Junk removal costs in Vallejo

In Vallejo, an old hot tub goes to the curb in pieces. Recology Vallejo's large items have to fit inside 3 by 3 by 6 feet and weigh under 100 pounds, so a bathtub or hot tub gets cut into parts first. Even a basketball hoop needs its post cut in half.

A small remodel can use the curb too. Recology lists drywall, tile, insulation, carpet and wood among its bulky items, each with its own prep. Drywall gets cut into 2-by-4-foot sections. Tile tops out at 20 pieces. Carpet and wood go out in bundles under 6 feet and 30 pounds, up to 10 of each. Painted or pressure-treated wood isn't taken, and concrete, brick, dirt, rock and general construction and demolition debris stay off the pile.

The city carries its own cleanup load. Its Grounds Maintenance Division clears approximately 3,500 tons of illegally dumped trash and debris off public property each year.

A single-family home gets four free curbside pickups a year. Apartment complexes work differently: the property manager books one free pickup each calendar year for the entire complex. When you call to book, give an itemized list of everything you'll set out, and call back if the list changes. Each pickup covers about 2 cubic yards: roughly a dozen 32-gallon bags, none over 60 pounds, plus up to three of those large items.