Get rid of pallets
How much does pallet removal cost?
Updated
Short answer: Pallet removal costs anywhere from nothing to the minimum charge of a junk hauler. National junk-removal companies advertise prices starting around $65 to $77 for a small load. A clean pile of good 48x40 pallets is often collected free by a recycler, and a large load of good stock can even be sold. The price depends on count, condition, access, distance and whether other debris is mixed in.
Why there is no single price
A junk hauler charges by the space your items take in the truck, because everything it collects costs it money to dump. A pallet recycler works the other way round: good pallets are stock it can sell. The same pile can be a cost for one and a source of inventory for the other. That's why Pallet Hauler asks about the pile before talking about money.
The five things that move the price
| Factor | Lowers the cost | Raises the cost |
|---|---|---|
| Count | A large pile, worth a full trip | A few pallets, which barely justify the truck |
| Condition | Good, reusable pallets | Broken pallets that need grinding or disposal |
| Access | Ground level, near a dock or driveway, forklift on site | Stairs, tight gates, long carries, no forklift for a big load |
| Distance | Close to a recycler's route | Remote, or far from the nearest yard |
| Mixed debris | Pallets only | Wrap, cardboard, drywall or metal in the pile |
Reading junk-hauler prices
Published starting prices such as "from $65" are for the smallest load the company takes, usually a fraction of a truck. The price climbs with each extra share of truck space. Pallets are bulky and mostly air, so they fill a truck faster than their weight suggests. Ask for an all-in price for your count before you book.
How to pay less, or nothing
- Separate the good pallets from the broken ones. A clean stack of good 48x40s may be free even if the broken ones cost money.
- Pull out trash, shrink wrap, cardboard and other debris. A pallets-only load goes to a recycler; a mixed load is junk removal.
- Stack them neatly by size, near where a truck can park.
- Let a small pile grow into a bigger one if you have the space and your fire code allows it, or set up a recurring pickup.
- Have a forklift or pallet jack ready for a large load.
Then run the free-or-fee triage to see which case your pile is likely to be. How pricing works covers each factor in more depth.