Cost guide · Updated Aug 9, 2026
Junk removal cost in Denver in 2026
Junk removal in Denver runs $140 to $950 in 2026 — median around $450 for a half-truck load. The city moved residential trash to volume-based pricing, which changed the arithmetic at the low end: paying by the size of your cart makes a one-time hauler cheaper than upsizing service for a single cleanout.
Typical range
$140 – $950
~$450 for a half-truck (~7–8 cu yd)
By scope
| Scope | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single item / minimum pickup | $100 – $190 | |
| 1/4 truck (~4 cu yd) | $200 – $295 | |
| 1/2 truck (~7–8 cu yd) | $350 – $565 | |
| 3/4 truck (~11 cu yd) | $540 – $760 | |
| Full truck (~15 cu yd) | $700 – $980 |
What swings the price
- Volume-based residential trash pricing, which makes a one-time haul competitive with upsizing your cart.
- Basement and garden-level retrieval, common in Denver bungalows.
- Winter access — snow and ice in alleys and on driveways slow or block a truck.
- Refrigerant appliances and electronics, which carry separate recovery and recycling fees.
- Construction debris from the metro's heavy remodel activity, priced by weight.
Denver specifics
Denver charges households for trash service by cart size, so people size down to save money and then have nowhere to put a bed frame. That is the local pattern behind most one-off junk calls, and it means the useful comparison is not hauler versus free curbside — it is a single haul against months of paying for a bigger cart you only need once. For a single cleanout, the haul almost always wins.
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FAQs
How much does junk removal cost in Denver?
$350–$565 for a half-truck load, median around $450. Single-item pickups run $100–$190 and a full truck runs $700–$980.
Is it cheaper to upsize my trash cart or hire a hauler?
For a one-time cleanout, a hauler. Denver bills residential trash by cart size, so upsizing means paying every month for capacity you needed once. Upsizing makes sense only if your ongoing volume genuinely changed.
Does snow affect junk removal scheduling in Denver?
It can. Alleys are plowed last and a snowed-in driveway or alley means a longer carry or a rescheduled job. For winter cleanouts, ask the hauler what happens if access is blocked and whether the quote holds.
What does a basement cleanout cost in Denver?
$500–$1,200 for a typical bungalow basement depending on volume and stair access. Garden-level units are a similar story — the flight of stairs at the exit is what drives the number more than the pile itself.
Do Denver haulers recycle appliances and electronics?
Reputable ones do. Refrigerators and air conditioners need certified refrigerant recovery, and electronics go to a certified recycler rather than a landfill. Both carry pass-through fees that should be itemized on the estimate.
Sources
- Denver Solid Waste Management — volume-based trash pricing (2026)
- HomeGuide — junk removal cost (2025)
Related cost guides
Prices refresh quarterly. Last review: Aug 9, 2026.