Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
A couple at a property in Robina Town Centre had pulled out their old kitchen and laundry themselves over a weekend to save money. They were pleased with the demolition but stuck with old kitchen cabinets and benchtops, baths, showers and screens and vanities, basins and toilets piled in the garage.
Why the customer needed help
Their main worry wasn't the cost. It was not knowing what could legally go where, and not wanting to damage the house getting it all out. Both of those are part of the job for us.
What was at the property
By my count there were old kitchen cabinets and benchtops, baths, showers and screens and vanities, basins and toilets, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from landlords upgrading rentals.
Working in Robina Town Centre
Robina Town Centre is a shopping, office and apartment hub. Robina Town Centre mixes established homes, units and local businesses, so jobs range from single items to full house and office cleanouts. We plan around driveways, unit car parks and loading zones so the truck is close to the load.
The initial assessment
I arrived at the property and the first thing I noticed was the access. Before I look at the pile, I walk the route it has to travel: doorways, steps, the driveway slope, overhead wires, where the truck can park. For this job I paced it out and worked out we'd need about two-thirds of the tipper.
How the job was planned
I gave them a fixed price there and then, based on volume, and explained what was included: cabinetry and benchtop removal, tile and plaster clearance and fixture and fitting removal. They said yes on the spot, so we planned to load in one visit rather than two.
Preparation
We checked the weather, laid out the straps and blankets for anything worth saving, and agreed a hand signal for "stop" because the truck was right on the road.
Step 1
Step one was the bulky stuff. My offsider and I took the largest items out first, tilting them through the door frames rather than forcing them. With old kitchen cabinets and benchtops, baths, showers and screens and vanities, basins and toilets in the mix, there was no point clearing small things while the big ones were still blocking the way.
Step 2
Step two was the heavy lifting. Anything over about forty kilos went on the trolley or got a two-person lift with straps. No hero stuff. A strained back on the first job of the day ruins the week.
Step 3
Step three was the final check. I went back through every room and corner with the customer, picked up the small stuff the big items had hidden, and swept up.
Removal, sorting and loading
I'm fussy about the load. A well-packed truck means one trip instead of two, and that's the difference between a fair price and an inflated one. We netted the top before we drove off.
From the truck it went to a licensed transfer station, where recyclables were dropped off separately, and anything usable went to a local op shop before the tip run.
Challenges we ran into
Nails and screws were sticking out of most of the timber, and some offcuts had been mixed with good materials the builder still needed.
How we handled them
We knocked over the nails as we went and asked the builder to mark anything he wanted kept with tape. Nothing good went to the tip.
Completion and final result
When the last load was strapped down, the space was empty and swept. The customer walked through with me, signed off, and paid the price we'd agreed at the start, not a dollar more.
What I learned
What stuck with me was how much of it could be reused. People expect bathroom & Kitchen Strip-Out Removal to mean everything goes to landfill. On this job, close to a third of it went somewhere useful.