Furniture removal: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What furniture removal is

Furniture removal takes away old sofas, beds, tables and other furniture, carries it out through doors and stairs, and disposes of, donates or recycles it as appropriate. The crew does the carrying so you do not have to move heavy pieces yourself.

Signs you need it

  • An old sofa, bed or dresser is in the way of a new one that has been delivered
  • A piece of furniture is too heavy to carry out through a narrow door or down a set of stairs
  • You are clearing a room for a renovation, a new floor or a repaint and the furniture must leave
  • Furniture is damaged, stained or infested and you do not want it back in the home
  • The items are still in good condition and could go to a donation center if collected

What the pro does

  • Walk the pieces with you to confirm what is leaving and what is staying
  • Check each piece for stairs, doors and tight turns, and plan the route out of the home
  • Protect the floor and door frames with blankets or runners before carrying anything
  • Carry pieces out, disassembling beds or tables when needed to fit them through the opening
  • Load the truck and take the furniture to the donation, recycling or disposal site you agreed on
  • Sweep the room and confirm the space is clear before leaving

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Number and size of pieces, and whether any are very heavy, such as a solid wood armoire
  • Stairs, narrow doorways and the distance from the room to the truck
  • Whether disassembly is needed to remove the pieces
  • Whether the furniture is donated, recycled or sent to disposal, which can change the handling
  • Whether the crew must move the furniture within the home before it leaves
  • Whether the job includes cleanup of the room or only the removal

What a written quote should spell out

  • The pieces included and any item the crew will not take
  • The route out of the home, including stairs and doors, and any disassembly needed
  • Where each piece goes, such as donation, recycling or disposal
  • Whether the room is swept and the floor is protected during the job
  • How the final amount is calculated and what can change it on the day

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you take the furniture out of the house or only from the curb
  • Do you disassemble beds and tables to fit them through the door
  • Where does the furniture go, and do you donate what you can
  • Are there items you will not take, such as mattresses with stains or pest damage
  • Will you protect my floors and door frames during the removal
  • Can you sweep the room when you finish

Red flags

  • A crew that drags furniture across the floor without protection
  • No plan for the stairs or doorway, which often leads to damage to the walls
  • A company that takes the furniture and then dumps it somewhere unknown
  • A quote that does not say what the company will not take

What you can do yourself

You can empty drawers, remove cushions and take apart small pieces to make them easier to carry. Call a professional for sofas, beds, heavy dressers and any piece on stairs, since those are the items most likely to cause injury or damage.

Licenses and permits

Furniture removal is not commonly licensed. Check with your state or local licensing agency for business registration that applies to a hauling or removal company, and check any rules on the disposal of furniture in your area.

Furniture removal questions

Can I leave the furniture by the curb instead?

Many areas have rules about curbside pickup and set-out timing. Check with the local waste service, and ask the removal company whether it will take the item away on your schedule.

Will the crew take a mattress?

Often, but mattresses may need a separate handling fee or a special disposal route. Tell the company about the mattress before the quote is final.

Can you donate the furniture for me?

Some companies donate usable pieces to a charity. Ask which pieces they will donate, which they will recycle and which go to disposal, and get that split in writing.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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