Basement & House Cleanouts in Chicago & Suburbs
From cluttered basements to entire home clearances — we handle it all. Fast, thorough, and stress-free.
Customer Reviews
Verified feedback from Google & Thumbtack customers across Chicago & suburbs.
Simple, Volume-Based Pricing
You only pay for the space your items take in the truck
What a cleanout actually costs
Every job is different and we will not pretend otherwise. A two-car garage might be one load or two — it depends entirely on how deep it is stacked. You pay for the space your things take in the truck, and we confirm the real number at your door before anyone picks anything up.
Rough reference points
Starting points, not quotes.
- One parking space packed floor to ceiling — about one full load
- Two-car garage, both spaces full — often two loads, sometimes a load and a quarter
- A basement — half a truck to two trucks, depending on the house
- A furnished house — one truck for beds and dressers, two if there is a lot of large furniture
- Four bedrooms, two baths and a basement, packed hard — around five loads
When we charge for crew, and when we do not
Most jobs are truck space only. If one of us can handle it, there is no labor charge at all — you are not paying for a crew you did not need.
Clearing a whole house is different. A job that would take one person three days takes a four-person crew a single day, so for those we bring extra hands and bill $35 per hour, per person on top of truck space. A four-person crew is $140 an hour. An entire four-bedroom house with a basement, packed hard and cleared in a day, works out to roughly 5 × $780 + 10 × $140 = $5,300.
We quote high and charge low
The estimate is deliberately generous, and then you are billed for what actually happened. Quoted five loads and it fits in four? You pay for four. Budgeted ten hours and the crew finishes in eight? You pay eight. If we have to come back for a second trip and it is only a small load, that trip is $150 — not another full load. You pay for the space you use, nothing else.
Never added to your bill
- Stairs, basements and second floors
- Heavy or awkward items
- Packing — we bring our own bags. If it is in a closet, we bag it and it goes.
Nothing appears on the final bill that was not in the quote. No upsells — we quote the job, not your wallet.
Cleanout Services We Offer
From a single basement to an entire property — we handle cleanouts of all sizes.
Basement Cleanouts
Decades of boxes, old furniture, stored items cleared out
Full House Cleanouts
Entire property emptied — perfect for moves or downsizing
Attic Cleanouts
Stored boxes, furniture and forgotten items carried down
Partial Cleanouts
1-2 rooms, closets, or specific areas cleared
Storage Unit Cleanouts
Empty storage units fast and efficiently
Hoarding Cleanouts
Compassionate, discreet service for hoarding situations
Basement Cleanouts in Chicago-Area Homes
Brick bungalows, ranches and split-levels across Chicago and the north suburbs almost all have one thing in common: a basement that has been the storage room for decades.
Narrow stairs, low ceilings
Older north-suburb basements have tight turns and low beams. We take furniture apart when it will not make the turn, and there is no fee for stairs.
Old freezers and fridges
The second fridge and the chest freezer that have lived downstairs for decades. Empty them first; they must already be unplugged.
Wet and moldy boxes
Cardboard that has sat on a damp floor tears when lifted. We bag it as we go, which is never billed extra.
Old bars, workshops, rec rooms
Loose furniture, pool-room leftovers, workbench contents and old carpet that has already been pulled up.
When People Call Us for a House Cleanout
After a flooded or sewer-backup basement
Heavy rain and sewer backups hit a lot of older basements in Cook County. Get the water out first: a plumber or restoration company handles pumping, drying, mold and sewage cleanup, and we do not do biohazard work. Before anything leaves, photograph every damaged item for your insurance claim. Then we haul the ruined contents: carpet and pad that have been pulled up, soaked boxes, furniture, the old freezer. Wet material is heavy but priced the same way, by truck space.
