and your ZIP code. That's enough for a local crew to price the job without coming out first.