Old house clear in Exeter
Professional old house clear services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
Quote required
Typical Duration
1-3 days
Location
Exeter, Devon
Complete house clearance service for properties that need emptying. Whether it's probate, downsizing, moving abroad, or just a fresh start - I'll clear everything, dispose responsibly, and leave the property clean and ready.
When You Need Everything Gone
Sometimes you can't cherry-pick what to keep and what to throw.
The whole lot needs clearing. Every room. Every cupboard. The garage. The shed. That weird stuff in the loft nobody's looked at since 1987.
Maybe it's probate - dealing with a family member's estate. Maybe you're moving abroad and can't take furniture. Maybe you're downsizing dramatically and your new place just can't fit the old life.
Either way, you need someone who'll sort it properly, not just chuck everything in a skip.
💡 Pro tip: Full clearances often uncover valuable items people forgot existed. I always check before disposing - found everything from forgotten jewelry to rare books to actual cash in old coat pockets.
What's Involved
📦 Full Clearance Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Assessment | Walk through, estimate volume, identify any special items |
| Sorting | Good furniture, recyclables, rubbish - all separated |
| Removal | Everything cleared systematically, room by room |
| Disposal | Charity donations, recycling, waste - all handled properly |
| Cleaning | Property left clean, empty, ready for handover |
♻️ Responsible Disposal
Where things go:
- Good furniture → charity shops (if they'll take it)
- Clothes/textiles → textile recycling
- Metal/scrap → scrap merchants (offset cost)
- Hazardous waste → proper facilities
- Recyclables → recycling center
- Actual rubbish → waste disposal (minimized)
Common Clearance Scenarios
Probate/Bereavement Sensitive, systematic clearance of deceased relative's property. Can identify valuables, personal items, or paperwork for family to review before disposing of remainder.
Downsizing Moving from family home to flat - 90% of furniture won't fit. Clear what you're not taking, clean old property for new owners.
Rental Clearance Tenant's left stuff behind, landlord needs property empty fast for new tenants. Quick turnaround, property ready to re-let.
Renovation Clearance House being completely renovated - everything must come out first. Furniture, carpets, fittings, everything.
Hoarding Situations Years of accumulation, property overwhelmed. Systematic clearance with sensitivity and no judgment.
Pricing
This is always quoted after seeing the property. Too many variables:
Factors affecting price:
- Volume of contents
- Type of items (furniture vs light rubbish vs hazardous)
- Access (stairs, narrow doors, parking)
- Disposal costs for your area
- Time needed
- Whether cleaning is included
Typical range: £500-£3000+ depending on above
Free quote - I visit, assess realistically, quote in writing.
What You Keep vs What Goes
| ✅ Good Practice | ❌ Risky Approach |
|---|---|
| Walk through together, agree what stays | "Just clear everything" (then regrets) |
| Mark items to keep clearly | Assume I'll know what's valuable |
| Remove personal/valuable items first | Hope I spot them in the clear |
| Written list if you're not present | Vague instructions |
Why Choose Us for Old house clear in Exeter?
Everything removed in one go
Responsible disposal and recycling
Property left clean and empty
Respectful service for difficult circumstances
What to Expect
Step 1: Property Assessment
I visit, walk through every room, assess volume and disposal needs. We discuss any items of concern, special requirements, timeline. Quote provided in writing.
Step 2: Systematic Clearance
Work room by room, sorting as I go. Valuables/personal items separated. Regular updates if you want them. Photos of progress if you're not on site.
Step 3: Final Clean & Handover
Property cleared, cleaned to agreed standard, ready for whatever's next. All waste disposed of properly with paperwork if needed.
🔧 DIY Tips
Tackling clearance yourself? It's hard work but doable:
📋 Plan systematically
Start with one room:
- Don't try whole house at once
- Complete one room fully before moving on
- You'll feel progress, stay motivated
Three-box system:
- Keep (genuinely needed)
- Donate/Sell (good condition, someone wants it)
- Rubbish (broken, worthless, beyond help)
Be ruthless. If you haven't used it in 2 years, you won't.
🚚 Disposal options
Charity shops:
- Phone ahead - many won't take furniture anymore
- Need items in good, clean condition
- May collect for larger items
- Get receipt for tax if applicable
Recycling centers:
- Book slots if required (many Devon centers need this now)
- Separate materials properly
- Understand what they won't accept
- Van hire if you don't have suitable vehicle
House clearance companies:
- Get multiple quotes
- Check they dispose responsibly
- Some pay for good furniture (offset cost)
- Cheaper than skip for large volumes
⚠️ Don't
- Fly-tip (illegal, expensive fines, bad karma)
- Put everything in paid waste bins (expensive, often not allowed)
- Burn rubbish (illegal in most areas, dangerous)
- Leave it for the buyer/tenant (legal comeback)
💡 Pro trick: List big furniture items free on Facebook Marketplace/Freecycle with "must collect" clause. Amazing what people will take away for free if it saves them buying new.
⏱️ Time reality
DIY clearance times:
- 2-bed flat: 2-3 full days minimum
- 3-bed house: 5-7 full days
- 4-bed with garage/loft: 10+ days
That's solid work days, not "couple hours in evening." Most people underestimate by half.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🏚️ Old Exeter properties? Victorian and Edwardian houses often have decades (sometimes centuries) of accumulation. Cellars, lofts, understairs - it all adds up. Budget accordingly.
Probate situations - I work sensitively, no judgment. Can identify items executors should review (valuables, documents, photos). Everything else disposed of respectfully. Used to dealing with solicitors' requirements.
Hazardous items - paint, chemicals, asbestos, batteries - need special disposal. I'll flag these and arrange proper disposal. Never just chuck in general waste.
Timeline pressure? Completion dates, rental handover deadlines - I get it. Can usually accommodate urgent clearances if you book soon as you know dates.
Partial clearances work too - maybe just garage, shed, and loft. Or specific rooms. Quote is for what you need clearing, not always whole property.
Listed buildings - some disposal restrictions on original features. Check before clearing period fireplaces, panels, fittings that might have heritage value.
Frequently Asked Questions
What situations need a full house clearance?
Moving abroad and can't take furniture, probate/bereavement situations, rental property that needs clearing, downsizing to somewhere much smaller, property renovation where everything must go. Sometimes it's just easier to start fresh than sort and move everything.
Can you clear just part of a house?
Absolutely - might be garage and shed, or just one stuffed attic, or clearing a deceased relative's bedroom. Quote is based on volume and disposal needs, not necessarily the whole property.
What happens to the stuff - does it all go to tip?
No - I sort as I clear. Good furniture goes to charity shops if they'll take it. Recyclables get recycled properly. Only genuine rubbish goes to waste. It's the responsible approach and often reduces disposal costs.
How long does a full house clearance take?
Average 3-bed with decades of accumulation - usually 2-3 days. Bigger houses or heavy hoarding situations longer. Small flats might be one long day. I quote once I've seen it.
Is this service suitable for probate situations?
Yes, and I've done many. I understand it's a difficult time. Work sensitively, can identify items of value for executors to decide on, dispose of everything else respectfully. Can liaise with solicitors if needed.
Old house clear Also Available In:
Get a Free Quote in Exeter
Call us today for a free, no-obligation quote for your old house clear job in Exeter.
01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
Why Trust Us
Need Old house clear in Exeter?
Get a free quote for your old house clear job in Exeter today.