Furniture disposal service cost guide

Switching out your old furniture can totally transform a room. But getting rid of large items like furniture can seem a little daunting. What’s the best way to dispose of it? How much does a furniture disposal service cost in reality? We’ve broken it all down below.

Furniture disposal cost

Furniture disposal prices can vary hugely depending on what method you use. There are a number of options, including:

• Taking it to the tip: Bear in mind that this requires a large enough vehicle to transport your old furniture, so you may need to hire a van.
• Selling it: Sites like Facebook and Gumtree can be great for selling furniture, but this is only really worth it if your furniture is in good condition. Otherwise, it can be hard to shift.
• Asking your local council to pick it up: Most councils charge around £10-£20 to pick up bulky items, but this can be a lot higher in some areas of the country. For example, in Richmond, it costs around £60 to dispose of a sofa in this way.
• Paying a delivery company: You can sometimes get the company that’s delivering a new item of furniture to dispose of the old item for a fee. For example, IKEA charges £20 to pick up your old mattress when it’s delivering your new one, while John Lewis charges almost £30.
• Hiring a skip: Skip hire can cost anywhere from £105 – £400 depending on the size of the skip. However, this is only cost-effective if you’re disposing of multiple items.

Alternatively, you can get a furniture disposal service to dispose of your old furniture for you. This will offer more flexibility and could be a lot cheaper than you might imagine.

Furniture disposal service price

The cost of a furniture disposal specialist will vary depending on things like:

• The number of items that need to be removed.
• How heavy the items are.
• How easy your space is to access.
• Your location (including how easy it is to park and whether parking is free).

Large item disposal cost

Some removal services will charge set fees for specific large items. For example, you’re looking at around £50 to dispose of a fridge by itself, or £35 to have it removed as part of a larger job. In a similar vein, you can expect to pay around £40 to dispose of a mattress by itself, or as little as £15 as part of a larger job.

At the other end of the scale, if you have lots of furniture to remove, you could pay around £200 for a specialist in a van that can fit around a skip’s worth of furniture.

Should I opt for a furniture disposal service or use the council service?

If the price is your main concern, it’s worth checking how much your local council would charge you to pick up and dispose of your furniture. Some will even collect certain items for free! To get a combination of a sofa, fridge and mattress disposed of by your council, you’re looking at an average cost of £40. 

That said, every council is different. For instance, in Richmond, disposing of a sofa, fridge and mattress will cost you £114. So, if you live in an area of the country that charges above average, it could actually be cheaper to get a private company to dispose of your items instead. For the sofa, fridge and mattress combination, a specialist company will typically charge around £100.

Aside from the prices, it’s worth noting that a private company will usually offer a better service with more flexibility. Councils will typically only collect from outside your property, and you’ll normally have to wait at least two weeks. On the other hand, most private companies will be happy to come into your house to pick up furniture, and they’ll often have shorter lead times and more precise pickup windows.

How do I find someone I can trust to remove my furniture?

If you’re using a waste management tradesperson, then a key sign is whether they hold what’s called an ‘upper tier waste licence’. If a tradesperson does not, then you as the homeowner face the risk of a criminal record and fine if it is fly tipped.

If you’re having waste collected, you have a Duty of Care to ensure the person collecting the waste is a registered upper tier waste carrier. Find out more in our Who’s responsible for removing renovation rubbish? guide.

You can check your tradesperson for the licence here.

Furniture disposal price key takeaways

• Check to see how much your council charges.
• A furniture removal specialist will usually offer a more complete service.
• Disposal costs will depend on the amount of furniture and its weight.
• Contractors must have an upper-tier waste licence to remove and dispose of a homeowner’s waste.