You’ve finally admitted that you can’t do it yourself. You have a busy life, work and personal demands on your time, and not much energy left over to think about junk. But you know it’s gotta go. If you’ve been reading our blog posts, you know we’re big on making life as easy as possible! It’s okay to ask for help. 

But you don’t want just anyone in your house and handling your stuff – even if you’re getting rid of it. Check out these tips on what to look for in a reputable junk removal company.  

Reputable = reputation 

A good junk removal company won’t risk their reputation by using questionable practices. Some companies will low-ball the estimate over the phone before having a good idea of the job.  

Unfortunately, the reason they can afford to offer low-ball quotes may have more to do with their practices. Junk haulers have expenses and overhead so how do they pay their workers and recycling fees with below-market rates?  

The sad truth is that some of them don’t. There are fees associated with using landfills and recycling facilities. If the rate seems too low, they may actually be dumping your things in a variety of unapproved sites, including on the side of the road.  

√Reputable companies will typically only give you a firm quote while they’re on site.  

Who pays for damages to property? 

Accidents and mistakes happen. It’s the cost of doing business.  

But if a company doesn’t have insurance– it becomes your cost. Just like most services, a credible company carries liability insurance to ensure that the homeowner is covered for any “accidents” that happen while they’re on site.  

√Reputable companies carry insurance to protect their customers. 

Are they college kids or trained professionals? 

A junk removal business is a real business, not a sideline. The employees who do the physical work have been trained on the proper procedures to remove items from your home or business. They know how to do their jobs without damaging your property or injuring themselves.  

√Reputable junk removal companies are professionals in their field.  

Cash, check, or charge? 

Exercise caution if a junk removal company only takes cash. A reputable company will take payment via credit card. And they’ll provide a receipt which you can use as a tax write-off if applicable. Plus, a receipt, or better yet a contract, will serve as proof of payment if you aren’t satisfied with the experience and need to make a complaint.  

√Reputable companies make it easy for you to pay with a trackable payment method.  

Customer service is job 1 

A red flag should go up if you have trouble reaching the company. Representatives should be easily accessible and courteous. They should answer all of your questions and immediately resolve any issues that arise. 

√Reputable companies do great customer service. 

Professionalism is also job 1 

A professional business looks professional. Just because the company is hauling junk isn’t a reason to look unprofessional.  

√A reputable company keeps its vehicles in good working order and all representatives look more like technicians than “junkers.” 

Where does it all go? 

If you’re working with a reputable company, it doesn’t all go into the landfill. Good junk removal companies are ecologically conscious. They don’t want to contribute to any of the issues produced by improper disposal of waste materials.  

√A good junk removal company makes every effort to donate or recycle eligible items. As we’ve covered in previous posts, there are numerous ways to recycle or donate unwanted items. 

Ask a pro 

You’ve done your research but how do you really know you’re hiring a reputable junk removal company? At RemoveAndHaul, we also do the work necessary to vett credible companies in your area who purchase our junk removal leads and match you with one of our partner companies.  

Do yourself a favor and hire someone else to take care of this for you. It’s not value-added time. And you have more than enough to do already, right?