Renovation debris removal in Cincinnati

The short answer

Remodel debris does not go out with City bulk pickup, and Rumpke curbside in Northern Kentucky refuses drywall, concrete and brick. You can haul it to Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township, rent a dumpster, or book a pickup. JunkRabbit prices debris by truck tier, a quarter truck at $241 or a half truck at $431, or by item, like $293 for a full kitchen cabinet set.

Why remodel debris is its own problem here

Cincinnati has an unusual amount of old housing being worked on. Over-the-Rhine's brick buildings date from 1865 to the 1880s, and the neighborhood has seen years of rehab. Covington's historic north side and Newport's Mansion Hill and East Row have the same kind of 19th-century stock. Price Hill, Westwood, Northside and Norwood are full of early-1900s houses getting new kitchens and bathrooms. Old houses produce heavy debris: plaster and lath, old cast iron, thick wood trim, layers of flooring. The City's claw truck does not take construction debris, lumber, concrete, windows or siding. Newport and Rumpke areas exclude drywall, concrete, bricks, dirt and rocks from curbside. So every remodel needs its own plan for the mess.

Debris prices

Worked examples

A bathroom gut in a Northside house: a detached toilet, a vanity and a fiberglass tub come to $64 + $69 + $90 = $223. The same bathroom with a cast iron tub instead is $64 + $69 + $185 = $318. A kitchen remodel in Hyde Park: a full cabinet set, two sections of granite countertop and an old fridge come to $293 + $111 + $111 + $164 = $679. A basement finish in Westwood leaving a pile of drywall offcuts, lumber and packaging might be a quarter truck at $241 or a half truck at $431. Old cast iron radiators from a Covington rowhouse are $123 each, so three are $123 + $123 + $123 = $369. Every example includes carry-out from wherever the debris is and disposal.

Option: haul it yourself

Rumpke Sanitary Landfill at 3800 Struble Road in Colerain Township accepts construction debris, including drywall, brick and concrete, plus wood and demolition debris. It prohibits hazardous waste, liquids, lead-acid batteries, whole tires and fluorescent lamps. Hours, small-hauler policy and tipping fees are not published, so call before loading up. Drywall and plaster are heavy, and a pickup truck bed fills by weight long before it fills by volume. Tarp and tie down every load. For a contractor with a dump trailer, this is routine. For a homeowner renting a truck, it is often several trips.

Option: a dumpster

A roll-off dumpster makes sense for a big, long project, like a full gut renovation or a roof tear-off, where debris is produced steadily over weeks. Rumpke, among others, rents dumpsters in the region. Ask about weight limits, prohibited materials, rental length and whether you need a permit to put the dumpster on the street. On narrow city streets in Over-the-Rhine, Mount Adams or Clifton Heights, street placement can be a real constraint, and there may be no driveway. The dumpster also does not do the carrying; you still have to get debris from the third floor down to it. For shorter jobs, a pickup when the work is done is often simpler.

Option: a pickup when the demo is done

For most single-room remodels, the easiest plan is to stage the debris in one place, like the garage, the basement or a room being redone, and book a pickup when the demo is finished. The crew carries it out from wherever it is staged, on any floor, with no stairs fee. Dense material like concrete or masonry is priced separately, at $219 per quarter truck, because of its weight. Mixed debris goes by truck tier. Same-day pickup is available when you book by 4 PM, which helps when a contractor needs the space cleared for the next stage. If the building requires a certificate of insurance, it is emailed within one hour.

Things to set aside

Some materials need special handling. Paint is accepted: a one-gallon can is $30 and a five-gallon bucket $52. Other chemicals, solvents and adhesives are hazardous waste and handled case by case, so ask first. Older Cincinnati homes may have materials like old pipe insulation or flooring that need testing before disturbance; if you suspect asbestos or lead, have it tested and handled by a qualified contractor before demo. Separate clean metal, like old radiators, pipes and appliances, because it can be recycled. We recycle whatever we can. And keep reusable items, such as solid wood doors, old hardware and light fixtures, out of the debris pile if you want to sell or donate them.

Frequently asked questions