Hoarder House Junk Removal Estimate
Well, we did it! Our first Hoarder House bid was given on Wednesday, and there's a lot to consider. As 2025 rolls along, I can't help but think about how Champion and I can improve and become a better, more effective company and individual. I hope to convey that through these blogs, as well as our YouTube channels and social media. That being said, here's how the Hoarder house estimate went.
The call was very clear. The client needed the house cleared of junk and needed it done today! Over the phone, we discussed basic pricing and how much was actually in the garage but not the entire house. This was possibly my first hiccup. While I wouldn't call it a mistake, I was unaware that the entire house needed junk removal. We only discussed the garage, and from my understanding, that was all that needed work. Asking the question “Does the rest of the house need clearing?” would have given a better approach to the estimate. Regardless, it sounded like a great job to me! After all, garage cleanouts are the best jobs to perform! They’re straightforward, easy to execute, and less stressful due to the junk already being just about outside. Nonetheless, I was ready to make some money!
When I pulled up to the home, I had my trailer and equipment ready to get to work. The client I had talked to on the phone wasn't the resident living in the home. His sister in-law was there, so I had to navigate transparency with both the resident and the one “flipping the bill”. This isn't an unusual thing and has many times been a scenario. As I walked in the front door, I greeted the resident and was greeted with a floor-to-ceiling of boxes covering the living room. Again, this isn't something I've never witnessed before, but it was quite the sight. As we introduced ourselves to each other, I felt a warm welcome and an eagerness to get this mess taken care of. First things first, I said, “let’s go look at the garage” since it was the main thing I was contacted about. Stepping from the kitchen to the garage was quite the trail, stretching from door to door. There were boxes, clothes, furniture, tools, and a laundry list of items, once again, floor to ceiling the whole stretch of the garage. We opened the garage door to let some light on the subject, and my initial thought was, “It's bad but not too bad”. Garage cleanouts are pretty straightforward since all you have to do is back up to the door and load everything into the trailer.
I took some pictures and videos, and we walked back into the home to take a look at the rest of the junk that needed to be removed. We walked to the first bedroom, second bedroom, master bedroom, and then living room. The home was around 1500 square feet, and most of it was junk. The contents were a mix of furniture, houseware items, and clothes. Lots of the clothes were still in the bag that they were bought in and still had the tags. Most of the stuff could be donated, and to be honest, the house wasn't gross at all; it was just full.
After a few more videos and pictures, I was ready to send a bid. I put one together, emailed it to the client, and called him to discuss what needed to be done. I think that, in the end, I could have been more talkative about my pricing and laid out a clearer estimate process. Overall, I think the estimate went okay, and in the end, some cleanouts just aren't yours to get. All in all, I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow a little bit more!
If you want to see our YouTube video on the estimate, click the link below!