1-800-GOT-JUNK vs LoadUp vs local haulers vs city pickup: what you actually pay
If your city offers free bulky pickup, that almost always beats any paid hauler for a mattress, couch, or appliance. When you need it gone faster or carried out of the house, LoadUp publishes item prices you can see before booking, while 1-800-GOT-JUNK prices full-service jobs on site by how much truck space your stuff takes. Local independent haulers don't publish comparable national prices, so get a written all-in quote.
- Check your city first. Many cities include bulky pickup in your trash bill (examples below range from unlimited free appointments to a few free pickups a year).
- Need one or two items gone this week, with a price up front? LoadUp shows a guaranteed online price; its published mattress and couch pickups start at $85 in-home or $80 curbside.
- Big cleanout, or you want someone to look first? 1-800-GOT-JUNK gives a free on-site estimate priced by truck volume, with no obligation to accept.
- Local hauler? Often worth a quote, but ask whether dump fees, stairs, and mattress or tire fees are included.
At a glance
| Option | How price is set | Published starting price | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| City bulky pickup | Usually included in your trash bill, with a yearly limit | Often $0; some cities charge per extra item (examples below) | Booking lead times, item limits, curbside only, e-waste and tire exclusions |
| LoadUp | Per item plus a one-time area service fee, priced online by ZIP | Mattress or couch from $85 in-home, from $80 curbside, same-day from $95, extra items from +$15 | Stairs, heavy items and disassembly add cost; bed-bug or wet mattresses refused |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK Full service | Free on-site estimate; single items priced individually, multiple items by truck volume in 1/8 increments | Not published as a dollar figure for full service | Mattresses and tires "may have eco-fees"; dense loads have weight limits |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK Flex | Guaranteed online price, items left outside | "Starting at just $39" | Outdoor pickup only; confirm what your ZIP is quoted |
| Local independent hauler | Phone, text or photo quote | No verified national figure | Quotes that exclude dump fees or add charges after loading |
1. City bulky pickup (usually the cheapest)
What you get depends entirely on your city and hauler. These are real examples from HaulGuide's city pages, each checked against the city's own site:
- Los Angeles: LA Sanitation calls bulky pickup "an unlimited curbside service at no additional charge." See our guide.
- San Jose: unlimited no-cost junk appointments for up to 12 items, booked through 311.
- Fontana: three free bulky collections in 12 months, five items each, booked through Burrtec.
- Grand Terrace: one free curbside bulky collection per year.
Sources: LASAN · City of San Jose: Junk Pickup · City of Fontana: Residential Trash Services · Grand Terrace via our Grand Terrace guide · last checked 2026-11-05 to 2026-11-08
When you run out of free pickups, or your city doesn't include them, city rates can still undercut private haulers for a single item:
- Highland, CA: $12.21 per item over five, and $42.73 per additional trip.
- Redlands, CA: special haul at $56.65 for the first item and $28.32 for each additional item.
- Los Altos Hills, CA: $41.22 per item after the two included cleanups, plus a $61.81 Freon surcharge where applicable.
- Santa Clara, CA: Mission Trail on-call service at $197.52 per service.
Sources: City of Highland · City of Redlands: Bulky Item Special Pickup · Town of Los Altos Hills · City of Santa Clara · last checked 2026-11-08
2. LoadUp (online upfront price)
- How pricing works: you enter your ZIP, pick items, and see a total made of item prices plus a one-time "area service fee" that varies by location. LoadUp says the price is guaranteed "as long as the items selected match what's picked up," and payment is handled online, not on site.
- Published mattress and couch prices: in-home from $85, curbside from $80 (save $5), same-day booked before 2 PM from $95 (add $10), additional items from +$15, furniture add-on from +$30.
- Their own sample (ZIP 30312): couch $30 plus queen mattress $35 plus a $59 area service fee, $124 total. That is LoadUp's example for one ZIP, not a quote for yours.
- Adds cost: flights of stairs, heavy or bulky items, and disassembly are adjustments shown at checkout.
- Won't take: mattresses with undisclosed active bed bugs or wet mattresses; couches with bed bugs, mold, or biohazard contamination.
Sources: LoadUp pricing · LoadUp mattress removal · LoadUp couch removal · last checked 2026-11-08
3. 1-800-GOT-JUNK (on-site estimate or Flex)
- Full service: a free, no-obligation on-site estimate. One item is priced individually by size (their example: a dresser costs more than a microwave). Two or more items are priced by truck space in 1/8 increments, from a minimum load (about 50–100 cubic feet) up to a full load (about 200–400 cubic feet).
- Included, per the company: lifting from anywhere on the property, loading, sweep-up, and "disposal and environmental fees."
- Why the on-site quote can differ: the company says dense loads such as concrete, dirt and shingles have weight limits, and "items like tires and mattresses may have eco-fees."
- Flex service: leave items outside, get a guaranteed online price "starting at just $39."
- Dollar prices for full service: not published nationally. You see them only after entering a ZIP or at the estimate. We haven't verified a full-service price.
Source: 1-800-GOT-JUNK pricing · last checked 2026-11-08
4. Local independent haulers
Small local haulers often quote by text from a photo and can be cheaper than national brands, but there's no published national price list to compare, so we don't list a number. Before you book, ask for:
- the total price in writing, including dump or transfer-station fees;
- any charge for stairs, mattresses, tires, appliances with refrigerant, or e-waste;
- proof they're licensed and insured, and where the load is going (illegal dumping can come back to the owner of the items in some cities).
Your city's guide on HaulGuide lists the local dump or transfer station fees, which is a good check on whether a hauler's quote is reasonable.
5. When a dumpster makes sense (and the fees to ask about)
For one to three bulky items, a dumpster is usually overkill. For a whole-house cleanout or remodel it can be cheaper than several hauler loads, but read the weight allowance and overage terms. Public BBB complaints describe consumers being billed weight charges after pickup, for example on the BBB complaints page for one dumpster broker. Ask in writing for the included tonnage, the per-ton overage price, the rental length and daily extension fee, and which items (mattresses, tires, appliances) cost extra.
How to pick
- Free city pickup if the timing works and you can get the item to the curb.
- LoadUp for one to a few items when you want a fixed price before booking.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK when you'd rather have someone price a mixed pile in person, or check its Flex price for items left outside.
- Get at least one local hauler quote for anything over a few hundred dollars.