Why we don't post prices
You've probably seen websites with a price per room or a price per square foot. It makes sense that people want that. When you're worried about a parent's home, a number feels like something solid to hold onto.
The trouble is that the number is rarely true. Two 1,500-square-foot houses can be completely different jobs. One has a full garage and a clear kitchen. The other has knee-high trash in every room, a bathroom nobody has used in two years, and boxes of papers that all need to be searched. A posted price either scares off the first family or surprises the second one with a much bigger bill later.
So we do it the slow way. Your local project manager looks at the actual home and gives you an actual number. We'd rather be honest up front than lowball you and change the price on day three.
We'll also be honest about this: hoarding cleanup is often expensive. It's hard, slow, physical work that takes a crew several days in many homes. A good plan is what keeps it manageable.
What changes the cost of a hoarding cleanup?
These are the things your project manager looks at when building your estimate.
Square footage and how many rooms are affected
A full one-bedroom apartment is a smaller job than a full four-bedroom house with a basement. But size alone doesn't tell the story. A big house where only the garage and one bedroom are packed may cost less than a small house where every room is full. We count the rooms that need work, plus garages, sheds, attics, crawl spaces and yards.
How high and how dense it is
Piles at knee height are a different job than piles at shoulder height or to the ceiling. Density matters too. A room of loose clothing and bags compresses down. A room of books, papers, tools or canned goods is heavy and slow to move. The more there is, the more labor and the more disposal.
How much sorting is needed
This is one of the biggest factors, and the one families most often underestimate. If the family says "it's all trash, just take it," the crew can move fast. If every drawer and box has to be gone through by hand to look for the will, cash, jewelry, photos and important mail, it takes more time.
We think careful sorting is worth it, and it's the way we prefer to work. But it's honest to say it adds hours. Our page on sorting and saving belongings explains what that looks like.
Waste and odor
Homes with pet waste, human waste, rodent droppings, spoiled food or heavy odor are normal work for us, and we handle them without judgment. They do take extra protective gear, extra care and extra cleaning. Soaked carpet or padding usually has to come out. Odor that has gotten into walls and floors takes more than one treatment.
How many loads or dumpsters it takes
Most of what leaves a full home goes into a dumpster or a truck. A 30-yard dumpster is a big open-top steel bin, roughly 20 feet long, that sits in the driveway. A large, very full home can need more than one, swapped out as they fill. Each load has a disposal cost, and those fees are set by local landfills and transfer stations, so they differ from area to area.
Stairs and access
Carrying everything down three flights of stairs takes much longer than rolling it out a garage door. Things that slow a crew down include second-floor apartments with no elevator, long walks from the door to where the dumpster can sit, narrow driveways, HOA rules about where a dumpster can go, and gated communities with set work hours.
Distance to disposal
In some areas the dump or transfer station is ten minutes away. In others it's an hour each way. Longer drives mean more time per load, and that shows up in the estimate.
Donation and recycling
We donate and recycle what we can. Furniture, clothing and household goods in good shape can go to local charities. Metal, electronics, appliances and cardboard can often be recycled. This usually takes some extra handling, since items have to be separated and sometimes driven to a different place. It also keeps usable things out of the landfill, which most families care about. Some items, like old paint, chemicals, tires or certain electronics, have their own disposal rules and fees.
Timeline and urgency
If you have a closing date, a city notice, a landlord deadline or a hospital discharge coming up, we can often bring in a bigger crew to finish faster. That's possible, but rushed jobs usually cost more than jobs with flexible timing. It also leaves less room for slow sorting, so tell your project manager what matters most.
Deep cleaning scope
Once the home is cleared, it needs to be cleaned. A light cleaning is different from scrubbing and sanitizing a kitchen and bathrooms that haven't been usable in years, treating heavy odor, and removing ruined carpet. Your estimate will spell out what cleaning is included. See hoarding deep cleaning for the details.
How the estimate works
The estimate is free, private, and there's no obligation.
- Call or send photos. Reach out, or send photos of each room, including the garage and any outdoor areas. Wide shots from the doorway help the most.
