The short answer
Apartment cleanouts are priced either by the item or by how much of the truck they fill. A lightly furnished studio is often a quarter truck at $241. A typical one-bedroom is often a 3/8 truck at $338 or a half truck at $431. A furnished two-bedroom is often a 3/4 truck at $587 or a full truck at $732. Stairs, elevators and the certificate of insurance are all included, with no extra fees.
Cost by apartment size
| Typical apartment | Usual tier | Flat price |
|---|---|---|
| Studio, light furniture | 1/4 truck (~4 cu yd) | $241 |
| Studio, fully furnished | 3/8 truck (~6 cu yd) | $338 |
| One-bedroom | 3/8 or 1/2 truck | $338 or $431 |
| Two-bedroom | 3/4 or full truck | $587 or $732 |
| Three-bedroom or packed two-bedroom | Full truck plus a 1/4 truck | $732 + $241 = $973 |
These are typical sizes for planning, not quotes. The photo quote sets your real price before you book. Lightly furnished units often come in a tier lower than you might think, while units with books, boxes and kitchen goods come in higher.
Itemized works for partial cleanouts
Not every move-out is a whole apartment. Often you are taking most of your things and leaving the big, cheap furniture behind. In that case, item prices can come in lower than a truck tier.
A common one-bedroom leftover set is a sofa, a queen mattress set, a dresser and a desk. That comes to $126 + $143 + $126 + $83 = $478. Compare it with a half truck at $431 and pick the lower number.
A smaller set, such as a futon, a bookshelf and a desk, is $111 + $72 + $83 = $266, which is close to a quarter truck at $241. When a short list is near a tier, add it up and compare before you book.
Single items still have to clear the $100 order minimum. An office chair at $61 on its own bills at $100, so pair it with something else.
Elevators, COIs and building rules
High-rise and mid-rise buildings in downtown San José, North San José, Santa Clara, Mountain View and Redwood City almost always have rules for moves and removals.
- Certificate of insurance. Most managed buildings require a COI naming the building before any vendor works on site. JunkRabbit emails it within one hour of booking. Ask your leasing office for the exact wording they need.
- Elevator reservations. Many buildings require you to reserve the service elevator for a window. Book the elevator first, then book the pickup inside that window.
- Loading docks. Some buildings route all removals through a dock with its own hours.
- No curb staging. Most managed complexes will not let you leave furniture on the sidewalk or by the dumpster, which rules out the curbside routes.
None of these cost extra on a flat price.
Walk-ups and garden complexes
Not every San José apartment has an elevator. A lot of the 1970s and 80s garden complexes across the city have exterior stairways with a landing turn, and some older homes near SJSU and in Japantown have been divided into upstairs units with narrow interior stairs.
Those are hard carries. A sleeper sofa from a third-floor walk-up is heavy and awkward, and a solid wood dresser has to be emptied and tilted around the landing.
Price does not change for any of this. There is no stairs fee and no walk-up fee. A sofa from the third floor is $126, the same as a sofa from a ground-floor unit. The only effect of stairs is on time, which is why it helps to mention them when you book so the crew comes prepared.
Timing it around a move-out inspection
The most expensive cleanout is the one that misses the deadline. If the unit is not empty for the move-out inspection, the landlord's cleanup charges come out of the deposit, and those rarely look like a flat price list.
Book the cleanout for a day or two before you hand over the keys, leaving time to clean. If you are moving across the country, book for the morning after the movers leave. If the movers are late, a same-day pickup is possible when you book by 4 PM.
Crews work seven days a week from 8am to midnight, in two-hour windows you choose. Get a price from photos of each room on the instant quote page. We try to donate usable items when local charities accept them, and we recycle whatever we can.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apartment cleanout cost in San Jose?
A studio often fits a quarter truck at $241. A one-bedroom is often $338 or $431. A furnished two-bedroom is often $587 or $732. Your photo quote sets the exact price before you book.
Do you charge more for high-rises?
No. Elevators, loading docks and the certificate of insurance are all included. We email the COI within one hour of booking.
Is there a fee for walk-up apartments?
No. There is no stairs fee and no walk-up fee, on any floor. A sofa from a third-floor walk-up is the same $126 as one from the ground floor.
Should I price by item or by truck?
For a few large pieces, items often come in lower. For a whole furnished unit, a truck tier often does. Add up the items and compare with the nearest tier.
Can you clear an apartment the same day?
Usually, when you book by 4 PM, subject to your building's elevator and dock rules. You choose a two-hour arrival window.