Get matched with top haulers in Travilah, MD

When deciding between renting a dumpster and hiring a junk removal service, the key factors are the type of project, the items you're discarding, and your timeline.

• Rent a dumpster for longer projects like remodeling or construction. It offers flexibility, allowing you to dispose of debris like broken tile, drywall, fixtures, and yard waste over several days. You will be responsible for loading the dumpster yourself.

• Hire a junk removal service for quick, hands-free disposal. This is ideal if you want to get rid of a pile of junk quickly, or if you have heavy or bulky items like furniture and boxes that you don't want to lift yourself. The professionals handle all the labor, often clearing everything out within a few hours.

Not every, but many, states classify fluorescent tubes and CFL light bulbs as hazardous waste that need to be disposed of in a specified manner. California defines its list of hazardous fluorescent tubes as follows:

• Fluorescent tubes, including low mercury tubes.

• Compact fluorescents, including low mercury lamps

• Metal halide lamps, such as floodlights for  large indoor and outdoor areas and gymnasiums

• Sodium lamps, such as those sometimes used as security lighting and outdoor floodlights

• Mercury vapor lamps, such as those sometimes used for street lighting

Junk haulers remove items that residential trash removal won’t take. Bulky items, like furniture, tires, and oversized yard waste, are common things they can remove from your home. Other items include chemical waste, electronics, and construction equipment. If you have a question about what your local junk removal service will remove, you should call them ahead of time to check on the best disposal options.

The average cost of junk removal is around $250, but prices for this work range from $60 for small projects to $600 or more for large projects. Some companies charge per hour of work, but most will inspect your home and then give you a flat fee for the entire project. Garbage removal labor varies from project to project, so the best way to get an accurate estimate for your service is to contact a reputable garbage removal company in your area and hire them to inspect the junk that you plan to remove.