I'm getting into REO trashout and maintenance work here in CT & RI. Yes, I am a licensed contractor and insured.

My main question is what exactly is the timing of the trashout? I've done some that done just before the house is going to be listed. Getting rid of appliances, cleaning up, scrap wood, etc.

But I've seen on this board that some trashouts are done when the house is re-keyed? I usually don't get called in until it's been re-keyed, winterized and the electric is back on.

It all depends on the company. Some use a service (such as Safeguard or Cyprexx) to do it all. Another might just have it rekeyed and let the agent schedule trash removal. Still others will have the agent arrange the rekey too.

What is the typical price range for you to do a trashout?

Devenity,

Depends. I have a formula to figure out my prices. First, I figure the amount of trash and the size dumpster I may need. Then the number of hours to do the work, then a factor for my overhead (insurance, gas, vehicle expense, advertising, etc) then a profit margin. I add them all up to get my bid.

With dumpsters running $300-600, the cheapest bid I have done is $1000 and the highest $4500. Sometimes we include the janitorial service in the bid, sometimes there is no point in doing any janitorial work.

I may be high sometimes but I also can't work for free. It's the same way I figure a bid to build a home. There has to be profit built in or there is no point.

I have seen a safeguard sticker at every bid I have done.

I have mine done after I get it rekeyed. The dumpster routine really cuts into profits and makes for some pricy trashouts. My trashout guy has a big honkin' truck and hauls the stuff staight to the dump.

Problem here is many towns don't have dumps anymore or it is open only to residents in that town by sticker only on a vehicle.