Trades

Find a rubbish removal team you can trust

Old furniture, a garage you can't walk into or a mountain of green waste after a big weekend in the garden, a good rubbish removal team loads it, carts it and gets rid of it properly. We match you with one vetted local team, not a stranger from a classifieds ad.

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What a rubbish removalist can do

Furniture, mattresses and white goods taken away
Garage, shed and under-house clean-outs
Green waste after a big garden tidy-up or tree job
Renovation waste, like old kitchens, tiles and timber
Move-out, end-of-lease and deceased estate clean-ups
Skip bin hire when you'd rather load it yourself
Sorting out what can be donated, recycled or sold
E-waste, like old TVs and computers, taken for recycling

When to call in a rubbish removal team

Plenty of rubbish can wait for the council clean-up. But if you’re moving out on Friday, the garage hasn’t seen a car in years, or the renovation has left a pile of old cabinets and broken tiles in the driveway, it’s often easier to have someone load it and take it in one trip.

A rubbish removal team makes sense when:

The load is too big or heavy for a trailer and a couple of runs to the tip
You need it gone by a set date, like settlement, the end of a lease or a new kitchen arriving
There are heavy or awkward items, like an old fridge, a sofa bed or a treadmill down a flight of stairs
You’d rather skip the sorting, lifting and tip queues yourself

Council collections are worth using when the timing suits, but they come with limits: a set date, a cap on how much you can put out, and rules about what they’ll accept. You also have to get everything to the kerb yourself, which is no small thing with a fridge or a double mattress.

What they’ll take, and what they won’t

Most teams will take household junk, furniture, mattresses, white goods, green waste and general renovation waste. Good ones sort as they go, so things that can be recycled or donated don’t all end up in landfill.

Some things need special handling, and a general rubbish team may refuse them or charge extra:

Asbestos. If your home was built or renovated before 1990, old fibro walls, eaves and wet-area sheeting may contain it. Don’t break it up or bag it yourself. It’s a job for a licensed asbestos removalist.
Chemicals, paint, oils and gas bottles. Many councils run drop-off days or centres for household chemicals, often free.
E-waste and batteries. Old TVs, computers and batteries should go to recycling, not landfill.
Soil, bricks and concrete. These are heavy, so they’re usually priced by weight or as a separate load.

What to check before you book

There’s no state trade licence for general rubbish removal, so you’re relying on other checks. Look the business up on ABN Lookup, ask about insurance and read recent reviews. In Canberra, businesses that cart waste from homes need a Waste Transporter Registration with City Services, so ask to see it.

Most important of all, ask where your rubbish is going. Illegal dumping is an offence right around Australia, and in NSW and Victoria the owner of the waste is expected to make sure it ends up somewhere that can lawfully take it. A cheap quote from someone who tips your old couch down a bush track isn’t a bargain if it gets traced back to you. Our licence checks by state cover what applies where you live.

What rubbish removal costs

Rubbish removal is mostly priced by volume, so the more of the truck you fill, the more you pay. As a rough guide, a single bulky item like a couch or a mattress runs around $80–$180, half a truckload $300–$550 and a full load $500–$900. Skip bins start at roughly $150–$300 for a small 2 m³ bin. Heavy waste, stairs and long carries all push the price up. Our rubbish removal price guide has more detail and how cities compare. Treat it as a guide, not a quote.

How needatradie matches you

Tell us what needs to go and where you are, and we match you with one vetted local rubbish removal team. We check their ABN, insurance and reviews before they’re sent your way, and it’s free for homeowners. No list of five to ring around, and no flood of calls from businesses you never asked to hear from.

See rubbish removal in Brisbane, rubbish removal in Sydney or every area we cover, or get a free quote.

Before you hire

An ABN you can check on ABN Lookup. There's no state licence for general rubbish removal, so the ABN, insurance and reviews do the heavy lifting.
A price based on volume, agreed before loading starts, with heavy waste like soil, bricks and concrete priced upfront.
A straight answer on where your rubbish is going, and a tip receipt if you ask. Illegally dumped waste can come back on you.
A licensed asbestos removalist for anything that might contain asbestos, like old fibro sheeting. A general rubbish team shouldn't touch it.
Public liability insurance, especially for heavy items, stairs and tight access.
In Canberra, a Waste Transporter Registration with City Services.

Indicative prices

Typical ranges for common jobs. A guide, not a quote.

Single bulky item (couch, mattress or fridge) $80–$180
Small load, about a quarter of a truck $180–$350
Half a truckload $300–$550
Full truckload · Roughly a garage clean-out or a small renovation $500–$900
Skip bin, 2 m³ (general waste) · Usually a few days to a week's hire $150–$300
Skip bin, 4 m³ (general waste) $250–$450

What a rubbish removalist costs →

Rubbish removal: common questions

How much does rubbish removal cost?

Most rubbish removal is priced by volume. As a rough guide, expect around $80–$180 for a single bulky item, $300–$550 for half a truckload and $500–$900 for a full load. Skip bins run roughly $150–$300 for a small 2 m³ bin. Heavy waste like soil, bricks and concrete costs more. It's a guide, not a quote, so lock in the price before loading starts.

What's the cheapest way to get rid of junk?

Start with your council. Many run booked or scheduled hard rubbish and bulky waste collections, and some are free a set number of times a year. Anything in good condition can be sold, given away or donated. If you've got a trailer, taking it to the tip or transfer station yourself is usually cheapest. Paid removal makes sense for big loads, heavy items or when it can't wait.

How do I get rid of a large amount of rubbish?

You've got two main choices. A skip bin suits a renovation or a big clean-out if there's room on your property and you're happy to fill it yourself. A rubbish removal team suits you if you want it gone in one go, because they do the lifting and loading. If a skip would have to sit on the street, check with your council first, as many need a permit for that.

Can I dispose of a mattress myself?

Yes. Most tips and transfer stations take mattresses, usually for a fee, and many send them on for recycling. Some councils collect them as part of a bulky waste service, and some retailers will take your old one away when they deliver the new one. If you can't move it yourself, a rubbish removal team will take it, typically for a single-item charge.

Do rubbish removalists need a licence?

Not for carting away general household rubbish, though in the ACT, businesses that collect waste from homes need a Waste Transporter Registration. What matters everywhere is that the waste goes somewhere that can lawfully take it, and in NSW and Victoria the person who owns the waste carries some of that responsibility too. Asbestos is different: it needs a licensed removalist.

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