Remodeling makes more trash than anyone plans for. A bathroom gut fills a driveway, and a new kitchen leaves the old cabinets, the countertop and a stack of drywall behind. We load it from wherever it is and haul it off.
What counts as construction debris?
Anything that comes out of a remodel or repair. That includes drywall and plaster, carpet and pad, vinyl and laminate flooring, old cabinets and countertops, trim, doors, windows, tile and roofing shingles. So does the lumber from a torn-out wall or a rotted porch floor. When the pile is gone, we sweep up the area.
We don’t take asbestos, paint, solvents or adhesives. If you’re pulling up old floor tile or a popcorn ceiling and aren’t sure what’s in it, have it tested before anyone breaks it up.
Can it go out with Seneca’s trash?
No. The City of Seneca’s curbside collection doesn’t take construction debris. The city’s sanitation page lists a construction debris container you can request instead, with a container fee ($200 a load as posted; confirm with Seneca Public Works at (864) 885-2750 before you count on it). In Clemson, the city’s page says curbside bulk pickup doesn’t take contractor debris either.
How is remodel debris priced?
Two ways, depending on what it is:
- Light, bulky debris such as drywall scraps, cabinets, carpet, trim and lumber is priced by how much room it takes in the trailer. Half a trailer costs $250–$320, and a full load costs $450–$550.
- Heavy material such as tile, brick, concrete, shingles and dirt fills the trailer by weight long before it fills by space. We load it only about a foot deep, and one load tops out at 2.5 tons, so a big tear-off can mean more than one trip.
Every load size is on the pricing page. Send a photo of the pile, with something in the frame for scale, and we confirm the price before we load.
Where does the debris go?
To the proper county facility, with metal pulled out for recycling. In Oconee County, that’s the construction and demolition landfill on Wells Highway in Seneca, the county’s only landfill. It takes C&D debris but turns away metal, liquid paint and friable asbestos, so old ductwork, pipe and flashing go to scrap recycling instead. To check its current rules, call Oconee County Solid Waste at (864) 888-1440.
In Anderson County, the county’s C&D landfill near Starr won’t take construction debris and land-clearing debris mixed together, so a remodel that also cleared brush makes two piles.
Dumpster or haul-away?
If debris will come out steadily over several weeks, a roll-off dumpster in the driveway may suit you better. If it’s already piled up, a haul-away means nobody has to heave it over a dumpster wall, and you pay for the space it actually takes. Our guide to junk removal vs. dumpster rental compares the two.
Remodeling a lake house?
Duke Energy’s shoreline rules for Lake Keowee don’t allow property, including building materials, to be abandoned along the shore. Its Lake Services office, (800) 443-5193, wants to hear from you before any dock changes. If a deck or dock rebuild leaves old lumber on the bank, plan its removal along with the work. For a deck that’s coming down completely, see shed removal, which covers decks and other wooden outdoor structures.
Get a ballpark for the pile from the estimator, or text a photo to (864) 555-0142.
