How much does it cost to clean out a house after someone dies?

Most estate cleanouts in the Austin area cost $375 to $1,800 with PickUp Haulers, depending on the size of the home, the garage and how full it is.

Should we hold an estate sale before calling a junk removal company?

If there are valuable items, yes. A sale can pay for itself. Call the hauler for what's left after the sale.

Do you donate items from estate cleanouts?

Yes. Usable furniture and household goods are set aside for donation, and metal and appliances are recycled.

Can you clear a house if the family lives out of state?

Yes. We can work from photos or a walk-through with a realtor or executor, take approval by text, and send photos when the job is done.

How much does an estate cleanout cost? (2026)

By PickUp Haulers · October 31, 2026

Two-story home with a garage and front lawn

Short answer: around Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville, an estate cleanout usually costs $375 to $1,800 with a local hauler. A small apartment is often one full trailer ($375–$450). A three-bedroom house with a full garage can take three or four full trailers. Homes packed over decades can take more, so we look first and give one price for the whole job.

Estate cleanout prices by home size

Home	Typical loads	Typical price
Apartment or condo	1 full trailer	$375–$450
2-bedroom house	1–2 full trailers	$375–$900
3-bedroom house with garage	2–4 full trailers	$750–$1,800
Large or heavily packed home	Site visit first	Quoted on site

PickUp Haulers prices by load and includes labor, hauling and disposal. We confirm the price on site before anything is moved.

What changes the price

How much is left after family takes keepsakes. Every piece that goes to a relative is one less to haul.
Estate sale or not. A sale can take out a large share of the furniture and household goods first. What's left after a sale is usually smaller and cheaper to clear.
Garage, attic and sheds. These often hold as much as the rest of the house.
Heavy items. Pianos, safes, freezers, workshop tools and exercise equipment take extra hands.
Condition. Hoarding, pests or spoiled food mean more time bagging and sorting.
Restricted items. Old paint, pesticides, propane and pool chemicals can't go in the load. See what junk removal companies won't take.

Estate sale company vs. junk removal crew

	Estate sale company	Junk removal crew
Best for	Homes with valuable furniture, collectibles, tools	Everything left after family and the sale
How you pay	Commission on sales, often a large share	Load price, confirmed upfront
Time	Usually one to three weeks to set up and run	Usually one to two days
What's left	Often a lot. Most sales leave a house to clear.	An empty house

Many families use both: an estate sale first, then a hauler to clear what didn't sell. We set aside donation items and recycle metal and appliances, so less goes to the landfill.

Before the cleanout

Make sure the person arranging the cleanout has the authority to do it. In Texas that's often the executor or administrator named by the probate court, or the heirs together. If the estate is in probate, ask the estate's attorney before anything is removed or sold. Look for important papers (wills, deeds, titles, bank and insurance documents) before hauling day.

Our estate cleanout checklist walks through the steps.

For families who live out of town

We can work with a relative, realtor or executor who isn't local. Send photos or give us access for a walk-through, approve the price by text, and we'll send photos when the house is empty.

Get an estate cleanout price

Call or text (512) 861-7732. We'll ask a few questions, look at photos or the house, and give you one price for the whole job. Learn more about our whole house cleanouts.