What a basement cleanout costs in Cincinnati

The short answer

Basement cleanouts are priced by truck-fill tier or, for a few big items, per item. A quarter truck is $241, a three-eighths truck $338, a half truck $431 and a three-quarter truck $587. A basement washer is $133, a dryer $128 and a chest freezer $146. Carry-out up steep basement stairs is included in every price.

Why Cincinnati basements fill up

Cincinnati has a lot of basements. Many houses in Price Hill date from the early 20th century, and the same era of housing runs through Westwood, Northside and Norwood. Westwood is the largest neighborhood in the city by area and population, and much of it is family houses with full basements. College Hill and the West Side suburbs have long-held homes where one family has stored things for decades. Covington and Newport across the river have older houses with basements too. Basements become the place where things go when nobody wants to decide: old furniture, holiday decorations, paint, broken appliances, kids' toys, boxes from the last move. Eventually somebody has to decide.

Typical basements, priced

These are typical loads, not fixed rules. The quote tool sets the tier from your photos, and the price only changes if you approve.

Heavy basement items

Some basement items are heavy enough to have their own price. A washer is $133 and a dryer $128, so the pair is $133 + $128 = $261. A tank water heater is $131, once drained and disconnected. A chest freezer is $146 and an upright freezer $149. A furnace that has been replaced and left behind is $131. A cast iron radiator is $123. An old slate pool table in a finished basement is $706. A weight bench is $69 and a treadmill $115. If the basement has one or two of these and a pile of boxes, the quote can combine a truck tier with item prices, or use the tier if everything fits. A chest freezer and a quarter truck of boxes come to $146 + $241 = $387.

Basement stairs are the job

The hard part of a basement cleanout is the staircase. In early-1900s Cincinnati houses, basement stairs are often steep and narrow, with a turn at the top or bottom and a low ceiling at the landing. Some have an outside entrance with a bulkhead or exterior steps; many do not. Appliances that came down when the house was newer, or when the stairs were different, may barely fit back up. Chest freezers are especially awkward. All of that carrying is included in every price, with no stairs fee. If a piece will not make the turn, the crew can take it apart.

What the City program can and cannot do

The City of Cincinnati's appointment-only bulk program takes some typical basement items: refrigerators and freezers, washers and dryers, water heaters, exercise equipment, cabinets, doors and couches. Up to five items per appointment, at the curb, set out the night before. It does not take paint, chemicals, propane, batteries, lumber, construction debris or anything over 6 feet tall, and those are common in basements too. Nor does it come inside; you would be carrying everything up the stairs and out to the curb yourself. For a couple of qualifying items you can move, it is a good free option. For a full basement, a cleanout is usually the realistic route.

Damp basements and flood debris

Some Cincinnati-area basements take on water, especially in older homes and in the river towns along the Ohio, like Ludlow, Bellevue, Dayton in Kentucky and New Richmond. Wet cardboard, carpet and upholstered furniture get heavy and moldy fast. If your basement has had water, clear it out sooner rather than later. Rolled carpet is $68 and carpet removal is $71 per room. Bags of debris are priced by count: ten bags are $132 and twenty bags $259. Mold remediation is a specialist job and not part of a standard pickup; if the problem is serious, have it assessed first. Hazardous waste is handled case by case, so ask about anything you are unsure of. Paint is accepted.

Getting a quote

Turn on every light and take photos from the bottom of the stairs, then each corner and any big items. Include a photo of the staircase itself, so the crew knows what to expect. Set aside anything you are keeping, and mark it clearly. Upload the photos for an instant price, or pick items from the list. Choose a two-hour arrival window, seven days a week, 8am to midnight. Same-day pickup is available when you book by 4 PM. We try to donate usable items when local charities accept them and recycle whatever we can, which for a basement often means a lot of metal from old appliances and shelving.

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