Estate Cleanout & Junk Removal
Provide estate cleanout and property clearing services
Overview
Estate cleanout services charge $500-$5,000 per project depending on property size.
Completing 20-60 cleanouts monthly generates $120,000-$600,000 annually with 60-75% margins after labor, disposal, and equipment.
In 2025, estates, foreclosures, and downsizing create demand for professional cleanout services.
Services include full estate cleanout, sorting items (keep, donate, sell, trash), junk removal and disposal, donation coordination, property broom-clean, and hazardous material handling.
Successful cleanout businesses work efficiently with crews, salvage valuable items for resale, minimize disposal costs through donations and recycling, maintain disposal relationships, and provide quick turnaround (1-3 days typical).
Can partner with estate attorneys, realtors, banks (foreclosures), and elder care.
Reselling salvaged items adds revenue.
Marketing through realtors, estate attorneys, property managers, and banks.
Required Skills
- Project Management
- Crew Management
- Item Valuation
- Logistics
- Physical Labor
- Disposal Coordination
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Strong demand for cleanout services
- Multiple markets (estates, foreclosures, hoarding)
- Can resell salvaged valuable items
- Scalable with crews and trucks
- Quick turnaround projects (1-3 days)
Cons
- Physical demanding work
- Disposal and dump fees reduce margins
- Unpleasant conditions sometimes
- Liability for property and items
- Need trucks and equipment
How to Get Started
- Get trucks and cleanout equipment
- Build crew for larger properties
- Develop disposal and donation relationships
- Set pricing by property size
- Build network with realtors and attorneys
- Market to estate liquidation market
- Add revenue by reselling valuable items
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