What a hoarding cleanup costs in Providence

The short answer

Hoarding cleanups are priced by how much of the truck the contents fill, on the same flat tiers as any cleanout: a quarter truck is $241, half a truck $431, three-quarters $587 and a full truck $732. Many hoarding jobs need more than one load, each priced the same way. Carry-out from any floor, basement or attic is included, and you see the price before booking.

Why a known price helps

Hoarding cleanups are hard on families. There is usually a relative involved, sometimes a landlord or a deadline from a building, and often a lot of emotion around what is being removed. The last thing anyone needs is a price that keeps moving as the crew works.

With truck-fill pricing, the quote is based on photos of each room before the job. You see the tier, or the number of loads, and the total. It only changes if you approve a change, for example if another room is added on the day.

That lets a family plan, split costs or get an estate executor's approval before anything starts.

What makes Providence hoarding jobs harder

Most hoarding cleanups in the city are in older housing. A triple-decker floor has narrow halls, a single staircase down and, often, a rear porch that has also filled up. The basement below may be shared with other units and packed with years of overflow.

Every bag and box has to go down those stairs. In a third-floor apartment in Olneyville, South Providence or Pawtucket, that can mean hundreds of trips. The crew works in a steady chain, and the carry is the bulk of the job.

Paths can be blocked, floors may be uneven under the piles, and some rooms may be inaccessible until the first ones are cleared. Photos of every room, including the ones that are hard to photograph, make the quote more accurate.

Truck-fill pricing

Multi-load jobs add tiers. Two full trucks are $732 + $732 = $1,464. Two full trucks and a half are $732 + $732 + $431 = $1,895. Three full trucks are $732 + $732 + $732 = $2,196.

Typical scales

One room or a hallway that has filled up. Often around a quarter to half a truck: $241 or $431.

A one-bedroom apartment with several packed rooms. Often a full truck, $732, sometimes plus part of a second.

A full triple-decker floor of two or three bedrooms. Often two full trucks, $1,464, or more.

A whole house in Cranston or Warwick, including the basement and garage. Often several loads. A house that takes three full trucks and a quarter is $732 + $732 + $732 + $241 = $2,437.

These are typical scales, not quotes. Your photos set the actual number.

Working in stages

Not every hoarding cleanup has to happen in one day, and for some families it should not. If the person who lives in the home is still there, clearing one room at a time can be easier for everyone. Each visit is priced on the same tiers, so a staged plan costs the same per load as a single day.

A common staged plan in a triple-decker apartment starts with the path: the hallway, the stairs and the rear porch, so there is a safe way in and out. That is often around a quarter truck, $241. The kitchen and bathroom come next, because those are the rooms an inspector or a landlord looks at first. The bedrooms and the basement follow.

Spread over three visits, a quarter truck, a half truck and a full truck come to $241 + $431 + $732 = $1,404. Same-day pickup when you book by 4 PM means a second visit can be added quickly once the family is ready.

Landlords, managers and larger buildings

Sometimes the call comes from the owner rather than the family. A tenant has left, or a unit has failed an inspection, and the landlord needs it cleared. In Providence, buildings with seven or more units get no city trash service, so there is no municipal fallback; even in smaller buildings, the free bulky-item pickup only collects furniture and appliances from the curb, never bags and boxes from inside.

For owners, the useful details are paperwork and access. JunkRabbit emails a certificate of insurance within one hour of booking, which most managed buildings and condo associations ask for. Property managers can set up an account covering several properties, which helps owners with buildings in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls or across the line in Fall River and New Bedford.

Photograph each room and the common areas the crew will use. A clear photo set lets the quote cover the whole job up front.

Safety and what we cannot take

Hoarded homes sometimes contain things that need separate handling. Old paint is accepted. Chemicals, aerosols in quantity, propane cylinders and anything that might be hazardous are handled case by case, so mention them when you book. RIRRC runs Eco-Depot household hazardous waste collection events for those materials.

Electronics cannot go in Rhode Island trash, so TVs and computers found during the cleanout go out through the proper route. Mattresses, common in hoarding jobs, are recycled where possible; Rhode Island has a statewide mattress recycling program.

If the home has sanitation problems such as animal waste, mold or pests, say so up front. A crew that knows what to expect can plan for it. Some situations also call for a specialist cleaning service after the removal.

Planning the day

• Agree on what stays. Before the crew arrives, family members should agree on what must be kept, and mark or remove it.
• Look for papers and valuables. Cash, documents and jewelry turn up in unexpected places. Sorting a few rooms first is worth the time.
• Check the building. A landlord or condo association may need a certificate of insurance. JunkRabbit emails a COI within one hour of booking.
• Think about parking. A multi-load job needs a place for the truck. On tight Providence streets, note any driveway or loading space.
• Pick the window. Crews work seven days a week from 8am to midnight, and you choose a two-hour arrival window.

For more on large cleanouts, see estate cleanout costs in Providence.

Frequently asked questions