In nearly all cases, trash collection occurs at a leisurely pace. Someone orders a service several days prior to a preferred collection date and waits for the appointed collection time. In contrast, some occasions do not allow for the luxury of a leisurely schedule. The moving truck has arrived with more trash than anticipated. Renovations have been completed just prior to the inspector’s visit. A tenant has left a residence filled with unwanted items and the property owner wishes to have the property vacant and free of trash so new tenants may occupy the property. Under these conditions, there is little time to wait for trash collection.

These situations are precisely why same day trash collection services were developed. Understanding when time is a factor, what these services entail, and how these services differ from normal collection will help consumers make informed decision making when they are under pressure and want their trash removed quickly.

Situations Where There Is No Room For Delay

The majority of situations where same day Rubbish Removal in Sydney is needed occur as a result of moving. Regardless of whether a consumer has planned a move for months or weeks, moving day always results in the realization that there are items which cannot be moved to the new location. Consumers realize that certain items are no longer desired or useful, and in many cases, items that had previously been hidden away in closets or storage areas are now visible and appear to be nothing more than trash.

Landlords and real estate agents need properties cleared; landlords need their bonds returned; and prospective homebuyers wish to view properties which are vacant. There is no room for delay in these situations – the trash must be removed immediately.

Deadlines associated with renovations also cause a great deal of urgency. Construction waste is generated much faster than anticipated; the final inspection is approaching; new tenants or owners are coming to occupy the property; and the period between “we should probably remove this” and “this must be removed today” is rapidly decreasing. Contractors complete their work and depart, however the waste remains and suddenly the responsibility falls upon the property owner to resolve the issue immediately.

There are emergency cleanout situations where properties need to be cleaned out rapidly for various reasons. Tenants abandon their rentals and leave behind a wealth of belongings; estates need to be cleaned out prior to the sale of a property; health or safety concerns necessitate immediate attention; and in each of these situations, there is little to no advanced warning and thus an immediate solution is required.

Businesses generate their own sense of urgency. Businesses operate on very tight schedules when moving; retail establishments need to clear space between tenants; warehouses need to dispose of waste immediately after inventory changes; and in business, wasted time due to unavailability of space causes lost revenue through reduced productivity or lost rental income.

How Same Day Services Operate

Same day trash collection is different from scheduled trash collection. The availability of same day services depends on the capacity of the service provider on any given day. Making a call early in the day is the best way to ensure that you can receive same day service. By the time the afternoon rolls around, time slots are filled and the opportunity to obtain same day service may no longer be available.

Phone calls are generally used to initiate same day services as opposed to using an internet-based system to book a service. Due to the nature of the urgency of the situation, there is a necessity to communicate verbally — explaining your situation, estimating the volume of waste and the type of waste, and determining whether same day service is feasible. Not all requests can be accommodated, especially during peak season or in remote areas from the service provider’s base.

Urgent service pricing is normally greater than scheduled service pricing. The fee is a reflection of the difficulties involved in fitting unplanned work into existing schedules. Providers of urgent services usually charge on a volume basis, and the type of waste, with a surcharge for same day service to compensate the service provider for the accommodation.

Phone quotes are provided to give a general idea of pricing, however, the actual cost is determined based on the actual volume of waste and complexity of the job. The vast majority of service providers quote a price range as opposed to a fixed price until they assess the job. Part of the nature of providing urgent services is the inability to conduct pre-job assessments as is allowed with scheduled services.

Factors Which Influence Availability

Location is the primary factor influencing the availability of same day services. Properties located near the service provider’s service area are given priority since travel time is limited. Remote locations may not be able to accommodate same day service merely due to the fact that the round trip would take too long to fit into the remainder of the service provider’s working day.

The volume of waste is another factor. A single couch or a few bags of trash can be easily handled. Multiple truckloads of construction debris or complete house clearances require more time and resources. Same day service is most effective for moderate volumes of waste which can be contained to one or two truckloads.

The type of waste also influences the ability to provide same day service. Household trash is relatively easy to handle. Hazardous materials, electronic waste, or other forms of waste that require special disposal methods complicate the provision of same day service.

