Rubbish removal in London with Take Me Elsewhere costs from £80 for a small collection (a few bags, a single sofa or a mattress) and from £350 for a whole cage collection, which is a full caged van loaded by our crew. Bigger clearances, several loads and awkward access are priced on request. Loading is always included, and you get a confirmed price from your photos before we set off.
1.Our prices at a glance
Most London rubbish jobs fall into one of two sizes, and our prices follow that. These are the same flat rates in every borough we cover.
| Collection | Price | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Small collection | from £80 | A handful of bags, one or two bulky items, the leftovers from a weekend clear-out |
| Whole cage collection | from £350 | A full caged van: a garage, a flat, an office floor, a builder’s mess |
| Larger clearances | On request | Several cages, regular collections, productions or difficult access |
£80 is our minimum collection charge. It covers sending a vehicle and a driver, so even one item costs at least that. A whole cage starts at £350 because our caged vans carry far more than they look like they should, often more than a tipper trailer, so one cage clears what would take most people several trips.
There’s no extra charge for bigger bags, and loading is always included. We carry rubbish out from wherever it is: the back bedroom, the loft, the bottom of the garden.
2.What changes the price
Two jobs that look the same in a photo can be priced differently. These are the four things that move a quote.
- How much there isVolume is the biggest factor. A couple of clear photos showing everything that needs to go is usually enough for us to price it.
- How easy it is to loadStairs, lifts, long carries from the back of a building and tight corridors all add time. Tell us about them up front and the price won’t change on the day.
- What it isRubble, soil and concrete weigh far more than bags of household rubbish. Heavy materials fill a van’s weight limit long before they fill its space.
- When you need itPlanned collections are easiest. We do our best to fit in same-day and last-minute requests, subject to availability.
3.The extra charges, in plain English
Hidden charges are the most common complaint about rubbish removal. These are all of ours, taken straight from our terms and conditions.
- Parking, tolls and zone charges. Costs linked directly to your collection, such as parking, tolls, the Congestion Charge or emission-zone charges, may be added where they apply. Telling us about permits, loading bays or restrictions in advance keeps this down.
- Waiting time. If we’re held up waiting for keys, access, gates or security, waiting charges may apply. We’ll let you know before they build up.
- Cancellation. Cancelling after the driver has prepared to leave, or has set off, costs 50% of the quoted price.
- Aborted collections. If we arrive but can’t collect for reasons within your control, the full agreed charge normally applies.
- VAT. Quoted prices are subject to VAT where it applies, unless we say otherwise.
That’s the full list. There’s no fuel surcharge, no “heavy bag” fee and no charge for the odd item you forgot to mention.
4.Rubbish removal vs a skip vs the council
A collection isn’t always the cheapest option. Here’s how the three usual choices compare.
| Rubbish removal (us) | Skip hire | Council bulky collection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the loading | We do | You do | You put it out |
| Where it’s collected from | Anywhere on the property | The skip, on your drive or the road | Usually the kerb or your front door |
| Permit needed | No | Yes, if the skip sits on the road | No |
| Waiting time | A time that suits you, same-day when the diary allows | Delivery, then hire period, then pick-up | Depends on the council’s next free slot |
| Best for | Mixed loads and anything you don’t want to lift | Long building projects producing waste for weeks | A few large items when you’re not in a hurry |
For a long renovation that produces waste every day for weeks, a skip can still make sense, and we’ll say so if you ask. For a one-off clear-out, a collection usually works out better: no hire period, no road permit, no one stealing your skip space overnight, and nobody in your household doing the lifting.
Council bulky waste collections are good value for a few big items if you can wait and can get them to the kerb. Each London borough runs its own service, with its own prices and item limits.
5.What we can’t take
We don’t collect hazardous waste, so it can’t be part of any rubbish removal quote:
- Asbestos
- Chemicals and solvents
- Paint
- Oils
- Gas bottles
- Clinical waste
If you’re not sure about something, send a photo and ask before booking. Your council can tell you where to take hazardous household waste locally.
6.How to keep the cost down
- Show us everything. A quote from complete photos is a price you can rely on. A quote from half the pile isn’t.
- Put it in one place if you can. The quicker it is to load, the less time we spend on site.
- Sort the recyclables. Flattened cardboard and clean recycling kept away from food and liquids can be recycled. Contaminated loads may be rejected by recycling facilities.
- Sort out parking. A legal space close to the collection point avoids parking charges and long carries.
- Pick the right size. If a small collection will do, we’ll tell you rather than send a full cage.
Whatever you choose, check that whoever takes your rubbish is a registered waste carrier. A cheap quote from an unlicensed collector can end with your rubbish fly-tipped and a fine with your name on it. Our guide on how to check a waste carrier licence shows how in two minutes.
