Junk Removal in Cedar Rapids: Pickup or Hauler?

Choose who will carry and collect your items

The City of Cedar Rapids schedules special pickup for larger items such as furniture and appliances. Call 319-286-5897 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call at least one business day before your garbage collection day and give staff your item list. The city adds the service charge to your next utility bill. [1]

Ask staff to confirm placement instructions, acceptance, and the current total. The published fee schedule separates furniture up to 200 pounds from larger items with charges based on size and weight. Its prices cover fiscal year 2026, which ended June 30, 2026. Confirm today's price before comparing this option with a private quote. [1]

For a private crew, describe each item's starting point: basement, upstairs bedroom, garage, or curb. Ask whether the quote covers carrying through the house, furniture disassembly, and removal of all listed items. For a single couch, request a total for that couch and its access conditions.

Budget and prepare for self-hauling

The Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency accepts garbage at 1954 County Home Road in Marion. It publishes personal-vehicle disposal charges of $12 for cars, $15 for SUVs and minivans, and $22 for pickup trucks and full-size vans. Use these facility fees when planning a self-haul trip, then request a separate written total for a crew's carrying, transport, and disposal work. [2]

The Agency lists weighed loads at $53 per ton with a $22 minimum plus tax. It publishes separate charges for mattresses, bulky waste, and some trailer arrangements. Describe your vehicle and materials before traveling so staff can explain which charge applies. Do not assume the personal-vehicle chart covers a trailer or separately charged items. [2]

Customers must unload their own vehicles and trailers. The Marion facility lists weekday hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and requires Saturday appointments. The Agency lists a fee of up to $100 for uncovered or unsecured loads. Arrange unloading help and secure your load before leaving. [2]

Confirm your unloading destination and clothing requirements, especially if staff direct your trailer to the landfill. The Agency lists a $10 fine for individuals without Class 2 high-visibility clothing in the landfill. Ask whether your planned unloading area requires that clothing before you make the trip. [2]

Keep household chemicals separate

Linn County residents can take qualifying household hazardous materials to the Resource Recovery building at the Marion facility at no cost. The Agency excludes business materials from this residential program. Stop at the scale first, then unload the materials onto the provided cart for trained staff to accept. [3]

The Agency accepts residential hazardous-material drop-offs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., without an appointment. Saturdays require an appointment. Its accepted-material list includes oil-based paint, cleaners, propane tanks, pesticides, and automotive fluids. Identify these materials before booking a crew and agree on their handling and destination. [3]

The Agency lists a 20-gallon limit for fuel, grouping gasoline and diesel together; confirm how that limit applies to a mixed-fuel delivery. Containers must hold 5 gallons or less. It lists separate 20-gallon limits for antifreeze and used motor oil, also in containers holding 5 gallons or less. Keep hazardous products out of ordinary trash and drains, as the Agency instructs. [3]

Choose destinations for screens and mattresses

The Agency's electronics program accepts electronics from Linn County residents at its Marion facility. It charges $15 per TV or monitor, while loads with five or more TVs or monitors use a $0.25-per-pound rate. It accepts small residential loads of other listed electronics at no charge and charges $0.25 per pound for bulk mixed electronics. Businesses should contact an electronics processor directly. [4]

List TVs and monitors separately in your removal inventory. Tell the crew whether any equipment comes from a business, and ask for the planned processor or drop-off destination before accepting the quote. Do not assume a household recycling arrangement covers an office cleanout. [4]

The Agency lists mattress disposal at Marion for $20 per mattress. It also identifies recycling through Willis Dady at 800 First Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids for $10 per mattress from Linn County residents and businesses. The listed acceptance hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For five or more mattresses, call 319-651-8530 to schedule. Confirm acceptance before arranging delivery. [2]

Get a written quote for the whole job

Send each crew the same inventory and photographs. Include dimensions for awkward items, the floor they occupy, stairs, narrow doors, parking access, and disassembly needs. Mark belongings you intend to keep. Request a written total and an explanation of what could change after the crew inspects the load.

Ask whether the total includes labor, transport, disposal charges, taxes, and separate handling for screens or mattresses. For a truck-space quote, ask for the truck's capacity and how the crew will measure your share. Request a disposal or recycling destination for each material group.

Confirm the arrival window, cancellation terms, insurance information, and who must approve added charges. Walk through the inventory before loading starts and agree on any scope changes. Keep the written quote and receipt to check the completed work against what you purchased.

Published personal-vehicle garbage disposal fees

Choose a route for your cleanout

Your hiring checklist

1. Photograph the inventory and mark belongings that stay.
2. Record stairs, door widths, parking access, and disassembly needs.
3. Ask city staff about acceptance, placement, and current pickup charges.
4. Separate chemicals, electronics, and mattresses for destination checks.
5. Request a written total covering carrying, transport, disposal, and taxes.
6. Confirm who will unload each material group at its destination.
7. For self-hauling, confirm load-security, appointment, and unloading-area clothing requirements.
8. Agree on the final scope and price before loading starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the city collect my old couch?

The city lists couches among its bulky furniture examples. Call 319-286-5897 during business hours at least one business day before your garbage collection day. Confirm acceptance, placement, and current pricing, especially for an item over 200 pounds. [1]

Do disposal fees tell me what a hauler should charge?

Use the Agency's published facility charges to budget a self-haul trip. Customers must unload their own vehicles there. Ask a crew for a written total covering indoor carrying, transport, and disposal so you can compare the work included in each option. [2]

Can I include old paint and cleaners with ordinary junk?

Separate them and check the Agency's hazardous-material rules. It lists oil-based paint and cleaners among accepted materials and instructs residents to keep hazardous products out of trash and drains. Tell the crew what you have and agree on handling before booking. [3]

Where can I recycle a mattress?

The Agency identifies Willis Dady at 800 First Avenue NW as a recycling option and lists $10 per mattress for Linn County residents and businesses. Acceptance hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 319-651-8530 to schedule five or more mattresses and confirm acceptance before delivery. [2]