A fridge is not a couch. It weighs 200 to 300 pounds, it has a compressor full of refrigerant, and most transfer stations will not take it without proper recovery first. That is the part people do not think about until they are standing in the kitchen wondering how to get it to the truck.
An appliance removal service handles all of that: the weight, the hauling, the recycling, and the disposal rules. You text photos, we send a number, the crew shows up and handles it. Here is what the service actually includes and what it costs.
What an appliance removal service actually does
A real appliance removal service handles five things: quoting, loading, hauling, recycling, and cleanup. That sounds obvious. Apparently it is not, because customers keep mentioning that we swept up, like it was a surprise.
The quoting part is where most services lose people. A lot of companies send someone to walk your house, frown at the appliance, and find reasons the number should go up. We skipped that. You text a few photos of the appliance and your town. We send back one flat price within 24 hours. No appointment, no walkthrough, no salesman sitting on your couch.
When the crew arrives, they confirm the price matches the photos. If the appliance is heavier or in a different spot than what the photos showed, they tell you before touching it. Then they protect the floors, load the appliance onto the trailer, and sweep the area clean.
What the service costs
We price by volume and weight. How much space the appliance takes in the trailer and how heavy it is determines the number. A standard fridge or washer is one to two items, which puts it in the $90 range. A heavy appliance like a commercial-style range or an older top-loading washer with a concrete counterweight lands closer to $150 to $250.
Those numbers include the labor, the loading, the hauling, and the disposal. No hourly meter. Hourly haulers are paid to be slow. A slow afternoon costs them, not you. With us, the price is set before we touch anything.
Stairs add to the number: $40 for one flight, $80 for two or more. Ground floor, easy truck access, that is the base price. Quotes carry about plus or minus 15 percent until we see the job in person. We say that out loud instead of springing it on you when the crew is already in the kitchen.
| Appliance | Flat price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator / freezer | $90–$150 | Standard size, ground floor |
| Washer or dryer | $90–$150 | Heavier models land at the top |
| Washer + dryer pair | $150–$250 | Two items, more space and weight |
| Dishwasher | $90–$120 | Smaller, quick job |
| Range / oven | $90–$150 | Gas lines need to be disconnected first |
Where the appliance goes after pickup
Old refrigerators and freezers contain refrigerant, usually R-134a or R-600a, that cannot be vented into the atmosphere. Massachusetts has required proper refrigerant recovery since the early 1990s under the Clean Air Act. We work with a recycler who handles the recovery and breaks down the metal, plastic, and compressor oil.
Washers, dryers, and dishwashers are mostly metal. The steel drum in a washer alone is 20 to 30 pounds. Those go straight to a metal recycler. Usable appliances, a fridge that still cools or a washer that still spins, get donated first. Goodwill, Savers, and Habitat ReStore all take working appliances in our service area.
The transfer station is the last resort, not the default. Most of what we pick up has enough metal value that recycling makes more sense than landfilling. We sort it as part of the job, not as an upsell.
How to tell a good service from a bad one
The junk removal industry has a pricing problem. A lot of companies quote low over the phone, then add charges on-site: weight overages, fuel surcharges, disposal fees, stair fees they forgot to mention. By the time the truck pulls away, the number is double what you agreed to.
Here is what to look for in an appliance removal service:
- Flat, all-in pricing stated up front, not "starting at" or "call for quote." The price should cover labor, loading, hauling, and disposal.
- Photo-based quoting, not a walkthrough appointment. If someone needs to see the appliance in person before giving a number, they are either being careful or building in room to adjust the price upward.
- No deposits or upfront payment. Payment should come after the job, when you are happy with it.
- Recycling as part of the service, not a line item. Appliance recycling should be included in the flat price, not added as a $50 surcharge.
- A two-hour arrival window with a confirmed ETA. "Sometime between 8 and 5" is not a window.
The basement fridge nobody wants to deal with
Older homes in Lowell, Chelmsford, and Billerica often have a second fridge in the basement that has been there since the Clinton administration. It still runs, technically, but it costs more in electricity than a new one would cost to buy. And getting it up the stairs is the part nobody looks forward to.
A basement fridge is where appliance removal services earn their money. Narrow stairwells, low ceilings, tight turns. A 250-pound fridge going up a flight of stairs is a two-person job with a dolly and some care. We do it regularly. The stair add-on is $40 for one flight, $80 for two or more.
Mention the basement when you text the photos. It changes the quote, and it is better to know that up front than to be surprised when the crew shows up and sees the stairs.
When you should not hire an appliance removal service
If the appliance still works and you just want it gone, try Facebook Marketplace or your town's Buy Nothing group first. A working fridge in decent condition will usually find a taker within a day or two in our area. You get it gone for free, someone else gets a fridge, and nothing goes to the scrap yard.
If you have a truck, a dolly, and the appliance is on the ground floor, the transfer station is cheaper. Most of our towns charge $20 to $50 by weight. That beats our $90. We will tell you that on the phone.
If the retailer offers free haul-away with a new appliance purchase, take that deal. Most major retailers include it. Check before you call us.
Get a flat price
Text a few photos of the appliance and your town to (978) 330-8980. We send back one flat price within 24 hours. If a transfer-station run is cheaper, we will tell you that instead.