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How Much Does a House Clearance Cost?

When you need to clear a property quickly, it's highly advisable to hire a house clearance contractor, but how much does a house clearance cost? Contractors will charge an average of £500 to £1,000 for a three-bedroom home and ensure the building is cleared quickly, safely and with specialist handling for larger items!

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It's important to clear old, inherited or recently vacated buildings promptly to avoid the risk of insects and infestations. However, you also need to ensure you use a licensed disposal expert to comply with regulations around correct handling and responsible waste removal.

How Much Does a House Clearance Cost?

Most house clearances are priced on volume, so while a clearance company might provide a ballpark figure, they'll usually need to organise a site visit to give you an exact price.

Additional items such as large appliances or pianos cost more to remove since they require extra labourers.

If you have lots of steps or floors, your contractor may need to use a winch or other heavy-duty equipment.

Below we've run through some average house clearance prices to give you a rough idea of what it should cost to clear your property.

Clearance Requirements Average Cost
Very small clearance job up to 250 kg From £80
Small clearance job up to 500 kg From £175
Medium clearance job up to 750 kg From £250
Large clearance job up to 1,000 kg From £320
Clearing an average-sized three-bedroom home £500 - £1,000
Specialist clearance of long-term hoarding or other more complex jobs £1,000 - £2,000 or above
Removing and disposing of large furniture items £30 to £50 per item
Removing TVs and monitors £15 each
Piano removal £100 each
Large appliances £95 each
Small appliances £50 each
Mattress removal £20 each

Some house clearance contractors will quote by the van load or based on the number of days of work.

Others will itemise their estimated house clearance prices based on the number of rooms, the volume of waste and whether there are particularly large or heavy items to be disposed of.

Checkout this video which gives a few insights into what's involved in a house clearance:

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Factors That Impact the Cost of a House Clearance

House clearances will vary considerably in terms of the nature of the property and the types of items you need to be cleared.

If items are recyclable or salvageable, you may be able to sell some of them at auction or to a salvage yard.

In other cases, if all items are unsuitable for reuse, your house clearance contractor will need to account for the costs of skip hire and waste disposal fees.

For example, if items constitute a health hazard, the disposal charges may be higher.

The other primary factors that will affect your house clearance costs are discussed below.

Quantity of Items to Clear

As we've explained, house clearance providers will quote per room, day or item, but if you have a large volume of appliances and furniture items to remove, it will cost more in disposal charges and labour hours.

Nature of House Clearance Contents

If a hoarder has lived in the property, there are unidentified items or anything that may require special handling, your house clearance provider will need to build this into their quote.

House Clearance Access

Most properties are relatively easy to access, but there are several scenarios where access may be restricted and command additional equipment or planning, for example:

  • Homes with small entrance ways where larger items are difficult to manoeuvre.
  • Properties with steep, narrow or numerous flights of stairs.
  • Buildings where bigger appliances must be winched or craned from an upper-storey window.
  • House clearances without space or access for a skip or removal vehicle.
  • Dilapidated or derelict homes with overgrown gardens or disused pathways that require preparatory work before the house clearance can take place.

If you foresee any potential access difficulties, it is important to share these with your house clearance provider beforehand since they may be able to advise on the quickest or cheapest options to clear the property.

The Volume of Waste

Contractors will need to know how many van loads the clearance requires - they may also quote per kilogram or ton.

Some providers will use multiple vehicles for a large clearance project or may make return visits, which will cost more in fuel charges and waste disposal costs.

Location

House clearances in London and the southeast cost more than in other areas, as with any contracted work - labour costs, insurance and travel expenses are higher in this part of the country.

If you need to clear a property in a dense urban area with parking restrictions or want to clear a home in a remote location, this may also add to your total budget.

Quality of Your Clearance Provider

It is important to steer clear of house clearance contractors who quote a price that seems too good to be true or estimate a cost significantly lower than anybody else.

These quotations normally come from unregistered providers who do not have the appropriate waste transportation licences or accreditations to clear properties safely and responsibly.

In most cases, your waste items are dumped illegally, which can mean that you incur extra costs, penalties or fines. The charge for fly-tipping, even if you didn’t realise your contractor would do so, is up to £50,000.

The House Clearance Process

A full house clearance differs from a removal job or decluttering exercise and won't usually apply if you'd simply like to remove a few surplus items or old appliances.

House clearances include:

  • Removing all items from the entire home.
  • Clearing appliances or items in indoor and outdoor spaces.
  • Disposal of all items of furniture.

There are many scenarios when you need to clear a property. Still, common situations include clearing a home following a bereavement, clearing an inherited house, a clearance after a tenant has vacated a rental residence, or clearing a property acquired at auction.

