# How do I price junk removal by load size?

Set a minimum charge, then price quarter, half, three-quarter and full loads from your real costs for each size. ProfitDrawer's junk removal guide prices a quarter-load garage cleanout: 2 people for 1.5 hours at $30 an hour ($90), a $45 dump fee, $17.50 of driving and $15 of overhead, for $167.50. Adding 20% gives $201, rounded up to $205 for a quarter load. Example numbers only.

Repeat the same math for each load size with your own numbers:

1. **Labor:** people x hours x hourly pay, including the dump run.
2. **Dump fee:** what your local site charges for that volume.
3. **Driving:** the example uses 25 miles round trip at a rough running cost of $0.70 a mile.
4. **Overhead share:** insurance, phone and marketing per job.
5. **Margin:** the example adds 20% for taxes and slow weeks.

Bigger loads take more time and cost more to dump, so a full load is not simply four times a quarter load. Work each one out.

Many haulers also add a fee for very heavy items or items with special disposal fees, such as mattresses or tires. Check what local haulers advertise so your prices sit in a sensible range. The free price per job calculator does the math for any load.

- Source: [How to Start a Junk Removal Business (Truck, Pricing and First Jobs)](https://profitdrawer.com/guides/how-to-start-a-junk-removal-business.html)
- Updated: 2026-10-29
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Category: Pricing and profit
- Canonical: https://profitdrawer.com/answers/how-do-i-price-junk-removal-by-load-size.html
- Publisher: ProfitDrawer (https://profitdrawer.com)