What a garage cleanout covers
A garage cleanout is a mixed load: old shelving and furniture, boxes and bagged clutter, exercise equipment, bikes, mowers and yard tools, workbenches, scrap metal, tires and old electronics. The same work applies to sheds, attics, basements and storage units. You walk through, point at what goes, and the hauler loads it from where it sits.
Because the load is mixed, most companies price it by volume. Published Charlotte-area medians in October 2026 were $241 for a quarter truck and $579 for three quarters. One Gastonia company prices garages by size instead, from $395 for a one-car garage to $560 for a full two-car.
Items with their own rules
A few things in a typical garage follow separate rules, and they change the price. Tires often carry a per-tire fee. TVs and computer equipment have been banned from North Carolina landfills since 2011, so they go to electronics recycling. Old oil-based paint, pesticides, pool chemicals and gasoline are household hazardous waste.
Most junk removal companies do not take paint or chemicals. The county runs household hazardous waste collection days for residents, and the landfill accepts latex paint by appointment. One Gastonia company lists $8 per tire, so count the tires too. Raise all of these items up front, so nothing is left behind on pickup day.
Splitting the job to save money
You can cut the bill by handling the easy parts yourself. Scrap metal, emptied appliances and sorted recyclables cost nothing at the county convenience sites. Passenger tires are free there off the rim, up to five a day. Then hire out what is left: the heavy, bulky and awkward pieces that fill the truck.
Sort as you go. Set aside a donation pile, a scrap metal pile and a pile for the hauler, and the day moves faster. Clear a path from the pile to the driveway, and move the car out before the hauler arrives.
For a single fridge or freezer in the garage, the appliance removal page covers refrigerant fees. For every county drop-off, see the disposal guide.
Ask before you book
- Is the price by volume, or a flat price for the whole garage?
- What do tires, TVs and refrigerant appliances add?
- Do you take paint, gas cans or chemicals?
- Will the scrap metal be recycled?
- Is a sweep of the floor included?
The do-it-yourself route in Gaston County
Gaston County convenience sites at Tryon, Riverbend, Crowders Creek and Hardin take bagged household trash at 1 GarbCard ($5) per 1 to 10 bags and bulky items at 2 GarbCards ($10). Scrap metal, emptied appliances and sorted recyclables are free. Passenger tires are free off the rim and $5 on the rim, limit five per day. TVs and monitors cost $5 each. Cash is not accepted, so buy GarbCards ahead. Paint and chemicals go to the county's household hazardous waste events.
Details from Gaston County and town sources, checked October 2026. See the full disposal guide.
Companies that do this work
Every general junk removal company in the directory takes this kind of job. Pick your town to see who serves it, or browse all 21 companies.
Garage Cleanouts questions
- How much does a garage cleanout cost?
- Published prices from Charlotte-area companies (October 2026) run $175 to $309 for a quarter truck and $515 to $608 for three quarters. One Gastonia company lists $395 for a one-car garage and $560 for a full two-car. Treat them as a guide, not a quote. Tires, TVs and refrigerant appliances can add fees, so list them when you ask for a price.
- Where do old tires go?
- County convenience sites take passenger tires, up to five per person per day. Tires off the rim are free, and each tire still on its rim costs 1 GarbCard ($5). Stanley, Cramerton and Belmont do not collect tires at the curb. If a hauler takes them instead, ask about the per-tire fee before you book.
- Can I keep some things and have the rest hauled?
- Yes, and it is worth doing. Mark the keep pile before anyone arrives, or tape off a corner of the garage. With volume pricing, everything you keep, sell or drop off yourself shrinks the bill. Walk the space together before loading starts.
- Does a storage unit cleanout work the same way?
- Mostly. Tell the hauler the unit size, roughly what is inside, and the facility's gate hours and rules. Ask whether the price changes if the truck has to park far from the unit door. When the unit is empty, check it yourself before you hand back the key.