Jasper’s Junk Removal — Business Notes

The Idea

Side hustle now, real business in ~2 years. Junk removal — chosen over landscaping since Kyle wants to steer clear of that. Manual labor based, low overhead to start, good margins once equipment is owned outright.

Business Name

Jasper’s Junk Removal — locked in.

Getting Started (No Truck Needed Yet)

  • Start with a borrowed truck or rent one (Home Depot/U-Haul, ~$20-30 for a couple hours) — bake the rental cost into job pricing
  • Core gear to start: furniture dolly, moving straps, gloves, pry bar/bolt cutters for disassembly
  • No need to own a truck on day one — own one once volume justifies it
  • Check local rules early: some areas require a permit/license for waste hauling, and dump/transfer stations may have different rates for commercial vs. personal loads — worth a quick call before advertising

Pricing Structure (by load size)

Load Price
Minimum charge (single item) $75–100
1/4 truck load $125–150
1/2 truck load $200–250
Full truck load $350–450

Profit = price − dump fee − rental/gas. Check local competitor pricing and start slightly under while building reviews, then raise once reputation is established.

First Few Months Plan

Month 1 — Setup & first jobs - Confirm local dump/transfer station rules & rates - Get basic liability insurance before hauling other people’s stuff - Post in local Facebook groups / Nextdoor, tell everyone you know - Take first jobs from people you know (even discounted) to build initial reviews

Month 2–3 — Build reputation & systemize - Set up simple payment method (Venmo/Zelle to start) - Ask every happy customer for a review or referral - Track every job in a spreadsheet: job type, price, dump fee, profit - Set aside 30–40% of every job’s profit into a separate “equipment fund”

Month 4–6 — Scale up slightly - If consistently busy, consider renting a truck for full weekends instead of per-job - Consider adding a second, higher-paying service (light demo/cleanout for renovations)

Savings Target for Year 2

Used pickup truck: roughly $8,000–15,000 depending on condition/age. Saving 30–40% of profit consistently should make this realistic within the 2-year window — especially with a push during busier seasons (spring/summer cleanouts, pre-winter garage cleanouts).

Services to Offer

  1. Furniture & appliances
  2. Garage & basement cleanouts
  3. Renovation debris
  4. Estate cleanouts
  5. Yard & shed junk
  6. Single-item pickup

Next Steps / Open Items