How Much Does an Estate Cleanout Cost in Ontario? A Local Pricing Guide

One of the first questions families ask when they're facing a full house is simple: what is this going to cost? It's a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on the home. But "it depends" isn't much help when you're an executor trying to plan, so this guide explains how estate cleanout and liquidation pricing works, what drives the cost up or down, and what our rates are across Belleville, Quinte West, Peterborough, Cobourg, Bancroft and the surrounding area.

Why there's no single flat price

Two homes with the same square footage can be completely different jobs. A tidy bungalow where the family has already taken what they want might take a day or two. A farmhouse with a full basement, a garage, a barn and forty years of belongings can take weeks. That's why reputable estate companies start with a walkthrough instead of quoting over the phone.

The main things that affect the cost are:

• How much is in the home, including basements, garages, sheds and outbuildings.

• How much has resale value. Items that sell help offset the cost of the work.

• Your timeline. A closing date three weeks away needs a bigger crew than a flexible schedule.

• How much sorting is needed, especially when paperwork, photos and keepsakes are mixed in with everything else.

• Access and distance. Stairs, long driveways and rural properties all add time.

• What happens at the end: donation runs, junk removal and cleaning before the house is listed.

How our pricing works

We keep pricing in a few clear pieces so you can see exactly what you're paying for. All prices are in Canadian dollars, and 13% HST applies.

Selling items through an online auction: 10% of net proceeds

When a home has items worth selling, we usually list them through an online auction, choosing the platform that best suits your items. Our coordination fee is 10% of the net sale proceeds, after the auction platform's own fees. That means the majority of what your items earn goes to the estate.

Hands-on work: $45 per hour

Sorting, organizing, researching, staging, photographing and listing is billed at $45 per hour for one person, or $81 per hour for a two-person crew. On auction pickup days, a two-person team to coordinate buyers and help with loading is $50 per hour. A $1,500 minimum applies to liquidation services.

Junk removal: from $150

For what can't be sold or donated, junk removal is priced by load size: roughly $150 to $200 for a quarter load, $250 to $300 for a half load, and $400 to $500 for a full load, with dump fees charged at cost.

Cleaning and property upkeep: $45 per hour

Standard cleaning is $45 per hour and deep cleaning is $55 per hour, with a 4-hour minimum. Move-out cleans are billed at the same hourly rates. Light property upkeep for a vacant home, like check-ins and exterior tidying, is $45 per hour.

Travel

The first 50 km from Campbellford are included. Beyond that, travel is $0.73 per km.

A simple example

Say a family has a three-bedroom home in Cobourg with a full basement. Some furniture, tools and collectibles are worth selling, and the rest needs to be donated or removed. The plan might look like this:

• Two days of sorting, staging and photographing with a two-person crew, billed hourly

• An online auction for the items worth selling, with our 10% fee taken from the net proceeds

• One auction pickup day with a two-person team

• Donation runs, plus a half load of junk removal at the end

• A move-out clean before the house is listed

In many homes, the auction proceeds cover a good share of the labour cost. Every home is different, though, which is why you'll get a written estimate after the walkthrough, before any work begins.

Deposits and payments

For liquidation and full cleanout projects, we ask for a booking deposit of 25% of the estimated cost, with a $1,250 minimum. Once the work covered by the deposit is complete, further payments are due as the project continues, so there's no surprise bill at the end. Cleaning and upkeep appointments need a $75 booking deposit paid in advance. Deposits are always credited toward your final bill.

Ways to keep the cost down

• Take the keepsakes, photos and paperwork the family wants before the work starts, or let us set them aside first.

• Agree as a family on who gets what before the sale, so nothing has to be pulled back from an auction.

• Give yourself as much time as you can. A rushed timeline means a bigger crew.

• Don't throw things out first. Items you think are junk sometimes sell well online.

Start with a free walkthrough

The easiest way to know what your estate will cost is to let us see it. The first walkthrough is free, with no obligation. Call or text 705-559-4806, email info@estatecarecompany.com, or book your walkthrough online.

You can also see our full pricing page, read about our estate services, or check our frequently asked questions. If you're not ready yet, our guide on what to have ready for your first walkthrough is a good place to start.

Auction proceeds often cover a good share of the cost. See how our online estate auctions work →