Find a local waste removal professional

Few of us have a spare van, truck or light goods vehicle tucked up on our driveways. So, if you’re looking to shift an old sofa or a forlorn mattress you’ve got two options. One sees you hiring a van (and all the hassle that involves), and lugging the bulky unwanted item yourself. And then wondering why you wasted so much time.

The other is probably quicker and certainly easier – call up a waste removal or disposal professional. With all the required tools, vehicles and expertise, they’ll be able to collect your unwanted white goods, discarded furniture items and general household waste, leaving you with a clean, serene home.

Your waste removal expert should be able to clear most items from your home. They may even be able to dispose of hazardous waste, provided they hold the necessary licenses. Book in a collection, and as long as you’ve accurately informed them about the type of waste you need rid of, they’ll be able to collect everything up, drive it away, and ensure it’s taken to the correct recycling or landfill disposal site.

Cost of waste removal

The cost of this service will depend on the amount (and weight) of waste you need to have removed, and whether any special processes or licenses are required.

You can usually expect to pay the follow rates, according to waste weights:

• Up to 250 kg: £75–£125
• Up to 500 kg: £150–£185
• Up to 1,000 kg: £300–£350

Waste removal what can be collected?

Waste removal firms will have the experience and knowledge to advise you regarding what they can and cannot take away for you. They’ll usually be able to assist – but some items may require specialist disposal (and licenses), so it’s best to check with your waste removal professional before they arrive.

Waste removal companies can ordinarily collect:

• Furniture – sofas, mattresses, cupboards, tables, chairs and unwanted office or garden furniture.
• Other home waste – DVDs, books, boxes, old clothes, smaller furniture items (for example, lamps).
• Garden waste – branches, leaves, shrubs, grass, soil, even remnants of an old garden shed or fencing.
• White goods and appliances: dishwashers, washing machines, TVs, speakers, printers, cookers, fridges, freezers.
• General building waste: timber, bricks and blocks, plasterboard, window frames, glass, carpet and bags of sand, cement and plaster.

Waste removal hazardous items and licensed waste

Waste removal firms will be able to remove most household rubbish – even items you wouldn’t usually be able to put in the bin or recycle, like plasterboard. As we’ve mentioned, there are some items that require specialist handling and licenses to dispose of though.

This is usually because they are hazardous to humans or the environment, and cannot be recycled or safely put into landfill. If you have any of the following items, it’s worth speaking to your waste removal professional before they turn up at your house – to avoid frustration on both sides, and an unexpected charge.

• Industrial or large appliances
• Paint, toxic chemicals or solvents
• Asbestos
• Medical waste
• Fuel, oil, petrol and diesel
• Gas cannisters and bottles
• Car batteries

The qualifications your tradesperson needs

Waste removal doesn’t require any formal qualifications but, as we’ve outlined, your professional may need licenses to dispose of certain items. Your local authority should be able to advise if you’re unsure as to whether some types of waste require licenses to handle.

Insurance your tradesperson needs

Carrying bulky items out of your home can be a risky business. Trips, drops, dents – all these accidents are easily done. Make sure your waste removal professional holds public liability insurance, which will protect both them and your property in the case of any mishaps.

Questions you should ask your tradesperson

• Does any of your waste require special licenses to remove?
• Will there be additional charges to remove any of your waste?
• Can they gather and carry away all your waste?
• Are there any items they won’t remove?
• How do they charge – by the hour, or by weight and volume of items?