Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
A mum at a property in Mount Nathan had been trying to give away timber and composite cabinets, pumps, heaters and covers and surrounding decking sections on Marketplace for six weeks. Every person who said they'd come never turned up, and she'd had enough of it sitting in the carport.
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 timber and composite cabinets, pumps, heaters and covers and surrounding decking sections, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from renovating properties.
Working in Mount Nathan
Mount Nathan is a hinterland area of acreage and rural homes. Mount Nathan properties are often larger blocks with sheds, paddocks and lots of trees, so green waste, shed clear-outs and scrap metal are common jobs. Long driveways and gravel tracks are fine; we check gates, slopes and wet ground before backing in.
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 timber and composite cabinets, pumps, heaters and covers and surrounding decking sections 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
On the truck, heavy and flat things go on the bottom, long things go along the sides, and anything fragile for donation rides at the front where there's less bounce. Recycling stays in its own section so it can come straight off at the transfer station.
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
The item was heavier than it looked, and it was sitting at the end of a narrow side path with a step down halfway along.
How we handled them
Two of us, a stair-climbing trolley and a sheet of ply over the step. We took it slow and kept it upright the whole way.
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.