1. The call (10 minutes)
Tell us the address, roughly how full the house is, whether there is a basement, and what your deadline is. If there is a closing date or a probate hearing driving the schedule, lead with it. We will tell you honestly whether the date is achievable.
2. Walkthrough and written quote (30 minutes, free)
Someone walks every room including the basement, attic and garage, then gives you a single price for the whole job in writing. No deposit, no obligation, no pressure to book on the spot. If you are out of state, we do this over video.
3. You mark the keep pile
Put everything you are keeping in one room and tell us that room is off limits. Or flag individual pieces with painter’s tape. This is the only part of the job that has to be yours, because nobody else knows which chair mattered.
If you cannot get to the house before the crew does, we can do a photograph-first pass: every room documented before anything moves, so you can point at what to pull.
4. Cleanout day
Crew arrives in the window, protects floors and door frames, and works room by room. Three piles form as they go: donate, dispose, and set aside for you. Documents, photos, cash and anything that looks legally or personally significant goes in the set-aside boxes and stays in the house.
You will get progress photos if you are not on site.
5. Donation run and receipts
Furniture, housewares, tools and usable building materials go to a local nonprofit rather than the transfer station. The estate gets the receipts, which matter if anyone is itemizing.
6. Broom-swept, photographed, done
Final sweep, final photos of every room, keys back where you want them. If a realtor is waiting to shoot the listing, the house is ready that afternoon.
What we need from you
- Confirmed access (key, lockbox code, or someone to open up)
- A phone number that will be answered on the day
- Anything that stays, clearly marked
- A heads-up on the specialty items: piano, safe, gun cabinet, hot tub, chest freezer, oil tank
Timeline, realistically
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Call to walkthrough | 24 to 48 hours |
| Walkthrough to quote | Same visit, in writing |
| Quote to scheduled date | 2 to 7 days, faster if a closing is driving it |
| Standard full house | One day |
| Heavy accumulation | Two to four days |
Common questions
Do I have to be there on the day?
No. Plenty of our jobs are run for out-of-state executors. We need access, a phone number, and a clear marking of anything that stays. You get photos as the work progresses.
What if we find something valuable mid-job?
The crew stops and calls you. Cash, jewelry, documents, firearms, anything that looks like it matters. This happens on most estate jobs and it is not an upcharge.
How do you handle firearms?
We do not transport them. If firearms turn up, we secure the room and you arrange a licensed transfer. Michigan law puts that on the estate, not the hauler.