The short answer
Junk removal in Salt Lake City is priced two ways and you pick the cheaper one.
Per item. Every item has a published price. A sofa is $126, a queen mattress is $103, a refrigerator is $164, a treadmill is $115, a hot tub is $322.
By volume. The truck ladder runs $241 for a quarter, $338 for three-eighths, $431 for a half, $513 for five-eighths, $587 for three-quarters, $661 for seven-eighths and $732 for a full truck.
Underneath both sits a $75 minimum per visit. That is the floor, and everything else is above it.
What the price includes
Everything. The crew, the truck, the drive, the carry from wherever the item sits, the loading, and the disposal or recycling fee at the other end. There is no separate tipping charge, no fuel surcharge, no appliance or refrigerant fee, and no charge for stairs.
That last one is the important one in this valley. Nearly every home here built before 2000 has a full basement, most of the pre-war stock in the Avenues and Central City has a narrow turning staircase, and the walk-up fourplexes along 700 East and 900 East have no lift. Carrying up and down all of that is inside the published price, not on top of it.
The per-item list
| Sofa / Couch | $126 |
| Loveseat | $119 |
| Recliner | $98 |
| Mattress, Queen | $103 |
| Mattress + Box Spring Set | $143 |
| Dresser (Standard) | $126 |
| Dining Table (6-8 seat) | $163 |
| Refrigerator (Standard) | $164 |
| Washer | $133 |
| Dryer | $128 |
| TV, 42 to 65 inches | $68 |
| Treadmill | $115 |
| Hot Tub / Spa | $322 |
| Upright Piano | $290 |
| Large Junk Pile | $208 |
Where volume starts beating per-item
This is the part nobody explains, so here it is plainly. The crossover is simply whichever number is lower for your particular pile — but there is a reliable pattern.
Under $241 of items, stay per-item. A sofa and a coffee table is $126 + $67 = $193, well under the quarter truck at $241. Book per item.
Between $241 and $431, check both every time. A living room of sofa, loveseat, coffee table and end table is $126 + $119 + $67 + $52 = $364, and a three-eighths truck is $338. The truck wins by $26.
Above $431 of items, volume nearly always wins. A Yalecrest basement of chest freezer, washer, dryer and a large pile is $146 + $133 + $128 + $208 = $615, against a three-quarter truck at $587. The truck wins by $28.
The exception is heavy single items that take up little space. A hot tub at $322 or an upright piano at $290 is cheaper as an item than as a truck fraction, because you are paying for the difficulty, not the cubic feet.
Four jobs, added up
- One couch, Sugar House duplex, second floor. $126. No stair charge.
- Basement laundry pair, Rose Park rambler. Washer $133 + dryer $128 = $261.
- Bedroom cleared, upper Avenues. Mattress and box spring set $143 + bed frame $68 + dresser $126 + nightstand $57 = $394.
- Two-car garage, Herriman. Half truck, $431.
None of those numbers changes because of the neighborhood. Access affects how long we schedule, never what you pay.
How to bring your own price down
- Batch it. You pay the $75 minimum once. Two quarter loads are $241 + $241 = $482; one half truck is $431.
- Sell the sellable first, for one week only. Solid wood, leather, mid-century pieces and decent outdoor gear move on KSL Classifieds. Particleboard and worn upholstery do not.
- Break down flat-pack. Less volume means a smaller truck fraction.
- Do not let it sit outside. A sofa that takes on snowmelt through a Salt Lake winter is not donatable and is harder to move.
- Price both ways. Thirty seconds of arithmetic regularly saves $25 to $90.
What is not included
Household hazardous waste. Paint, solvents, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, pool and lawn chemicals, propane cylinders and car batteries all have to go through your county's household hazardous waste route. Every garage in this valley has a shelf of it and we cannot take any of it.
Also not included: deep cleaning, carpet fitting, demolition beyond breaking down an item to get it out, and anything requiring remediation such as mold or biohazard. Carpet removal is priced separately at $71 per room and rolled carpet at $68, so add those to the list if the floors are going too.
Getting an exact number
List your items on the pricing page. The total builds as you add. Compare it against the truck ladder shown on the same page and book whichever is lower. You approve the total before a crew is dispatched, and it does not move on the day unless you add something — in which case you approve the new total first.
That applies across the market: Salt Lake City, Bountiful, Millcreek, Murray, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, West Valley, Taylorsville, West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton, Herriman, Draper, Lehi and American Fork. Same list, same prices.
Frequently asked questions
How much does junk removal cost in Salt Lake City?
The minimum visit is $75. Per item, a sofa is $126 and a refrigerator is $164. By volume, a quarter truck is $241, a half is $431 and a full truck is $732.
Is disposal included in the price?
Yes. Landfill, recycling and appliance handling fees are all inside the quoted number. Nothing is added afterwards.
Do you charge more for stairs or basements?
No. There is no stair, walk-up, basement or long-carry charge anywhere in the valley.
Should I book per item or by truck size?
Price both and take the lower. Under $241 of items, per-item usually wins. Above $431, the truck ladder usually does. Heavy single items like a $322 hot tub are cheaper priced individually.
Do prices vary by neighborhood?
No. A sofa is $126 in the Avenues, in Rose Park, in Daybreak and in Bountiful.
What will you not take?
Household hazardous waste: paint, solvents, oil, antifreeze, pesticides, pool and lawn chemicals, propane tanks and car batteries. Those go to your county's household hazardous waste route.