Junk Removal Cost Calculator
Estimate a junk hauling price.
Special
Junk Removal Volume Calculator
Count the furniture, appliances, bags and debris you want gone and see the volume in cubic yards, how much of a junk removal truck it fills and which dumpster size would hold it.
How it works
- Enter how many of each item you want removed; leave the rest at zero.
- Add loose construction debris in cubic yards and anything else in cubic feet.
- Adjust the truck size if the company you are calling quotes a different capacity.
- Read the truck fraction to compare against price lists, which are usually quoted by 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or full truck.
Formula
Item volume (ft³) = Σ count × typical ft³ per item + other items Load (yd³) = item volume ÷ 27 + debris (yd³) Truck share = loaded volume ÷ truck size → rounded up to 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or full
Typical sizes: sofa ≈ 50 ft³, sectional ≈ 90 ft³, mattress ≈ 30 ft³, refrigerator ≈ 45 ft³, washer or dryer ≈ 25 ft³, a full trash bag ≈ 5 ft³. These moving-industry “cube sheet” sizes describe the truck space an item occupies, including the gaps around it. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Pickup loads assume about 2.2 yd³ in a full-size bed loaded level.
Example
Clearing a basement: a sectional, two armchairs, an old freezer, a treadmill (about 30 ft³, entered as other items), 20 bags of trash and 1.5 cubic yards of old drywall and carpet.
Inputs
- Sofa (3-seat)
- 0
- Sectional sofa
- 1
- Armchair / recliner
- 2
- Mattress
- 0
- Box spring
- 0
- Dresser
- 0
- Freezer
- 1
- Medium boxes
- 0
- Trash bags (39–45 gal)
- 20
- Construction debris
- 1.5 yd³
- Other items
- 30 ft³
Result
Estimated junk removal loadFull truckAbout 12.4 cubic yards in a 15-yard truck
Volume12.4 yd³
Share of one truck83%
Pickup truck loads≈ 6
Why truck fractions matter
Most junk removal companies publish prices by the share of the truck your items fill, plus fees for certain items. Knowing whether you have a quarter load or half a load before you call makes it easy to check that an on-site quote is reasonable.
If the result is just over a tier boundary, removing a few bags or breaking down a table can drop the job to the next lower price.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards is a junk removal truck?
Commonly 12–16 cubic yards, often about 15. Ask the company, because “full truck” prices depend on the truck.
How much is a 1/4 truck load?
Roughly 3.5–4 cubic yards in a 15-yard truck — for example a sofa plus a mattress and box spring, or about 20 full trash bags.
How many cubic yards is a pickup truck bed?
A full-size 8-ft bed loaded level holds about 2–2.5 cubic yards; a short bed about 1.5–2.
Should I rent a dumpster or hire junk removal?
For heavy debris over several days a dumpster is often cheaper; for furniture and appliances that need carrying out, junk removal is usually simpler. The result shows the smallest dumpster that would hold your load for comparison.