- Talk with your project manager. They'll ask about the home, who lives there, what needs to be saved, and any deadlines.
- Photos or a walk-through. Some homes can be estimated from photos. Others need an in-person visit. Your project manager will tell you which.
- A written estimate. You'll get a number for the work, along with what's included: sorting, hauling, donation, cleaning and the final walk-through.
If the person who lives in the home is worried about strangers seeing it, we can start with photos the family sends. We keep it low-key and private either way. You can see the whole process on our how it works page.
Does insurance cover hoarding cleanup?
In general, homeowners insurance usually does not cover clutter itself or the cost of clearing it out. Policies are mostly written for sudden events, like a fire, a burst pipe or a storm.
That said, situations vary. If something sudden happened inside the home, such as a pipe that broke and flooded a room, part of the cleanup might be connected to a claim. The only way to know is to ask your insurance company and read your policy. If you're dealing with a rental, the landlord's policy is a separate matter, and our page on hoarding cleanup for landlords has more on that.
We don't handle insurance claims or tell you what your policy covers. If your insurer asks for photos or a written estimate, your project manager can provide them.
Can I finance a hoarding cleanup?
Yes. Financing is available, so the work doesn't have to wait until you have the full amount saved. You apply, choose a plan that fits, and the cleanup goes ahead on schedule. Read more on our financing page.
Some families also pay for an estate cleanout from the estate once the house sells. Our estate cleanout page covers that kind of job.
How can I lower the cost?
There are a few honest ways to bring the number down.
Sort the obvious trash first, if it's safe. If the person who lives there is willing, bagging clear trash ahead of time (food packaging, junk mail, empty boxes) can cut down crew hours. Only do this if it doesn't cause conflict or put anyone at risk. Don't try to handle waste, droppings or anything that makes you feel sick. Leave that to us.
Make the big decisions early. If the family agrees ahead of time on what to look for and what can go, the crew spends less time waiting for answers.
Be flexible on timing. If you don't have a hard deadline, tell your project manager. A schedule that fits around other jobs can be easier on the budget than a rush.
Pull out what you want first. If there are specific items the family wants, like photo albums or a certain piece of furniture, take them before the crew starts, if you can reach them safely.
Ask about donation. Good furniture and household goods that go to donation may mean less to haul to the landfill.
Do it in phases. Some families start with the rooms that matter most for safety, like the kitchen, bathroom and exits, and do the rest later.
Where we work
Fresh Start is a national network, with a local project manager in each area who visits the home and gives the estimate. Disposal fees and drive times vary by area, which is another reason we quote each home on its own. See our service areas.
Common questions
Why won't you give me a price over the phone?
Because we'd be guessing, and a guess usually turns out wrong. Each home is quoted after photos or a walk-through, so the number you get is one we can stand behind. The estimate is free.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. The estimate is free and private, whether it's from photos or a walk-through. There's no obligation to book.
Can you estimate from photos?
Often, yes. Send photos of each room, the garage and any outdoor areas. If the photos don't show enough, your project manager may ask to walk through the home in person.
Does homeowners insurance pay for hoarding cleanup?
In general, homeowners insurance usually doesn't cover clutter itself. If something sudden happened, like a burst pipe, part of the cleanup might relate to a claim. Ask your insurer and check your policy to be sure.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, financing is available. You apply, choose a plan, and the work isn't delayed while you wait to save up. See our financing page for how it works.
Does it cost more if there's pet waste or a strong smell?
It can, because it takes more protective gear, more cleaning and sometimes removing carpet. That kind of home is normal work for us, and your estimate will include it.
How can we keep the cost down?
Bag obvious trash ahead of time if that's safe and causes no conflict, decide early on what to look for, and stay flexible on timing. Working in phases can help too.
Do you charge extra to sort and save things?
Sorting takes more time than straight hauling, so it's part of the estimate. Your project manager will talk with you about how much sorting your family wants, so the number matches the plan.
Reach out or send a few photos, and your project manager will put together a free estimate for the home.