# 1-800 GOT JUNK is a rip off



## Oilcan (Oct 11, 2007)

I had about 2 or 3 trucks full of junk. (Ford Ranger) I booked on online appointment with 1 800 got junk.  I normally just take it to the dump myself but I was busy and in a hurry. 

They showed up ontime. Nice clean truck. One clean cut guy and one hippie sorta guy with a Indian choker thing.

They quoted me a price of 500 bucks.

500 bucks!!!!!!!

I told them I'd spot them lunch for coming out but that was "way too f**** much."

Then it got sorta ugly. The next thing I know Im haggling with the hippie over how much I could afford to pay. They agreed to take it all for 300 bucks. Still a rip off but I couldn't spend the whole day going back and forth to the dump.

They took the big stuff and I signed the invoice and they took off. Then I realized they left a whole bunch of s***. ( I couldnt see behind the truck) And didn't even think about sweeping up. 

I complained of course but basically they said they would give me a discount on the next pickup.  After I dinked around on the internet I found other people have had troubles too.

Avoid them.

oc


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## cranbrook2 (Oct 11, 2007)

Whats that old saying ? If you want something done right DO it yourself.


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## glennjanie (Oct 11, 2007)

Hey Oil Can:
Most junkers would have been thrilled at you *giving*the junk which, of course, they can take to a recycler and sell it for a good price. 
I passed a recycle place today that is offering $130 per ton for sheet metal, cars and such.
Glenn


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Oct 12, 2007)

Theres been a few of my Clients who have used them and Yes they were a little high ( not way out of the ball park) and they were good fast and polite so as you know theres going to be good ones and bad.


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## Oilcan (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks for the comments.  ripoffreport.com looks pretty good but their search engine stalled my computer somehow.  I'll checkem out later.

Yeah, had the guys actually finished the job I wouldn't have been so upset.  I could see how the company could help some people but it's an awful lot to pay for clean cut jerks in this case.


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## Barry M (Oct 13, 2007)

I've never used them but I did see the owner and founder of 1 800 Got Junk on "What's the Big Idea" the other night. His story of how he and a friend started the company is quite inspiring. You've got to hand it to them from a business stand point to be doing millions in sales a year hauling junk is pretty cool.

Sorry you got ripped off though.


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## glennjanie (Oct 13, 2007)

Hey OilCan:
I got it all wrong before; when you said junk I pictured metals. Now I see you were talking about construction litter and scraps. In that case I always had a dumpster placed on the job and, when it got full I would call the guy and have him to dump it and bring it back. Often I only had one load so they could pick it up when the job was finished. Dumpsters come in all sizes, from 3 cubic yards to 40 cy. The 20, 30 and 40cy sizes are like a big turck bed with doors on one end. Place it close to the house but clear of the work and you can load it from the back with a wheelbarow or throw trash from the roof and second story windows into the top of it.
They charge you for the size of dumpster delivered but they will warn you not to fill it to the top with bricks, shingles or anything that will make it overweight. 
Maybe you can try that on your next job. Happy trails.
Glenn


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## Oilcan (Oct 15, 2007)

thx glenn,

Yes, I've already used something like that (they called it a lowboy) since my little episode. 

I would have ordered one ahead of time but it was one of those jobs that snuck up on me.  First I was going to cut some brush back on the house then it was some old siding, beat up couch, attic load etc...lol

Barry, 

You know, after I thought about it a while and had a chance to cool off I'm glad a company like 1800gotjunk exists.  I had read some of their history and I guess if I "drew" the right employees it would have worked out okay.

The rub is that the guys that come out are so squeaky clean you don't get the feeling they want to work at all.  This crew didn't and I suspect they may have a built in problem hiring people.  How do you find clean people that want to load garbage?


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## glennjanie (Oct 15, 2007)

It is possible my friend. I used to work construction and stay moderately clean. At least, when I went in to work I was clean and clean-shaven. I carried my load of the work and more while still managing to stay fairly clean. I served as an officer in the National Guard and was constantly aware of my bearing.
Glenn


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## WeHeartJunk (Aug 3, 2011)

I have a local junk removal company that competes with 1800 got junk.  Since they have the national brand recognition they get away with charging a bit more than the rest of us, but overall its not out of control pricing.  If you price what you're getting hauled away by volume, a full junk removal truck ends up being cheaper than a dumpster a lot of the time.

You can always haul stuff to the dump yourself, but if you have a lot you end up wasting a whole day with trips back and forth to the dump, loading and unloading, nails in tires at the dump, gas etc.  For a lot of people a Junk removal service is a pretty fair and convenient option.


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## WeHeartJunk (Aug 3, 2011)

But nothing against the grip you had, people don't often budget for junk removal costs, and sometimes the estimate comes as an unpleasant surprise.


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## Modutile (Aug 13, 2011)

Could not agree more. They are a ripoff. I already started seeing some competitors in Houston at lower prices.  The company i saw was It's Junk


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## nealtw (Aug 15, 2011)

1   You can rent a truck and haul the junk yourself.
2   Find someone out of work that owns a truck to do it for you.
3   Have a dumbster bin dropped off and picked up. 
4   Find local small guy that advertises in yellow pages or newspapers
5   Or you can wait until the very last minute and call the the one number you know because you see it everywhere. Then you have paid for the right to bitch about it!


