How to pick a junk hauler in Cincinnati

The short answer

Get a firm total before you book, confirm the haulers are insured and can provide a certificate of insurance, make sure carry-out from your floor is included, and ask where the junk goes. In a hilly city with older housing, the carry-out question matters more than almost anything else. JunkRabbit's prices, like $126 for a sofa and $164 for a fridge, include all of that.

1. Get a real price, in writing

The most important question is what the job will cost in total. Some haulers give a firm price up front. Others give an estimate and set the final price when the crew sees the load, which is common for companies that price by truck volume. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are getting. Ask whether the number includes labor, carry-out, disposal and any fees. Ask whether it can change on the day and under what conditions. Get it in writing, by text or email, before anyone shows up. At JunkRabbit, the flat price is shown before you book and only changes if you approve, for example if you add items.

2. Check insurance

Moving heavy items through a house can scratch floors, gouge plaster and crack banisters, and older Cincinnati homes have plenty of original woodwork and plaster walls. Hiring insured haulers protects you if something goes wrong. Ask directly whether the company is insured. If you live in a condo, an apartment building or an HOA community, ask whether they can send a certificate of insurance to the building, and how fast. Many buildings downtown, in Over-the-Rhine condo conversions and in larger complexes require a COI before a crew can use the elevator or loading dock. JunkRabbit works with vetted, insured local haulers, and a COI is emailed within one hour of the request.

3. Make sure carry-out is included

This is the Cincinnati-specific question. The city is built on hills, and much of the housing is old. Over-the-Rhine rowhouses from the 1860s to 1880s have narrow, steep stairs. Price Hill, Mount Adams, Clifton Heights and Mount Auburn have long exterior steps between the front door and the street. Westwood, Northside and Norwood houses from the early 1900s have basements. Ask any hauler whether the price includes carrying items out from where they are, on any floor, and whether there is a fee for stairs. Curbside options exist and can be cheaper, but they assume you do the carrying. JunkRabbit has no stairs fee; carry-out from anywhere in the home is included.

4. Ask where the junk goes

A legitimate hauler takes junk to proper disposal and recycling, not to a ravine or a vacant lot. Ask where loads go. In this region, Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township accepts household waste, construction debris, furniture and appliances. Ask whether the hauler recycles metal and appliances and whether usable items go to donation. Be wary of anyone who offers a price that seems too good and cannot say where the junk ends up; illegally dumped items can sometimes be traced back to the household they came from. At JunkRabbit we recycle whatever we can and try to donate usable items when local charities accept them.

5. Check timing and availability

Ask when they can come and how precise the arrival time is. A four-hour window is a lot of your day; a two-hour window is easier to plan around. Ask whether they offer same-day service, and whether it costs extra. Ask about evenings and weekends if you work during the day. For move-outs near UC and NKU in spring and August, or a closing date on a house, timing is often the deciding factor. JunkRabbit crews work seven days a week, 8am to midnight, with a two-hour arrival window you choose. Same-day pickup is available when you book by 4 PM, with no surcharge.

6. Know what they will not take

Every hauler has limits. Ask about the items you are unsure of before booking. Hazardous waste, like chemicals, solvents and pesticides, is usually restricted. JunkRabbit accepts paint, with a one-gallon can at $30, but other hazardous waste is handled case by case, so ask first. Ask about very heavy items like pianos, hot tubs and safes, which are often priced separately. Ask whether they handle appliances with refrigerant. That matters in Newport and Rumpke areas, where curbside pickup of Freon appliances requires a technician's sticker. A good hauler answers each question plainly.

Questions checklist

• What is the total for these exact items? Is it firm or an estimate?
• Does it include carry-out from my floor or basement? Any stairs fee?
• Is disposal included? Any dump or fuel fees?
• Are your haulers insured? Can you send a COI to my building, and how fast?
• When can you come, and how wide is the arrival window?
• Is same-day available, and does it cost more?
• What can you not take?
• Where does the junk go?

For a sense of how a flat-priced answer looks: a sofa and a queen mattress picked up from a second floor in Northside are $126 + $103 = $229, all in.

Frequently asked questions