Pricing isn’t arbitrary in Chicago, but it seems that way. Most crews price by the volume. They determine how much of the truck your dumpster will take up and then quote based on that same day junk removal Chicago.

One couch?

A pretty affordable flat fee. Your entire garage? Several hundred dollars – no problem.

Labor is more important than you might imagine. Setting down the sofa in the ground floor of a single story bungalow takes mere minutes. The same sofa going up a fifth floor walk-up in Lakeview, no elevator, tight stairwell will take two men twice the time. Be prepared to see that.

This is the other part. Landfills and transfer stations will weigh your load, so wet drywall or used concrete will be more expensive than the identical truckload of cardboard boxes. Decent companies include this in their estimate. Less reputable companies will hit you with that bill while they’re at your curb.

Ask three questions before booking. Is the cost estimate inclusive of everything? Does it include stairs and long carries?

Is there an additional fee for mattresses or other electronics?

Some haulers charge an extra fee for those items since they require special handling.

Photos help. Send two or three and most companies will give you a rough estimate by text in a few minutes. Confirm the exact number on arrival, before anyone lifts a thing.

Timing should also be a consideration. Weekends book quickly, particularly at the end of the month when new leases come into effect. If you book on a Tuesday, you will occasionally find you will get a better time and sometimes a cheaper rate.

And finally, one more habit to develop: always get the quote in writing. A text is fine. If the crew shows up and the number has changed, you have something in writing to fall back on.