Junk Removal Cost in Madison, WI (2026 Prices)
Updated
Short answer
Get a price for your job
What needs to go and where. A local crew replies with a price.
By load size
What each truckload costs
Junk is priced by how much of the truck it fills. Each guide measures a truck a little differently, so here is every guide's own range and the span across all of them.
- Minimum or 1/8 loadAbout 2 to 3 cubic yards$70 to $125
- 1/4 loadAbout 3 to 4.5 cubic yards$100 to $200
- 1/2 loadAbout 4.5 to 11 cubic yards$200 to $400
- 3/4 loadAbout 11 to 13 cubic yards$400 to $600
- Full truckloadAbout 13 to 17 cubic yards$400 to $800
| Load | Volume | Angi / HomeAdvisor | HomeGuide | LawnStarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum or 1/8 load | About 2 to 3 cubic yards | $75 to $125 | $70 to $100 | $90 |
| 1/4 load | About 3 to 4.5 cubic yards | $125 to $200 | $100 to $150 | $160 |
| 1/2 load | About 4.5 to 11 cubic yards | $200 to $400 | $200 to $300 | $375 |
| 3/4 load | About 11 to 13 cubic yards | $400 to $600 | not listed | $520 |
| Full truckload | About 13 to 17 cubic yards | $600 to $800 | $400 to $450 | $675 |
Sources: Angi; HomeAdvisor; HomeGuide; LawnStarter
Dates: Angi updated July 8, 2026; HomeAdvisor updated June 19, 2026; HomeGuide 2026 price list; LawnStarter 2026 cost guide. Volumes are Angi's. Guides older than 12 months are left out.
By item and job
Single items and specialty jobs
| Item or job | Typical range | What the guides say |
|---|---|---|
| Single bulky item (minimum charge) | $60 to $150 | Angi and HomeAdvisor both give this range. Angi, HomeAdvisor |
| Furniture, per piece | $75 to $150 | HomeAdvisor's per-piece range for furniture and mattresses. HomeAdvisor |
| Mattress | $70 to $150 | Angi $75 to $150, HomeGuide $70 to $100, LawnStarter $70 to $130. Angi, HomeGuide, LawnStarter |
| Major appliance | $50 to $400 | Angi $60 to $250, HomeAdvisor $50 to $400 per unit, LawnStarter average $120; HomeGuide puts a washer or dryer at $70 to $205. Angi, HomeAdvisor, LawnStarter, HomeGuide |
| Hot tub | $200 to $600 | HomeAdvisor $200 to $600; LawnStarter average $325 ($235 to $415). HomeAdvisor, LawnStarter |
| Piano | $200 to $400 | Angi and HomeAdvisor agree. LawnStarter notes moving a piano for donation can run $250 to $600. Angi, HomeAdvisor |
| Construction debris, per truckload | $100 to $800 | Angi and HomeAdvisor. Angi, HomeAdvisor |
| Estate or whole-home cleanout | $625 to $2,000 | LawnStarter: typically $625 to $2,000, up to $4,000 for larger estates. LawnStarter |
Local fees
What Madison and Dane County charge if you do it yourself
The Dane County Landfill bills by weight, and its fees are small next to a hired load: half a ton of mixed trash is $30.05. What you pay a crew for is the truck, the lifting, the stairs and the separate trips for appliances, tires and electronics, which Wisconsin keeps out of landfills.
Madison's free work orders are the best deal in the county when they fit: a few pieces, a house the city collects from, and a Sunday that works. They don't help in a building of more than 8 units, for a basement full of boxes, or for anything you need gone this week. Suburban rules are in the bulk pickup table.
| Where and what | Fee |
|---|---|
| Madison curbside large item pickup (city recycling customers) | Free, by work order |
| Madison fee items for homes with private recycling: fridge, washer, dryer, water heater, AC, hot tub | $35 each |
| Madison fee items: microwave, dorm fridge, gas grill, mower, snow thrower | $15 each |
| Madison tires: large truck or on the rim / car tire off the rim | $10 / $5 |
| Madison TV or computer left at the curb | $30 removal charge |
| Dane County Landfill, mixed trash up to 500 lb | $15.03 |
| Dane County Landfill, 501 to 1,000 lb | $30.05 |
| Dane County Landfill, over 1 ton | $60.10 per ton |
| Dane County C&D recycling, up to 500 lb | $14.50 ($58 per ton) |
| Dane County Landfill, tires | $0.17 per lb or $350 per ton |
| Dane County Clean Sweep, TV or monitor | $15 each |
| Dane County Clean Sweep, fridge, freezer, AC or dehumidifier | $35 each |
| Dane County Clean Sweep, household hazardous waste | $15 per trip |
| Fitchburg prepaid pickup (Pellitteri, 2025): sofa / mattress / fridge | $50 / $56 / $66 |
Dane County rates effective January 1, 2026. Madison fees from the city's current list. Each row links its source.
What moves a quote
VolumeThe fraction of the truck the load fills. Photos from two angles are usually enough to estimate it.
Weight and accessPlaster, tile and shingles weigh far more per yard than furniture, and the landfill bills by weight. Stairs add labor.
Special handlingRefrigerant appliances (NR 488), TVs and computers (E-Cycle Wisconsin) and tires each go somewhere other than the landfill.
Common questions
Junk removal cost questions
How much does junk removal cost in Madison, WI?
National cost guides updated in 2026 put a minimum or 1/8 load at $70 to $125, a half truckload at $200 to $400 and a full truckload at $400 to $800. Single bulky items run $60 to $150.
What does it cost to haul junk to the Dane County Landfill yourself?
By weight in 2026: $15.03 for up to 500 pounds of mixed trash, $30.05 up to 1,000 pounds, $45.08 up to 1,500, $60.10 up to a ton, then $60.10 per ton. Construction loads for recycling are $14.50 per 500 pounds ($58 per ton).
Is Madison's large item pickup really free?
For homes whose recycling the city collects, yes: the Resource Recovery Special Charge on the monthly municipal services bill covers it. Homes with private recycling pay $35, $15, $10 or $5 for listed items, and properties over 8 units can't use the program at all.
Why do junk removal quotes vary so much?
Price follows volume, weight and labor. The same half truckload can be light furniture or heavy plaster, and a third-floor apartment takes more time than a garage at the driveway. The guides also define a full truck differently.
Is anything extra for appliances or TVs?
Often, because they can't go to a Wisconsin landfill. Refrigerant appliances need certified recovery under NR 488 (Clean Sweep charges $35 each), and TVs go to an E-Cycle recycler (Clean Sweep charges $15). National guides put a major appliance at $50 to $400.
Get a real number for your job
Ranges only go so far. Describe what needs to go, or send photos when the crew asks, and you get a price before anything is loaded.