Chicago junk removal
questions, answered.

How does pricing work?

Flat, photo-quoted. Send a photo and we price every item up front from real Chicago market data — e.g. sofa $126, queen mattress $103, refrigerator $164. Big jobs are priced by the truck: $241 (1/4) to $732 (full 16-yard truck). $100 minimum. The price you see is the price you pay.

Is there sales tax on junk removal in Chicago?

No. Junk removal is a service, and Illinois doesn't tax services — so there's no state or Chicago sales tax on the removal. Your total comes out lower than the same sticker price would in a city that taxes the service, like New York.

Will you carry it down a 3-flat walk-up or up from the basement?

Yes — that's most of what we do in Chicago. Vintage walk-up stairs, the rear-alley carry, and the basement stairs are folded into the flat quote, no per-flight surcharge.

Do you handle COIs for downtown high-rises?

Yes. River North, Streeterville, and the West/South Loop towers require a Certificate of Insurance naming the association and a reserved freight elevator. We file the COI and book the elevator and dock window — included in the flat price. Our coverage: General Liability $1M per occurrence · $2M aggregate; Umbrella/Excess $2M · $5M; Workers’ Compensation $1M each accident. Your building is added as additional insured, coverage is primary and non-contributory, and a waiver of subrogation applies.

Can you do same-day pickup?

Often yes, when a slot is open. Send a photo and we'll quote the soonest window across the city and the inner suburbs.

What do you take?

Furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, exercise equipment, gut-rehab and construction debris (recycled to Chicago's 50% C&D rule), basement, garage, and full-home or condo cleanouts. We can't take hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, propane).

Do you offer Spanish, Polish, or Chinese service?

Yes, on request — Spanish across the Lower West and Northwest Side, Polish in the Bungalow Belt, and Chinese in Chinatown. There's a Spanish version of the site too.

How do I pay?

Securely online by card at checkout (powered by Stripe). Paying up front reserves your crew and locks your price — no haggling or awkward payment at the door.

Are there hidden fees for stairs, alleys or long carries?

No. A 3-flat's back stairs, a coach house down the gangway, a basement with a narrow turn at the bottom — all inside the flat quote. No per-flight fee, no fuel surcharge, no separate tip fee. A price only changes if there's materially more than the photos showed, and you approve the new number first.

Why not just wait for Streets & San bulk pickup?

If your ward will take it and you can get it to the alley, use it. It won't take construction debris, it won't take your TV, and it won't come inside for the couch on the third floor. That's the gap we fill — a sofa is $126, a queen mattress $103, and a full truck $732.

Do I need to move anything to the alley first?

No. Leave it in the unit. Hauling it down the back stairs and out through the gangway is what you're paying for, and doing it yourself in February is how people hurt their backs.

Does the price change once the crew sees it?

Not for what you photographed. If the garage turns out to hold twice what the picture showed, they re-price from the same published list on the spot and wait for your yes before loading.

What's included in the quote?

The crew's labor, the carry-out, loading, the drive and the disposal fee at the transfer station. Plus the certificate of insurance your building may want, free. Nothing is added at the door.

Do you recycle or donate what's still good?

Yes where it's realistic — appliances and scrap metal get separated, electronics go to an e-waste handler rather than a landfill, and furniture in genuinely resaleable condition goes to a reuse outlet. We'd rather tell you plainly that a water-damaged couch from a flooded basement is going to the landfill than promise otherwise.

Are you insured?

Yes — General Liability $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate, an Umbrella/Excess layer of $2M and $5M aggregate, and Workers' Comp on every crew. Loop and River North buildings get the certificate the same day.

Can you come while I'm at work?

Yes, if the load is reachable — a garage off the alley, a back porch, a marked pile beside the coach house. You get photos of the empty spot when the truck leaves.