When you're building, renovating or making other home or garden improvements, waste can quickly pile up. If you've got more waste than your household bins can handle, a rubbish removal service can take it away for you and make sure it's disposed of properly.

Get quotes from rubbish removal companies in your area on hipages, and read more about what these services do and how much rubbish removal costs. This page covers:

• Why do you need to hire a rubbish removal service?
• What are typical services involved in rubbish removal?
• What types of rubbish can be removed?
• How much does rubbish removal cost?
• What factors affect rubbish removal costs?
• How long does rubbish removal take?
• How often do you need to arrange rubbish removal?
• What licences or qualifications does a rubbish remover have?
• Questions to ask when hiring a rubbish removal service

Why do you need to hire a rubbish removal service?

If you've got a lot of waste to get rid of, allowing it to pile up outside your home or on your site can also be a safety risk. However, disposing of it yourself can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Different types of rubbish need to be taken to different locations, and some types of waste may only be removed by a professional. 

A rubbish removal service can take care of all this for you. Whether you need one-off junk removal or regular disposal for unwanted items, a professional service will make sure all refuse is disposed of as safely, efficiently and sustainably as possible.

What are typical services involved in rubbish removal?

Rubbish removal services can vary by company, but services offered may include:

• Household junk removal
• Commercial rubbish removal
• Garden rubbish removal
• Sorting and collecting rubbish
• Clean-outs of sheds and garages
• Commercial strip-outs
• Recycling
• Small excavations or demolitions
• Tree and stump removal
• Clean-ups of deceased estates

Removal professionals can provide you with specialised skip bins for your waste, in the sizes you need. You have the option of loading the bin yourself, or the company can do it for you, before taking it away.

If you only need to remove green waste, you may be provided with a garden bag that can be removed and replaced as often as needed.

What types of rubbish can be removed?

Rubbish removers can dispose of most types of recyclable and non-recyclable waste, including but not limited to:

• Timber
• Metals
• Plastics
• Bricks and concrete
• Paper and Cardboard
• Electronics and whitegoods
• Furniture
• Garden waste and soil
• Other construction, demolition and excavation materials

However, some materials are not generally accepted by standard rubbish removers, and you may need to get a specialist to remove this waste. This includes potentially hazardous materials such as food waste, tyres, asbestos-containing materials, paint, pesticides, and other liquids and flammable items.

How much does rubbish removal cost?

Rubbish removal prices may be quoted by the hour, by the cubic metre (m3) or by other metrics. The average cost of rubbish removal in Australia is around:

• $75 per hour / per m3 for domestic rubbish removal
• $100 per hour / per m3 for commercial rubbish removal

Depending on the specific type of waste you need to be removed, you can expect to pay around:

• General waste removal - $50–$130 per m3
• Green waste removal - $50–$130 per m3
• Furniture removal - $75–$90 per hour
• Appliance removal - $40–$120 per hour
• Brick removal - $80–$270 per m3
• Concrete removal - $10–$20 per m3
• Scrap metal removal -$40–$100 per m3
• Soil removal - $85–$230 per m3
• Pallet removal - $50–$150 per m3

What factors affect rubbish removal cost?

Besides the type of rubbish you have, other factors that can affect the total cost of waste removal are:

• How much rubbish you need disposed of
• The amount of personnel, vehicles and equipment required
• Any access issues to your site
• Your location and distance from disposal sites

Local rates for rubbish removers near you can vary between states and territories, and depending on whether you're in the inner city, suburbs or a rural area. Average rates across Australia are around:

• Sydney: $70–$150 per m3
• Melbourne: $50–$130 per m3
• Brisbane: $50–$100 per m3
• Canberra: $50–$130 per m3
• Perth: $60–$150 per m3
• Hobart: $50–$90 per m3
• Adelaide: $50–$90 per m3

How long does rubbish removal take?

Rubbish removal can take less than an hour, if materials have already been collected and are accessible outside your property. The job may take longer if the company will also be collecting and sorting rubbish on your site.

Some waste removal companies offer a same-day service, or may arrange to collect your rubbish within 24 to 48 hours, while others may schedule removal after a number of days, especially during busy periods. Make sure you inform companies of the timeline you need when requesting quotes.

How often do you need to arrange rubbish removal?

Rubbish removal may be arranged on a one-off basis or as a weekly or monthly service, as needed. It's recommended that waste is disposed of regularly for health and safety reasons.

What licences or qualifications does a rubbish remover have?

Rubbish removal businesses in Australia need to hold a licence issued by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in their state or territory. Other licences may be required for removing certain types of waste, such as asbestos and radioactive waste.

Questions to ask when hiring a rubbish removal service

Before hiring a rubbish removal professional, you may want to ask them:

• What type of waste do they remove?
• Do they hold the appropriate licence?
• Are they insured?
• When will your rubbish be collected?
• Do they recycle as many materials as possible?
• What will be included in your quote?

*Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.