Let’s face it.  Cleaning out estates is tough for anyone.  However, it can be especially tough for families who live out of state, have been out of contact for long periods of time, who haven’t visited the home in years, who are estranged, or if there is a severe amount of clutter (hoarding) in the home.  What should you keep?  What should you throw away?  What can be donated?   How much does it cost to clean out an estate?  This article will show you how estate cleanout companies can help you save money.

Companies that specialize in estate clean outs can help you with most, or all, of these decisions.  Most estate clean out companies have one or more professional organizers to help make some of the tough decisions.  Recouping money for the estate should be one of, if not the top, priority.  However, skilled estate cleanout companies can help you determine relative value of items in the home, keeping in mind the retail value of the item may not be what the estate will get in an auction or estate sale, especially when considering moving and handling costs, storage costs, and the cost for selling the items.

Many items may not have much monetary value, but may have significant sentimental value.  These items should be discussed before hiring an estate cleanout company and certainly before any work begins.  Estate cleanup companies can also make recommendations on what is generally kept by other estates and what is generally let go.  Estate clean out companies can mail or ship items to friends, family members, benefactors, or other parties to ensure they get to the right place.

Although many items may cost more to sell than to donate, not all donation companies will accept all donations.  Estate cleanup companies can coordinate with the donation company/companies of your choice and organize a time for your donations to be picked up or be delivered.  Donating items may result in a tax write off, but will also likely save money on debris removal costs estate-cleanout-services.

Perhaps one of the most underrated costs of cleaning out an estate is the debris removal costs.  Renting a roll-off container seems to be a good options for removing a large amount of debris, but there are severe limitation to what can be placed in the roll-off containers.  For example, electronics, liquids, chemicals, tires, batteries, metal, appliances, and mattresses are generally not allowed to be placed in roll-off containers.  If you are caught with some of these items in the container, there can be large fines imposed.  Estate clean out companies can generally remove all of the trash/debris in a home without the use of expensive roll-off containers.  My company, located in Columbia, South Carolina, can generally save our clients thousands of dollars in debris removal costs.

Another cost to consider is the cost of shredding important documents.  Household shredders generally only allow 6-10 pieces of paper at a time and generally cannot process staples and/or paper clips.  An estate cleanout company can take all of the shred items to a shred facility (including computer hard drives), where it can all be properly disposed of.

Some companies also offer cleaning services. The cleaning services should be completed after all of the cleanout work is finished.  Some estates will plan to put the home up for sale.  Some may choose to do repairs and have someone move into the home.  Some will leave the home in its current condition and have a real estate agent list the home.  The cleaning company should be well-versed in post construction cleaning, deep cleaning, and white glove cleaning and should have experience working with real estate agents.  A general maid service cleaning or office cleaning company will generally not be able to provide the level of cleaning required for this type of work.  If roaches, bed bugs, lice, mice, or other types of pests are present, you may need to hire a company that specializes in biohazard remediation or bed bug cleaning.

Hiring a qualified, knowledgeable estate cleanout companies can help you properly clean out estates quickly, while saving the estate money.

Here is a video of before and after a porch, shed, and yard cleanup at an estate in Columbia, South Carolina.  This was included in the total job.  For more videos like this, Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE.

If you need help cleaning out an estate in South Carolina, North Carolina, or Georgia, contact Palmetto Commercial Services today at https://www.palmettocommercialservices.com.