The short answer
Two ways to be charged, and you pay whichever is lower.
By item. Sofa $126, loveseat $119, recliner $98, queen mattress $103, mattress and box spring set $143, standard dresser $126, washer $133, dryer $128, standard refrigerator $164, TV 42-65in $68, treadmill $115, hot tub $322.
By volume. Quarter truck $241, three-eighths $338, half $431, five-eighths $513, three-quarters $587, seven-eighths $661, full $732.
The minimum for a visit is $75. Disposal is included in every figure above. There is no stair charge, no walk-up fee, no fuel surcharge, no same-day surcharge and no winter pricing.
The five most common Minneapolis jobs
In rough order of how often they come in:
- One couch out of a basement rec room. $126. Nokomis, Standish, Longfellow, Powderhorn — the bungalow belt calls this in constantly.
- Mattress and box spring set out of a half-story bedroom. $143.
- Laundry pair from a basement. Washer $133 + dryer $128 = $261.
- Alley garage clearout after winter. Half truck, $431.
- Move-out leftovers around June 1. Quarter truck, $241.
That is most of the book. Everything else is a variation on scale.
What a single-item call really looks like
People assume the small job is where they get stung. It is not, but it is worth knowing where the $75 floor bites.
A sofa is $126, which is above the minimum, so that is what you pay. A queen mattress is $103, same. A dresser is $126, same. A treadmill is $115, same.
The minimum only matters below $75. A nightstand at $57, an end table at $52, a microwave at $30, a bag of clothes at $35 — any of those alone bills at $75.
Which is the practical advice: if you are booking something small, look around first. Most houses in this city have three things they have been meaning to deal with, and the visit costs the same whether it takes one or all three.
Real multi-item totals, with the addition shown
- Living room in Kingfield. Sofa $126 + coffee table $67 + end table $52 + large area rug $68 = $313.
- Guest bedroom in Fulton. Mattress and box spring set $143 + bed frame $68 + standard dresser $126 + nightstand $57 = $394.
- Kitchen gut in a Longfellow bungalow. Standard refrigerator $164 + electric range $134 + dishwasher $109 = $407.
- Basement rec room in Hiawatha. Treadmill $115 + chest freezer $146 + large junk pile $208 = $469.
- Back deck in Linden Hills. Hot tub $322 + patio table $89 + four patio chairs at $30 each ($120) = $531.
- Home office in Northeast. Executive desk $208 + office chair $61 + two monitors at $58 each ($116) = $385.
Every line is published rates added together. No bundle pricing, no discounts.
When volume pricing takes over
Past about five furniture pieces, or once loose bags and boxes are involved, truck fractions usually win.
| Studio or sparse one-bedroom | $241 (quarter) |
| Furnished one-bedroom | $431 (half) |
| Single-stall alley garage, fully loaded | $431 to $587 |
| Full basement of a bungalow | $587 to $732 |
| Two-bedroom, furnished | $587 (three-quarters) |
| Estate load, whole house | $732 per full truck |
A worked comparison: sofa $126 + loveseat $119 + coffee table $67 = $312 by item, against $241 for a quarter truck. If it fits in a quarter, you are quoted $241.
The seasonal pattern in this city
Prices do not move with the season. Demand does, and it is sharper here than in most markets.
April and May. The thaw. Garages, basements and yards all open at once and this is the busiest stretch of the year.
June 1. The citywide lease turnover. Quarter and half loads all week.
Late August into early September. The student belt around the University turns over — Dinkytown, Marcy-Holmes, Como, Prospect Park, Cedar-Riverside. Mattresses and desks, in volume, in about ten days.
October. Everything outdoors comes in, and whatever does not fit gets removed. Patio furniture, grills, dead hot tubs.
December to March. Quieter, mostly interior work, and the same prices. Book in these months and you get more scheduling choice.
What is never on the invoice
- A stair charge. Basement, half-story, third-floor walk-up — same price. In this housing stock that is the single most important line on this page.
- A disposal fee. The gate rate is inside the quoted number, not added after by weight.
- A fuel or mileage surcharge. Not for the far side of the metro, not for a long alley.
- A same-day surcharge. Availability varies; the price does not.
- A winter or weather fee. Snow, ice, a plow ridge across the alley apron — the crew deals with it at the same rate.
- A refrigerant or e-waste fee. Refrigerator $164 and TV $68 are the all-in figures.
The number you are quoted before anyone is dispatched is the number on the receipt.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average junk removal price in Minneapolis?
There is no useful average, because a sofa is $126 and an estate load is $732. The common jobs are $126 for a couch, $261 for a washer and dryer, $241 for a quarter truck and $431 for a half.
What is the smallest amount I can pay?
$75, the per-visit minimum. Anything totalling under that still bills at $75, so it is worth adding the other small items you have been putting off.
Do prices change for basements or walk-ups?
No. There is no stair charge, no walk-up fee and no per-floor fee. In a city where most of the furniture lives below grade, that is the whole point of flat pricing.
Do prices go up in winter or on short notice?
No. Published rates are the same in January and July, and there is no same-day surcharge. Only availability changes.
How do I know whether item or volume pricing is cheaper?
You get quoted both before you book and you pay the lower one. Under about five pieces, item pricing usually wins; whole rooms and garages usually price better by the truck.