You can discuss your requirements with your selected contractor, but you may decide to remove certain items you wish to keep beforehand or instruct them to leave certain possessions in situ.

However, most house clearances involve a complete disposal service for all items remaining in the property.

House Clearances for Severely Cluttered Properties

Hoarding means that a person stores an excessive volume of items, often with no monetary value - hoarding can accumulate over many years and present a serious problem for the property owner when they wish to redecorate or sell the home.

Properties that have fallen into poor repair or where there is a long history of hoarding are more challenging to clear.

Still, you can contact an experienced clearance provider and request a confidentiality agreement if you are concerned about the privacy of the individual who lives or has previously lived in the home.

Contractors will often use extra health and safety equipment and protective clothing to tackle a large volume of hoarded items.

 

Clearances differ from straightforward decluttering because:

  • The contractor will clear the entire property, including larger and bulkier appliances.
  • Unwanted items can be recycled or sold at auction, and the profits are either passed to the owner or used to offset the clearance costs. Other items may be donated to charity.
  • Homeowners can contract a clearance service for individual rooms (often attic spaces, garages or storage areas) or the entire property.

If you need to clear a property following a bereavement or for a home inherited through the probate system, you may wish to hire a specialist in this area who will ensure the clearance is completed with sensitivity.

Creating a House Clearance Timeline

The specific time required to clear a property will vary depending on the size of the home, location, layout and volume of items to be removed.

Most projects take one full day, although this may be longer if the property is large or has full storage spaces such as lofts and garages.

We've run through the steps below to understand your expected clearance time scale better.

Preparing for a House Clearance

It is important to prepare for your property clearance before your contractor arrives - this can take several days, so you may need to set some time aside in the week beforehand.

Any items you wish to keep should be separated, removed, or labelled so there is no confusion about what you'd like disposed of.

Ideally, you should also remove valuable items to ensure they aren't cleared with other waste items.

If there are valuable or sentimental items you cannot remove (such as a large item of furniture or piano), you will need to clarify with your contractor.

You may also be able to create a list of items you would like to donate to charity and others that you believe are suitable for sale at auction or through a reclamation yard.

Attending the Clearance

Most contractors prefer the homeowner to be present during the house clearance, so they can consult if they encounter anything they believe may not be intended for disposal.

Although you can provide access at the start of the day and then leave, it is beneficial to be available, or remain on site if you can, because smaller items such as jewellery are often uncovered as furniture is removed.

Remaining on site is useful since you can ensure that all rubbish, furniture and appliances have been cleared and create a running tally of goods being reserved for resale, so there are no disagreements about the expected value of those items.

Selling Clearance Items

The easiest way to organise the sale of cleared items tends to be through a local auction house that will be familiar with house clearance sales.

It is up to you whether you would like to attend the auction or leave this for the professionals to deal with - you will receive around 75% to 80% of the sale value.

Alternatively, your house clearance provider may be able to handle the resale of anything of value and deduct the proceeds from the house clearance cost. However, you will typically achieve a lower value than if you organise the sale yourself.

Most electrical appliances are less suited to auction but can be donated to charity.

Costs Included in a House Clearance Quotation

The highest costs for a house clearance provider are staffing, legal waste disposal and recycling, but it can be useful to understand what services are included within the price.

Although prices vary, as we have seen, the breakdown below sets out the average costs for each element within a house clearance service.

Waste Recycling Costs

Companies must dispose of waste at an approved, licenced facility and hold a waste carrier's licence or subcontract to a suitably accredited waste disposal firm.

Recycling plants charge up to £200 per ton to dispose of cleared items responsibly, with average prices of:

  • £180 per van (based on a Luton van with a 1.5-ton capacity)
  • £60 per mattress
  • £80 per fridge or freezer
  • £40 per TV
  • £50 for ten small electrical appliances

House Clearance Insurances and Licences

A professional clearance company must be registered with the Environment Agency and hold professional and public indemnity insurance.

Insurance for house clearance providers costs from £1,000 a year, and the charge included within your quote for this element of the service will be from £5 and upward.

Transport Costs

Most house clearance teams use Luton vans - they are long-wheelbase vehicles. They have a larger capacity than a standard transit van yet are small enough to access most residential properties and tight roads.

These vehicles cost around £26,000 plus running costs, tax, repairs and insurance, and your house clearance contractor will charge around £60 per job.

Fuel charges will also apply, at an average of £20, but this could be much higher if you require multiple vehicles or return journeys.