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## ownersblues (Aug 25, 2011)

It doesn't surprise me. I called them once and got a high quote. It's true not all stuff is junk and in some cases they probably make a good profit but as the first reply said, I really think it is best to do yourself if you can.


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## SnellExperts (Aug 28, 2011)

Thank you for the heads up on this. I don't often have a lot of junk to haul off, but I know now to steer away from these guys!


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## ownersblues (Sep 2, 2011)

I might add I saw a commercial a few hours ago about pop up garbage bins you buy at your local Lowes or Home Depot type store then call a number to get a pickup. Now I'm not sure how it works past that, but if its just garbage, it might be something to look into.


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## brad222 (Sep 26, 2011)

Thanks for the tip about the rip off! I'll be sure to not keep them in mind. I've always found that going to the dump myself is well worth it. In my city, they actually will pay ME by the pound for certain materials!
Atlanta Fence Company | Atlanta Fence Contractor | Atlanta Fences


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## SnellExperts (Sep 27, 2011)

brad222 said:


> Thanks for the tip about the rip off! I'll be sure to not keep them in mind. I've always found that going to the dump myself is well worth it. In my city, they actually will pay ME by the pound for certain materials!
> Atlanta Fence Company | Atlanta Fence Contractor | Atlanta Fences



When I used to do siding, we used to make a little bit extra by taking our excess aluminum from facia and gutters that were ripped off. If your area has one of those places, its usually worth the trip to get a couple hundred dollars extra (depending on the material).


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## JunkDawgs (Jul 28, 2012)

Oilcan said:


> I had about 2 or 3 trucks full of junk. (Ford Ranger) I booked on online appointment with 1 800 got junk. I normally just take it to the dump myself but I was busy and in a hurry.
> 
> They showed up ontime. Nice clean truck. One clean cut guy and one hippie sorta guy with a Indian choker thing.
> 
> ...


 
Definitely not trying to validate what sounds like the poor customer service you received, but the cost of junk removal jobs are based on more than just dump fees. Customers want uniformed employees and legitimate businesses but they often forget that those things come with overhead. For a reputable company, that service provider has to pay a competitive hourly wage for quality employees, pays for uniforms, has to pay for insurance on the trucks, $1 million liability insurance in case something goes wrong at your property and is legally obligated to have workman's comp insurance as well. All of those are expensive. Next, factor in the cost of fuel for one of these dump trucks while also adding in disposal costs... It gets pricey and while some jobs can be quick and easy, a lot of them are hard work so more often than not, the prices are pretty reasonable. 

That being said, Got Junk is a corporate giant in the junk removal biz so you may be better off going with a local operation that can still provide that professional level of service.


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jul 29, 2012)

Your right on the button JunkDawgs, I have been self employed over 25years and the amount of time, $$, spent is incredible and for those who are not it's hard to imagine. Remember we always pay for convenience and that's a fact.


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## BMartin9000 (Aug 13, 2012)

Sorry about the hassle. But I've heard some bad things about that company. I believe it is a lot of independent franchise owners, so there is no real consistency on the way they do business. When I need stuff picked up, I usually get a neighborhood kid with a truck to come by and take it all. He'll do it for a few bucks. If its stuff that people could use, I list it free on Craigslist and a lot of it will get picked up that way. 

-------------------
Remodeling Oklahoma City One House at a Time!


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## asbestos (Aug 14, 2012)

around here you would be paying like $40 a load at the dump so that's $200 right there so $500 might be high but I'd do It all day for $300.


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## JunkDawgs (Aug 16, 2012)

Corporate franchises fall back on the company line that they "have to maintain their parent company's pricing structure" but independent operations can adjust price on load type which is flexible depending on the type of materials you are off loading.


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## nealtw (Aug 16, 2012)

I still find it odd, as diyers we have one thing in common. Once in a while we have to hire a pro because we might be over our head with a project. There is one job that every one is qualified to do, no permit required, no failing grade. We should be able to get the junk out or are we just interested in showing off all the pritty new things we have.


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## jamesbond0011 (Sep 17, 2021)

Oilcan said:


> I had about 2 or 3 trucks full of junk. (Ford Ranger) I booked on online appointment with 1 800 got junk.  I normally just take it to the dump myself but I was busy and in a hurry.
> 
> They showed up ontime. Nice clean truck. One clean cut guy and one hippie sorta guy with a Indian choker thing.
> 
> ...


I have a junk removal service in Mobile Alabama. I charge $250 for a 16ft trailer with 2ft sides. 800 got junk is full of it. They send that tiny truck and got the nerve to ask for $500. SMMFH.


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## jamesbond0011 (Sep 17, 2021)

Other junk removal company's have popped up since I opened in Mobile Alabama. They have 800 gotjunks business motto. Stick'em hard and fast and charge them through the roof.


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## NeilG (Sep 18, 2021)

The thing to know is that they charge by volume. The more you break stuff down, the cheaper it will be. They won't tell you this unless you ask how they charge.


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