What to ask an estate cleanout company
Ask about coverage, pricing, timing, where things go, and how they handle papers and valuables. Get the answers, and the quote, in writing.
Before they see the house
- Do you work in the town where the house is?
- Do you do whole-house cleanouts, partial cleanouts, or both?
- Have you worked with personal representatives and estate attorneys before?
- Can you quote from photos or a video walkthrough?
- How soon can you start, and how many days will the job take?
About price
- Do you price by how much of the truck it fills, or a flat quote after a walkthrough?
- Is the quote in writing, and does it include labor, stairs, disposal fees and donation drop-offs?
- Are there per-item charges for mattresses, appliances or TVs?
- Can you be paid from an estate account, and what do you need for that?
About where things go
- What do you donate, what do you recycle, and do you provide donation receipts?
- How do you handle mattresses, clothing, TVs and appliances under the Massachusetts disposal bans?
- Do you hold the board of health permit to haul rubbish in this town?
- Do you work with estate sale companies, or run sales yourselves?
About the house and the family
- How do you handle papers, photos and anything that looks valuable if you find it mid-job?
- Can you work with a lockbox or key without family on site, and send photos when you finish?
- Do you take on hoarding-level cleanouts?
- Will you leave the house broom clean?
- Are you insured? Can you send a certificate of insurance?
Good signs and red flags
- Good: a written quote with a clear scope, a certificate of insurance on request, and a plain answer about where things go.
- Good: they ask what is staying in the house and where papers are set aside.
- Red flag: a price that changes once the truck is loaded with no explanation.
- Red flag: no answer on the disposal bans, or no town permit.
- Red flag: cash only, with no written quote or receipt.
Find estate cleanout companies by town
Companies are listed only after they confirm their details with us.
Barnstable County (15 towns)
Bristol County (20 towns)
Norfolk County (28 towns)
Plymouth County (27 towns)
Suffolk County (4 towns)
Questions families ask
Should a cleanout company be insured?
Yes. Ask for a certificate of insurance before the job starts, especially for a house with stairs, heavy items or tight access.
What if the crew finds cash or papers?
Ask how they handle it before you hire them. A good company sets anything that looks important aside and tells you, and you can make that part of the written scope.
Do they need a town permit?
In Massachusetts, anyone who hauls rubbish through a town's streets needs a permit from that town's board of health. Ask whether the company holds one for the town where the house is.
Related questions
Sources
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and services change, so check with the town and, for estate questions, an estate attorney.