The day of the week and the time of year impact the availability of services. Weekend and month-end demand is increased due to the tendency for people to move and renovate during these times. During the summer months, the increased volume of activity strains capacity. Calling a service provider on a Tuesday morning in February increases the likelihood of receiving same day service as compared to calling on a Saturday afternoon in December.

The Financial Reality

Services which are designed to accommodate same day service are going to cost more, in many cases considerably more, than scheduled service. The surcharge varies among service providers but is generally 20-50% above regular prices. The surcharge represents the operational difficulties inherent in providing unplanned services and potentially altering existing schedules.

Some situations clearly warrant the expense and the logistical hurdles associated with same day service. Failure to meet a closing deadline, forfeiting a security deposit, or paying additional rent while waiting for a property to be cleared costs substantially more than same day service expenses. The decision is relatively simple – pay the surcharge or incur the larger penalties.

In other instances, it is difficult to determine when same day service is warranted versus when it is merely expedient. Would waiting 24-48 hours be acceptable if some scheduling adjustments were made? The urgency surcharge is only justified when the timing is a true concern and alternatives do not exist.

Unexpected Costs May Arise

There are some unexpected costs that individuals may experience. Access to difficult to reach locations (i.e., flights of stairs, lengthy carry of items from the building to the truck, etc.) may result in additional costs. Waste which is designated as hazardous or other forms of waste requiring specialized disposal may also increase the overall expense. The estimate obtained over the phone may lead one to believe the task is less complicated than it ultimately proves to be.

Possible Alternatives

Skip bins represent one viable alternative for those with a somewhat flexible schedule. Same day skip bin deliveries are available in many regions, although pick-up of the bins is scheduled for a later date. Skip bins are a viable option for projects where the waste is to be placed into a container as soon as possible, yet does not need to be removed from the premises immediately.

DIY trailer rental from local hardware stores is another possible alternative for small loads of waste. However, loading and transporting the waste, having a suitable vehicle, and knowing where to properly dispose of the waste are all responsibilities of the individual undertaking the project. While DIY trailer rental is typically less expensive than hiring a professional service, the time and energy required to accomplish this task often exceeds expectations.

Requesting next-day service from the service provider may reveal other options. If same day service is not available, but next day service is possible, it may still resolve the issue without the full urgency surcharge. Waiting another night for the trash to remain on the premises may be acceptable depending on the specifics of the situation.

Keeping It Running Smoothly

Clear communication helps assure success for same-day service. Accurate descriptions of type and volume of waste will prevent surprises here. Explaining the urgency of pickup helps the providers give the job the desired priority. Giving good access information—parking, stairs, narrow hallways—lets the provider give realistic time estimates.

Everything being ready to be picked up will save everybody time. The items should be accessible and should not be buried in locked rooms or behind obstacles. Hazardous materials should be identified at the start. The quicker the crew can load them the better chance they have of fitting it into their schedules.

Flexibility about timing is a help in having a good chance of getting same-day service. A hard and fast requirement for a specific time window in the afternoon might not work. But accepting the phrase “sometime today between noon and 6 o’clock” will have a much better chance of securing service at all.

Being ready to pay is also of a lot of importance. Same-day services most often require immediate payment instead of invoice arrangements. Having method of payment ready will help keep things going.

When It Is Really Worth It

Same-day rubbish removal is valuable in case of a real emergency but is unnecessary in its use in all sorts of cleanup work. The cases where it is vitally essential in its haste will justify the expense and some of the logistic problems involved therein. Knowing the difference between actual urgency and mere impatience will enable intelligent decision to be made on when to use these services.

The existence of same-day service will help in the flexibility afforded by having it available for occasions when time really is of importance. Knowledge of the fact that it does exist, how it works and what it costs will enable people to use it quickly when it is needed without the necessity of frantically trying to think of what their options are under the pressure of time.

Not every rubbish removal needs to be done at once. But when speed is of the essence, being able to have rapid options available makes what could be a crisis but a manageable inconvenience—one phone call, and a few hours later the trouble is gone and life goes on.