Downsizing a parent
When a parent moves to a smaller place or to assisted living, the new room fits a fraction of the house. Once the family has moved what is going with them, we clear the rest in one visit, set aside papers and photos we find, and leave the house broom-clean for the sale. If the house belongs to an estate, our estate cleanout page covers working with executors, attorneys and out-of-state family.
Hoarding situations, handled discreetly
We don’t comment on the state of a house, and we don’t rush the person who lives there. Some hoarding cleanouts happen in one long day; others are done a few rooms at a time so the person can make decisions. We keep sorting for documents, cash and keepsakes as we go and work with family members or a social worker if one is involved. If there is a biohazard, such as animal waste or sewage, we tell you before we start so a specialist can handle that part.
Landlords and rental turnovers
Tenants move out and leave a couch, a mattress and a closet of bags behind. We clear the unit, carry everything down the back stairs, and send photos when it is empty. Then our house cleaning crew can do the move-out clean before the next showing. Check with your attorney before disposing of a former tenant’s belongings; that part is your call, not ours.
What's Included in a House or Basement Cleanout
Only one part of the property? See garage cleanouts, or furniture removal and appliance removal for single items. All services and prices are on the junk removal page.
We provide junk removal and hauling services only—no structural work, demolition, or services requiring licensed contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a house or basement cleanout cost in Chicago?
Pricing across Chicago and the suburbs is based on truck space: a quarter load from $275, a half from $425, three-quarters from $575 and a full load from $780. A basement is usually half a truck to two trucks, depending on the house. A furnished house is often one to two loads. Whole houses that need a bigger crew to finish in a day add $35 per hour per person. We provide free on-site estimates or photo-based quotes, and the final price is always approved by you before we begin work.
What does a full house or basement cleanout include?
A full cleanout means we remove everything you want gone—furniture, appliances, boxes, debris, and clutter. We sort items for donation or recycling when possible, load and haul everything away, and leave the space broom-clean. We provide hauling and removal only; we do not perform construction, plumbing, electrical, or gas disconnections.
Is there an extra fee for stairs or a basement?
No. Stairs, basements, second floors and heavy items are never added to the bill. You pay for the space your things take in the truck, and nothing else.
Do you donate or recycle items?
Yes, when possible. Usable furniture and household goods go to donation, and metal, cardboard and electronics go to recycling. The rest is disposed of properly.
How long does a cleanout take?
A basement cleanout typically takes 2-6 hours. Full house cleanouts can take 1-3 days depending on size and clutter level. We work efficiently and can schedule multiple-day projects.
Do I need to be present during the cleanout?
It helps if you're available at the start to show us what stays and what goes. For partial cleanouts, you may want to be present. For full property cleanouts, many clients provide instructions and leave us to work.
Can you clear out a flooded or sewer-backup basement?
Yes, once the water is out. We haul the damaged contents: carpet and pad that have been pulled up, boxes, furniture, old appliances. Water extraction, drying, mold treatment and sewage cleanup are jobs for a restoration company, and we do not handle biohazard cleanup. Photograph everything for your insurance claim before we load it.
Can you handle hoarding situations?
Yes. We approach hoarding cleanouts with compassion and discretion. Our crew is experienced and respectful. We work with clients and families to sort and remove items and clear the space, at a pace the person can manage.
Do you work with landlords and property managers?
Yes. We clear apartments and houses between tenants, including furniture and belongings left behind. Whether you may dispose of a former tenant’s property is a question for your attorney; once you are cleared to proceed, we can usually come the same or next day and send photos when the unit is empty.
Can you clean the house after the cleanout?
Yes. Hoverla also does house cleaning, including move-out and deep cleaning, so once the rooms are empty you can book the cleaning with the same company.
What if there's valuable or personal items?
We set aside anything that looks valuable or personal (photos, documents, jewelry, collectibles) and bring it to your attention before disposing of anything. You have final say on all items.
House and Basement Cleanouts by Town
Local pages for the suburbs where we clear basements and houses most often
We also take cleanouts in Chicago and across Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Kane counties.
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