Renovation debris removal in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake

The short answer

Remodel waste doesn't go out with bulk trash in Virginia Beach or Chesapeake. Virginia Beach excludes building and renovation materials, concrete, cabinets, doors, sinks, toilets and glass. Chesapeake excludes construction debris, including building materials, fencing, siding, roofing and pallets. A flat pickup handles it by item or by truck fill: a full kitchen cabinet set is $293, a toilet $64, a fiberglass tub $90, drywall $37 per sheet or small bundle, and a quarter truck $241.

Where remodel debris comes from in the 757

Hampton Roads has two kinds of renovation. In Norfolk and Portsmouth, it's old-house rehab. Ghent's housing mostly predates 1939, Park Place's Railroad District is seeing rehab flips, and Port Norfolk and Cradock are historic districts with century-old houses. Those jobs produce plaster and lath, old windows, doors, trim, and cast iron tubs and radiators.

In Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, it's updating 1970s to 1990s houses. Kitchens and bathrooms in Lynnhaven, Kempsville and Western Branch are due for second or third remodels. Those jobs produce laminate cabinets, countertops, fiberglass tubs, vanities, carpet and drywall.

North Suffolk, with the newest housing in the region, produces something else: move-in debris. Builders leave scrap lumber, boxes and packaging, and new owners pull out builder-grade fixtures.

Then there's storm damage. After flooding, drywall, carpet and insulation have to come out fast, and none of it goes to the curb.

What the cities take and don't

Virginia Beach's bulky pickup won't take building or renovation materials, concrete, cabinets, doors, sinks, toilets, glass, carpet, rocks, dirt or wood pallets. Residents can take concrete and porcelain, such as a toilet or sink, to the Resource Recovery Center free with proof of residency.

Chesapeake excludes construction debris from bulk trash, including building materials, fencing, siding, roofing, pallets and landscaping debris. Putting it out anyway can bring the removal cost and an administrative fee of at least $100.

Newport News excludes construction debris unless it's from resident-permitted work.

Currituck County convenience centers accept household remodel debris from permitted residents, but not contractor waste.

On the Southside, construction and demolition debris that isn't recycled ends up at SPSA's Regional Landfill in Suffolk.

Flat prices for common debris

Worked examples

Hall bath gut in a Kempsville house: fiberglass tub, toilet, vanity and three bundles of drywall. $90 + $64 + $69 + $37 + $37 + $37 = $334.

Kitchen remodel in a Lynnhaven ranch: full cabinet set, two granite countertop sections and the old dishwasher. $293 + $111 + $111 + $109 = $624.

Old-house bath in Ghent: cast iron tub from the second floor and a cast iron radiator. $185 + $123 = $308. The stairs are included.

Window replacement in a Western Branch house: eight old windows. $33 + $33 + $33 + $33 + $33 + $33 + $33 + $33 = $264.

Mixed demo pile in a Park Place rehab: drywall, trim, old doors and bags, loaded as a quarter truck at $241 or a half truck at $431.

Heavy materials and truck tiers

Most remodel debris fits normal truck tiers, but some materials are dense. Concrete, brick, tile and plaster weigh far more per cubic yard than furniture. That's why concrete and masonry have their own line at $219 per quarter truck.

Roofing is similar. A bundle of shingles is $48. A full roof tear-off is a big, heavy job; send photos and a count of squares when you ask for a quote.

If you're a contractor, it pays to stage debris near the driveway in a neat pile. Crews still carry from anywhere, but a staged pile loads faster and photographs accurately for the quote.

For multi-day jobs, book pickups at the end of each phase rather than letting debris pile up. Wet drywall and plaster get heavier, and a pile on a lawn in hurricane season can scatter in wind.

Dumpster or pickup?

For a full gut renovation of a house, a roll-off dumpster may make sense. You'll need driveway space and, in some neighborhoods, a permit for street placement. You also load it yourself.

For a single-room remodel or a staged project, a pickup is often simpler. There's no container sitting on the driveway for a week, no worrying about neighbors adding to it, and the crew does the loading. In narrow old Norfolk streets, where a dumpster may not fit at all, a pickup is often the only practical option.

Suffolk residents have another tool: the city's refuse service lets residents reserve a 14 cubic yard roll-off through Refuse Dispatch. You still fill it yourself.

Get the price from photos on the instant quote page, and book by 4 p.m. for same-day.

Frequently asked questions