Estate and end-of-lease clearance team
Run a small crew that clears whole properties for families, executors, landlords and agents, with sorting and a broom-clean finish.
- A$20k-70k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A fuller clearance service for entire houses, including sorting valuables, arranging donations and disposal, and leaving the property clean for sale or handback. You work with a small crew, a larger truck (often a second-hand or leased tipper or 4-5 tonne truck) and sometimes a skip bin.
Your first three steps
- Price a few typical jobs by walking through sample properties and costing labour, truck time, bins and tip fees
- Decide whether to buy a second-hand truck or lease or hire one at first, and compare the upfront and monthly costs
- Set up an ABN, business insurance and a simple quote and invoice template, and check what workers compensation applies in your state before hiring
Who pays
Executors and families handling a deceased estate, real estate agents, property managers, landlords and aged care move-out teams.
How it makes money
Fixed quotes per property based on size and contents, often with an add-on for cleaning or rubbish bins. Repeat work comes from agents and solicitors who refer jobs.
Skills that help
- Managing a small crew and job schedules
- Quoting larger jobs accurately
- Respectful communication with grieving families
- Organising sorting, donation and disposal
Watch out for
- Startup cost depends heavily on the truck: leasing or hiring keeps it at the lower end, while buying a reliable second-hand truck pushes it towards the top
- Public liability insurance, and workers compensation insurance once you hire staff (state schemes differ)
- Waste disposal rules and tip licensing vary by state and council, so check before you commit to pricing
- Hazardous materials such as asbestos, which need specialist handling, so check what the law requires in your state
- Handling valuables, documents and personal items, so agree in writing what is to be kept, sold or removed
- Check whether a heavier vehicle needs a different driver licence class
- Irregular work, so cash flow can swing between busy and quiet weeks
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: estate and end-of-lease clearance team
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an estate clearance business?
Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $70,000, depending heavily on the truck. Leasing or hiring keeps costs towards the lower end, while buying a reliable second-hand truck pushes them towards the top.
How much can an estate and end-of-lease clearance team earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on how many whole-property jobs you win and their size. Work is irregular, so cash flow can swing between busy and quiet weeks.
What rules should I check before starting estate clearance?
Check waste disposal rules and tip licensing in your state and council, and what the law requires for hazardous materials such as asbestos. Also check whether a heavier vehicle needs a different licence class, plus public liability and workers compensation insurance.
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