The short answer

A one-bedroom apartment emptied of furniture and household leftovers typically lands in the quarter-to-half truck band: $241 to $431. A studio is often cheaper than that on item pricing alone. A fully furnished two-bedroom with appliances can reach three-quarters at $587 or a full truck at $732.

The full ladder: quarter $241, three-eighths $338, half $431, five-eighths $513, three-quarters $587, seven-eighths $661, full $732. The visit minimum is $75.

You are always quoted the cheaper of the two methods — the sum of the individual items, or the truck tier the load fills.

Richmond apartments are not one thing

The phrase "apartment cleanout" covers at least four different jobs in this city, and the access is what separates them.

Fan and Museum District conversions. Old rowhouses cut into two, three or four units. No elevator, one staircase for everyone, a landing that turns, and a front door that opens straight onto a narrow sidewalk. These take the longest and cost the same as everything else.

Scott's Addition lofts. Converted warehouses with real freight elevators and loading bays. Fast once you have booked the elevator, and building management usually wants that booked in advance.

Downtown and Manchester mid-rises. Passenger or service elevators, a loading dock if you are lucky, and building rules about which hours you can move things.

Henrico and Chesterfield garden apartments. Short Pump, Glen Allen, Midlothian, Chester. Two or three storys, exterior stairs, parking right outside. Straightforward.

The price does not change between these. The scheduling does.

What a studio actually costs

Item pricing often beats the truck ladder for a small unit. A furnished studio near VCU or in Jackson Ward, everything going:

  • Futon $111
  • Queen mattress $103
  • Bed frame (standard / metal / platform) $68
  • Desk (standard) $83
  • Office chair $61
  • TV (under 42") $62
  • Small junk pile $82

The addition: $111 + $103 + $68 + $83 + $61 + $62 + $82 = $570. A quarter truck is $241 and this load will not fit in one, so compare against three-eighths at $338 — if it fits that tier, $338 is the quote. This is exactly why we price both ways and charge the lower.

What a one-bedroom actually costs

A one-bedroom in the Fan, tenant leaving, furniture staying behind:

  • Sofa $126
  • Coffee table $67
  • Mattress + box spring set $143
  • Bed frame $68
  • Dresser (standard) $126
  • Dining table (2-4 seat) $103
  • Dining chairs, two at $45 each = $90
  • Bookshelf $72

The addition: $126 + $67 + $143 + $68 + $126 + $103 + $90 + $72 = $795. A full truck is $732, and a one-bedroom's worth of furniture usually lands around the half to three-quarter mark — $431 to $587. The truck tier wins here and that is the quote.

The lesson: for a whole-unit clear-out, ask about the volume price, not the item list.

Things that add up quietly

Tenants and landlords consistently underestimate the non-furniture layer. Bagged material is priced by count: 10 bags $132, 15 bags $196, 20 bags $259, 25 bags $322, 30 bags $385.

Other frequent extras: bag of clothes $35, box of books $45, large area rug $68, small area rug $33, window AC unit small $87 or large $109, portable AC $85, microwave $30, mini fridge $115, computer monitor $58, box of electronics $77.

Window units matter here. A lot of older Fan and Church Hill apartments do not have central air, so there is nearly always a window AC or two that the outgoing tenant leaves behind.

Timing it around Richmond's lease calendar

Richmond turns over hard in late July and August, when student and young-professional leases in the Fan, Oregon Hill, Carytown and around VCU roll at the same time. If you are a landlord or property manager with a same-week turnaround, book before the last week of the month rather than during it.

The second crunch is the end of May, after graduation, when a wave of units empties at once. The rest of the year is calm and same-week scheduling is easy.

August is also the hottest, most humid stretch of the year here. Anything left on a curb or a balcony during that window gets rained on. Move it inside until the truck comes.

Landlord and property manager cleanouts

If you manage units across the metro — a few Fan conversions, a couple of Southside doubles, some Henrico garden units — the practical advantage of flat pricing is that you can quote a turnover cost before you have seen the unit. Photos from your inspection give you a number the same day.

You do not have to be on site. Give us access instructions — lockbox, leasing office, back stairs, alley gate — and the unit gets cleared. Disposal is included, so there is no gate-fee receipt to reconcile afterwards.

What is not included

We remove and dispose. We do not deep clean, patch drywall, paint, or remove hazardous materials like paint solvents, fuel, or pressurised tanks. If a unit needs a cleaner after the clear-out, that is a separate trade.

Everything else — the carry from the fourth floor of a Fan walk-up, the awkward turn at the landing, the disposal — is inside the flat price.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to clear out a one-bedroom apartment in Richmond?

Most land between a quarter truck at $241 and a half truck at $431. Fully furnished one-bedrooms with appliances can reach three-quarters at $587. You are quoted the lower of item pricing and truck pricing.

Is there a surcharge for a fourth-floor walk-up in the Fan?

No. There is no stair charge and no walk-up fee. The carry from any floor is included in the published price.

Do I need to be there?

No. Most landlord and property-manager cleanouts happen with nobody on site. Send access instructions — lockbox code, leasing office, rear alley gate — and it gets done.

Can you work around a building's elevator booking?

Yes, and in Scott's Addition lofts and downtown mid-rises you should book the freight or service elevator with building management before scheduling. Tell us the window and we will fit it.

What about all the bags of miscellaneous stuff?

Bagged material is priced by count: 10 bags $132, 15 bags $196, 20 bags $259, 25 bags $322, 30 bags $385. On a full unit clear-out it is usually cheaper to roll it into a truck-fill tier.