Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
The office manager of a small accounting firm at a property in Highland Park rang on a Wednesday. They'd downsized to a smaller floor and had to hand back the old tenancy by Friday. Left behind were pallets and crates, old office furniture and workstations and retail fixtures and shelving.
Why the customer needed help
They'd rung a couple of other outfits and got vague answers about price. I told them I'd come and look, give them a figure on the spot, and they could decide from there.
What was at the property
By my count there were pallets and crates, old office furniture and workstations and retail fixtures and shelving, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from offices and professional suites.
Working in Highland Park
Highland Park is a hilly residential pocket with large blocks and views. Highland Park 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 did my usual lap. I check what's heavy, what's sharp, what's reusable and what might be hiding something underneath. A redback in the bottom of a pile isn't unusual on the Coast, so gloves and a torch come out before anyone reaches in.
How the job was planned
The plan was simple: protect the route, clear a path, then work from the far end back towards the truck so we never had to climb over what was left.
Preparation
We put drop sheets down through the hallway and taped corner guards on the door frames. It takes ten minutes and saves arguments about scuff marks.
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 pallets and crates, old office furniture and workstations and retail fixtures and shelving 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 stuff in the hard-to-reach spots: the top of the garage racking, under the house, behind the water tank. That's usually where the surprises live, and this job was no different.
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
We had a strict window: the building only allowed access through the loading dock for two hours, and the lift had to be booked.
How we handled them
We pre-staged everything on trolleys at the dock door, so when our window opened we were loading within minutes.
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
I came away reminded that a fixed price agreed up front takes all the stress out of the day, for them and for us. Nobody's watching the clock or arguing at the end.