How Much Does a Whole House Cleanout Cost?

Whole house cleanouts in Aurora typically run $800 to $3,000+. The wide range reflects everything from a small two-bedroom that gets done in one truck to a large estate that takes multiple trucks over 2–3 days. Whole-house jobs are always quoted on-site — there’s no accurate way to price them over the phone. Here’s how Junk Nurse approaches them.

What “whole house cleanout” actually means

Different customers mean different things:

• Estate cleanout after a death — complete clearing of a family member’s home for sale
• Downsizing — parents moving to a smaller home or assisted living, decades of belongings to clear
• Hoarding cleanup — specialized; significant volume and sometimes biohazard concerns
• Tenant abandonment — rental property where the tenant left everything
• Pre-sale clearing — homeowner clearing personal items before listing
• Post-renovation cleanup — older furniture replaced; whole-house items going at once

The price varies significantly across these scenarios.

Pricing by typical scenario

Small home (1,000–1,500 sq ft, lightly furnished)

$800–$1,500. One full truck, sometimes plus a partial second. Typical for a senior’s downsizing where they’ve already given away or sold many items. 4–8 hours of work.

Medium home (1,500–2,500 sq ft, fully furnished)

$1,500–$2,500. Two full trucks typical. A 3–4 bedroom home with attics, basement storage, garage contents. 8–14 hours of work, sometimes spread over two days.

Large home (2,500–4,000 sq ft, fully furnished)

$2,500–$4,500. 3–4 truckloads. Larger homes with finished basements, attic storage, multi-car garages. Often 2–3 day jobs.

Estate / hoarding situations

$3,000–$10,000+. Extreme volume, sometimes biohazard remediation needed. Multi-day jobs with multiple trucks. Always on-site quote with detailed walkthrough.

What’s included in a whole-house cleanout

• All furniture removal
• Appliance removal (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves — Section 608 compliant)
• Electronics disposal (Illinois e-waste compliant)
• Mattresses and bedding
• Boxes, accumulated paper, books
• Kitchen items, dishes, pots and pans
• Closet contents and clothing
• Garage clearing
• Basement clearing
• Attic clearing (if accessible)
• Outdoor furniture and grills
• Disposal routing through transfer station, scrap metal, e-recycling, donation
• Final sweep

What’s NOT included

• Hazmat (paint, solvents, fuel, pool chemicals) — we’ll separate and point you to Kane County hazmat disposal
• Wall fixtures and built-ins — removing kitchen cabinets, mounted shelving, or attached fixtures is contractor work
• Structural items (deck removal, shed demolition beyond standard) — quoted separately if needed
• Vehicles, boats, motorcycles — specialized title transfer and removal
• Asbestos abatement — licensed contractor required
• Medical waste, biohazards — specialty services
• Cleaning services (vacuuming, washing surfaces) — we sweep but don’t deep clean

How the on-site walkthrough works

For any whole-house job, we send Alex or a senior crew member out to:

1. Walk every room, attic, basement, garage, and outbuilding
2. Identify volume, special items, and access constraints
3. Discuss any items you want to keep or sell separately
4. Identify hazmat or items requiring special handling
5. Provide a written quote with clear scope

Walkthroughs are free. No obligation. We’ll give you the quote, and you can take time to compare or think it over.

The estate cleanout process specifically

Estate cleanouts are a significant portion of our whole-house work, and they have specific considerations:

Family walkthrough first

Before we start clearing, family members do a walkthrough to identify any items they want to keep. We provide an opportunity for this even mid-job if needed — sometimes things turn up that family wants to see.

Important documents and valuables

We’ll set aside any documents, jewelry, cash, or items that look important rather than disposing. Family is responsible for going through these before we leave.

Coordinating with the executor or family

Many estate jobs involve out-of-state family. We coordinate via phone or text. Sometimes a real estate agent or attorney is the main contact.

Real estate timing

Estate cleanouts often need to wrap before a closing, listing, or open house. We work to deadlines and can sometimes accelerate the schedule for time-sensitive situations.

Multi-day vs. single-day jobs

Many whole-house jobs can be completed in a single day with a larger crew (4–6 people) and multiple truck trips. Single-day completion costs slightly more in crew time but minimizes property disruption.

Multi-day jobs (2–3 days) work for larger homes or when family wants to be present for each phase.

We’ll recommend the approach during the walkthrough.

Payment structure for large jobs

For most whole-house jobs:

• Payment due at completion (after final walk-through with you)
• For multi-day jobs, sometimes 50% at start, 50% at completion
• We accept cash, check, credit cards, Venmo, Cash App

For larger commercial or recurring accounts, we can extend net-15 or net-30 terms.

The Junk Nurse difference for whole-house

The main thing customers appreciate on whole-house jobs:

• One firm quote, confirmed before work starts
• No surprises at the end (which is common when other companies discover “more” than expected)
• Donation routing — usable furniture goes to Hesed House, ReStore, Furniture Bank
• Discretion with sensitive estate situations
• $1M liability insurance protecting your property

For more on pricing, see our junk removal cost authority guide.