Yard Waste Removal Cost in Philadelphia, PA
Most people pay $150–$400. Updated for 2026.
Local view of our Yard Waste Removal cost guide — national ranges, what moves them, and every city we cover.
Branches, hedge trimmings, leaves and pulled shrubs pile up faster than any green bin in Philadelphia, PA can take, and one weekend of garden work can leave more than a month of collections would clear.
Green waste is bulky rather than heavy, so it is priced by the space it fills — and loose brush fills a truck surprisingly fast.

Yard Waste Removal in Philadelphia: what actually moves the price
With 57% of its homes attached rather than detached, Philadelphia prices yard waste removal around the front stairs and the doorway rather than the driveway. If there is a back alley or a basement hatch, say so — it can change the bid.
With renters in 48% of Philadelphia homes, a lot of yard waste removal here happens on a deadline. If yours does not, saying you are flexible on the day is worth more than any haggling.
Most homes in Philadelphia were built around 1949, and the layout of that era decides more about a yard waste removal job than the price list does.
Residents (2024)
Square miles of land
People per square mile
Local figures: U.S. Census Bureau — Philadelphia city. Checked 2026-08-21.
Yard Waste Removal in Philadelphia: where the city stops and a hauler starts
The free route in Philadelphia has hard edges, and they are the reason people end up paying: Four bulk items per appointment. Up to two large, non-metal items per household on your regular trash day.
Past those limits the city is not an option at all — not slower, not pricier, simply unavailable. That is the line a hauler exists for, and it is worth knowing exactly where it sits before you start carrying anything.
Collection in Philadelphia is run by Philadelphia Department of Sanitation. Below is what they will take, straight from their own rules — and where each route runs out.
Booked bulky pickup
Metal bulk items and appliances — refrigerators, air conditioners, anything containing refrigerant — plus tires. These are not taken on a regular trash day. Four bulk items per appointment. Book an appointment online, or call 311. Available to residential properties, including multi-family buildings with up to six units. Items go out at your normal trash pickup spot.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-08-19. Source
Taking it yourself
The public drop-off is Sanitation Convenience Centers. Free for Philadelphia residents. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on City holidays. You must show proof that you live in Philadelphia. Your vehicle must weigh under 6,000 pounds in total. Household items once a day and oversized items once a week. Bulk items and appliances are capped at two per day, tires at four per day. Commercial contractors and commercial loads are turned away, and construction debris is not accepted.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-08-19. Source
Cut it down before the truck arrives
This is the one job where a little preparation genuinely lowers the bill. Branches cut to four feet and stacked the same way take up a fraction of the space of a loose pile, and volume is what you are paying for. An hour with loppers can move you down a whole bracket.
Green waste is composted, not landfilled
Most areas have green waste facilities that mulch and compost rather than bury, and their tip fees are lower than landfill. That is why yard waste is usually cheaper per truckload than household junk — as long as the load stays clean. Mixing in plastic pots or bagged rubbish pushes the whole load back to landfill rates.
Typical yard waste removal cost
$150 – $400
A national range, not a quote. Your actual prices come from local pros bidding on your job.
How JunkerClub works in Philadelphia
Post your job
Describe what needs to go and add a photo. It takes a minute and costs nothing.
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Local pros in Philadelphia bid on your job from your photos — no site visit.
Pay your pro directly
Pick the offer you like. You pay your pro directly when the job is done — cash or card, no platform markup.
Yard Waste Removal pricing breakdown
| Service | Typical market price | JunkerClub estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Small pile or a few bags | $130 – $200 | $105 – $165 |
| Quarter to half truck load | $220 – $360 | $180 – $295 |
| Full truck load | $400 – $600 | $320 – $490 |
Estimates only. The final price depends on how much there is, how easy it is to reach, and what the pro quotes.
How we build these ranges — and why a real quote can land outside them →
Yard Waste Removal in Philadelphia — common questions
How much does yard waste removal cost in Philadelphia?
Most people pay $150–$400. That is a national range for yard waste removal, not a quote — your real price comes from local pros bidding on your photos, and it moves with volume, stairs and how far the item has to travel to the truck.
Will they take tree stumps?
Cut sections and root balls small enough to lift, generally yes. A stump still in the ground is stump grinding — a different trade with different equipment. Mention it up front so nobody arrives expecting to load something that is still attached to your garden.
Does it need to be bagged?
No, and loose is usually better because bags have to be emptied at a green waste facility. What helps is stacking branches in the same direction and keeping the pile clear of fencing and pots so the crew can work straight through it.
Can soil, rock and sod go in the same load?
They can, but they are charged differently because they are heavy and cannot be composted. A load of clean green waste is one price; the same truck with a ton of soil in it is another. Say what is in the pile and the quotes come back accurate.
How quickly can it be picked up?
It depends on how many pros cover your area. On our first jobs the first quote arrived within one to three days, and we email you the moment one comes in. Once you pick a pro you choose the date and time window; same-day or next-day pickup is possible when a crew has room on the truck.
What does JunkerClub charge me?
Nothing. Posting a job and collecting quotes is free, and you pay your pro directly when the work is done. The pro pays the platform a small fee only when they win the job — it never gets added to your price.
Do I have to carry it outside myself in Philadelphia?
No — the crew does the lifting and loading, and that labour is most of what you are paying for. In Philadelphia about 57% of homes are attached rather than detached, so a straight internal staircase and a narrow front door tend to set the limits instead of a driveway. The median home here dates to around 1949, and stairwells and doorways from those years tend to be narrower than a modern build — worth mentioning if the item is bulky. Say which floor it is on and whether there is a lift when you post the job; that is the part that moves the quote. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
What makes a junk removal quote in Philadelphia different from the national average?
Access and housing type, mostly. In Philadelphia, 8% of homes are detached and the city runs at about 11,715 residents per square mile — most homes here are attached rather than detached, so the front staircase and the doorway set the limits rather than a driveway. Renters occupy 48% of occupied homes here, which also shapes when the work happens. The prices on this site are national ranges; the number you actually pay comes from local pros bidding on your photos. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Yard Waste Removal prices nearby:
- Camden, NJ · 5.2 mi
- Upper Darby, PA · 9.2 mi
- Cherry Hill, NJ · 10 mi
- Conshohocken, PA · 10 mi
- Bensalem, PA · 12 mi
Where the city stops in Philadelphia:
Your junk's last stop.
Free quotes from local pros — no site visit.
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