The short answer
If you're in a single-family home, have a couple of large items, and can wait for the appointment — use the county pickup, it's free and generous. If you live in a Brickell, Edgewater, or beach condo the county doesn't serve, need it gone today, have used your two pickups, or have renovation debris — a flat-rate paid haul is the better call. Miami's condo-heavy layout means a lot of residents can't use the county program at all.
How Miami-Dade's bulky-waste pickup works
For county residential-collection customers, the bulky-waste program is genuinely useful:
- Two pickups per year, each up to 25 cubic yards — a single-family home can combine both into one 50-cubic-yard haul.
- Takes furniture, appliances and yard waste — sofas, chairs, tables, cabinets, and rolled carpet all qualify.
- By appointment. You schedule it through 311 or the Miami-Dade website before setting anything at the curb — you can't just pile it out whenever.
For a homeowner clearing the garage or swapping out old patio furniture, that's a lot of free capacity. Use it before you pay anyone.
The Miami catch: it's built for houses, not high-rises
The single biggest limitation in Miami is who the program is for. Miami-Dade bulky-waste pickup is a county residential-collection service — but Brickell, Edgewater, Sunny Isles, and the beach towers are condos with private building waste contracts, so the county service generally doesn't apply. If you're in a high-rise, you're not choosing between "free county pickup" and "paid haul" — the county option often isn't on the table, and you're left with building management's bulk process (slow, and no help getting it out of the unit) or a private hauler. Add the appointment lead time, the two-a-year cap, and the fact that you still carry everything down to the curb yourself, and paid removal — with the COI and freight-elevator handling a tower requires — is usually the practical answer.
County pickup vs paid junk removal — side by side
| Miami-Dade bulky waste | JunkRabbit | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (2×/year, homeowners) | Flat, from $75 · couch $126 |
| Speed | By appointment, days out | Same-day available |
| Condos / high-rises | Generally not covered | Yes — COI & freight elevator included |
| Who carries it out | You, to the curb | The crew, from your unit |
| Debris / cleanouts | Limited / no C&D | Yes — one item to a full truck |
Paid pricing scales by the truckload: a quarter-truck is $241, a half $431, a full 16-cubic-yard truck $732 — $75 minimum, quoted flat from a photo. See the Miami cost guide.
So which should you use?
Use Miami-Dade if you own a house, have time for the appointment, can get the items to the curb, and haven't used your two pickups. It's free and takes a lot.
Use a paid haul if you're in a condo the county doesn't serve, you're on a deadline, you've used your pickups, you have renovation debris, or you'd rather not haul a sofa down to the street in the Miami heat and wait for an appointment. The flat price ($75 minimum, up front from a photo) includes the carry-out and the COI a tower requires.
Frequently asked questions
How many free bulky pickups does Miami-Dade give?
Two per year, up to 25 cubic yards each (combinable into one 50-cy pickup for a single-family home), by appointment through 311 — for county residential-collection customers.
Can my condo use it?
Usually not — high-rise condos have private building waste contracts, so the county residential program generally doesn't apply. Residents use building management's process or a private hauler.
Is the county pickup or a paid haul cheaper?
The county pickups are free for eligible homeowners. A paid haul (flat, from $75) wins on speed, condo access, debris, and not having to carry it out yourself.
Get a price for a specific item
Frequently asked questions
How many free bulky-waste pickups does Miami-Dade give?
Miami-Dade County residential waste customers get two bulky-waste pickups per year, each up to 25 cubic yards, scheduled by appointment through 311 or the county website before you place items at the curb. A single-family home can combine both into one 50-cubic-yard pickup. It covers furniture, appliances and yard waste — but it's a county residential-collection service, so it generally does not apply to condos and apartment buildings that have private waste contracts.
Is Miami-Dade bulky pickup or paid junk removal cheaper?
The county pickups are free, so for a homeowner with a couple of items and no deadline, they're the cheapest option. Paid junk removal (a flat $75 minimum, a couch $126) is better when you live in a condo the county doesn't serve, need it gone the same day, have already used your two pickups, have construction debris, or don't want to drag everything to the curb yourself and wait for the appointment.
Can a Brickell or Edgewater condo use Miami-Dade bulky pickup?
Usually not. High-rise condos and many apartment buildings have private waste hauling arranged by the building, so the county's residential bulky-waste program doesn't apply — residents there use building management's bulk process or a private hauler. That's why so much Miami condo junk moves in a paid, COI-carrying truck.