House Clearance Labour

Unless your clearance is particularly small, you'll normally have three crew members arrive on the day.

House clearance companies tend to use minimum teams of three to comply with health and safety and insurance requirements and ensure there are enough pairs of hands to handle large, valuable or heavy items.

The average labour cost starts at £216 - again, that varies depending on how many days or hours of work are required and any specific requirements such as extremely heavy items that need more labourers or commercial moving equipment.

These pricing factors mean that the average for all UK property clearances sits at just under £800.

Please ask your contractor for an itemised estimate if you are unsure what is or isn't included in your quote or how the cost breaks down into different parts of the house clearance service.

Still wondering "How much does a house clearance cost?" Depending on the depth of demolitions you plan to undertake the costs can vary. Learn more about small costs that will increase house clearance costs like the demolition of a general wall, larger cost increases like the cost to demolish an extension and other building demolition costs and services

Frequently Asked Questions

Next, we'll answer some commonly asked questions about clearing a property and how much the project should cost.

Can I Have Just Part of a House Cleared?

Yes - you can hire a house clearance team to clear an entire property, particular sections or individual rooms as required.

For example, you might need to clear a garage or outbuilding, remove all the items in an old shed, or clear an attic with years worth of stored items.

What Is the Most Common Reason to Need a House Clearance?

There are many situations where a property needs to be cleared, but one of the most common is where a loved one has passed away or gone into care.

Their relatives will need to clear the home to sell it or move into it but may need help if there is a whole house full of furniture and personal items.

Another common scenario is where a property has been repossessed or abandoned and may be sold at auction with all the contents in situ - the new owner assumes responsibility for legally and safely clearing all unwanted items.

Landlords also use house clearance services when a tenant has left, but items remain in the property they wish to dispose of.

Can a House Clearance Company Dispose of Electrical Equipment?

Yes, house clearance contractors can remove almost anything from a property.

However, you may need a specialist with the right equipment and waste disposal licence if there are any potentially hazardous items.

Some electrical items carry an extra recycling charge due to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive - or WEEE.

Your house clearance company will let you know if this applies and the associated charge depending on how many electrical appliances they need to dispose of.

Can I Sell Unwanted Items After a House Clearance?

You can sell anything of value and might wish to organise particular items or pieces of furniture to be delivered to a local auction provider.

Either the house clearance company can sell the items on your behalf and pass on the proceeds, or you can manage the auction yourself (or sell through an alternative route if you wish).

Note that auction houses will charge a commission and a fee, so you should budget for this if you are relying on the sale proceeds to cover some of the house clearance costs.

If you are unsure whether any items in the property are worth selling, you can ask an auctioneer with a clearance service to meet you there beforehand and assess the contents to advise on what might be valuable.

What Happens if I Need to Clear a House in Very Bad Condition?

Clearance companies are used to dilapidated and poorly maintained properties and may offer services designed for hoarding clearances or even homes that have been unused for several years.

You must share this information from the start because challenging jobs require extra time, sanitation equipment, health and safety protection and appropriate waste disposal licensing.

Do House Clearance Companies Deal With Smaller Jobs?

If you'd like to clear a few large items that you cannot move or transport yourself, you can hire a house clearance firm to remove a specific list of items.

Most will charge an hourly rate, anywhere from £40 to £60.

There are alternatives, such as re-selling locally or even donating furniture. Many local charities will offer a collection service if you donate valuable items that you cannot transport.

Your local council may also provide a waste disposal service. Most will collect things like sofas, freezers and washing machines - they might charge a nominal fee, but it is usually very affordable.

Those collection services tend to be limited to a maximum number of items, so the more you need to dispose of, the better value for money you will get from a house clearance company.

Will the Council Clear a Property After a Bereavement?

Some councils will offer to help clear social housing accommodation when an occupant has passed away or gone into care - although others do not offer any similar service.

Those that do often give a very short timeframe, so you will need to remove anything you wish to keep as soon as possible to avoid it being disposed of against your wishes.

The best option is to hire an independent house clearance provider who will follow your instructions and ensure furniture or possessions you wish to keep are delivered to your required address or put aside until you can collect them.

Do I Need to Attend a House Clearance?

Ideally, yes, most contractors will request you remain on-site or in the vicinity.

If they come across anything that you haven't mentioned or given any instructions for, the clearance team will ask what you would like them to do.

How Can I Get a Quote for a House Clearance?

Please fill in our quotation request form with a few details about the clearance you require!

We'll match your location and job information with up to four approved local contractors and request they send you a pricing estimate direct to your inbox.

There is no obligation to proceed, and you can use our quotation service as often as you wish without any charge.

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