Construction & Renovation Debris · Cambridge
Construction and Renovation Debris Removal in Cambridge
Renovation debris is heavy, sharp and mixed. The cost of getting rid of it depends on whether it is sorted, and the crew sorts it.
Cambridge renovates constantly. Galt's century homes get kitchens and bathrooms pulled out and plaster taken back to brick. Preston and Hespeler's post-war houses get basements finished, decks rebuilt and roofs replaced. The newer subdivisions off Franklin Boulevard and in north Hespeler get builder-grade kitchens swapped and yards hardscaped. Every one of those jobs ends with a pile — in the garage, on the driveway, against the fence — that somebody has to deal with.
This page is for homeowners who did the work themselves or whose contractor did not include disposal, and for contractors who would rather have a crew take the pile than lose a truck and a labourer to the transfer station.
What goes on the truck
- Drywall and plaster. Old drywall is separated where the Region requires it. Plaster and lath from Galt houses is heavy and dusty and goes as mixed waste.
- Lumber. Clean framing lumber and sheathing separate from painted, treated or stained wood, which goes a different route.
- Kitchens and bathrooms. Cabinets, countertops, vanities, tubs, toilets, sinks. Cast iron tubs from older houses are a two- or three-person carry and sometimes come out in pieces.
- Flooring. Carpet and underpad, laminate, hardwood, vinyl, ceramic tile with its thinset still attached.
- Roofing. Shingles, underlayment, flashing, and the rotten sheathing that came with them. Shingles are dense and are quoted by weight.
- Concrete, brick and stone. A broken patio, a chimney that came down, the old front steps. Heavy, and quoted by the load rather than by volume.
- Decking and fencing. Boards, joists, posts with the concrete still on them, chain link, gates.
- Windows and doors. Old sash windows, aluminum sliders, steel doors, glass separated where it can be.
Why sorting matters
The Region's facilities handle clean wood, drywall, scrap metal, concrete and mixed waste differently, and mixed loads cost more to tip than sorted ones. A crew that throws everything in together pays for it at the scale and passes it on. This crew sorts as it loads — metal in one section, clean wood in another, drywall bagged or stacked, concrete on the floor — so the load goes where each stream belongs. The Region of Waterloo publishes what its sites accept and how material has to be separated; the rules change and the crew works to the current ones.
Older houses and asbestos
Galt and Hespeler houses built before the 1980s can contain asbestos in plaster, drywall compound, floor tile and its adhesive, pipe insulation, duct wrap and vermiculite attic insulation. A junk removal crew is not permitted to handle it and will not. If the debris pile contains material that looks like any of those, or if the renovation disturbed them, the right step is testing and, if positive, a licensed abatement contractor. Ontario's rules are set out at Ontario.ca. The crew will haul what is left once the abatement is done and documented, and it will refuse a pile it believes is contaminated.
For contractors
Small and mid-size contractors working in Cambridge use the crew as a disposal subcontractor: a call at the end of demolition day, a firm number by the truckload, and the site clear the next morning without tying up their own truck and crew. Recurring arrangements for contractors with several jobs running are straightforward. The crew is insured and WSIB-covered and provides clearance certificates when a general contractor or site owner asks.
Demolition is not debris removal
The crew hauls what has been taken apart. It does not demolish a deck still bolted to the house, take down a garage, or strip a kitchen; that is a contractor's work, and in Cambridge demolishing a structure can need a permit from the City of Cambridge. Once the structure is down and stacked, the crew takes it. Sheds and small outbuildings on a residential lot are the exception and can be dismantled and hauled in one visit; ask when booking.
Timing and staging
The cheapest debris job is a pile that is stacked in one place the truck can reach — a driveway, a garage bay, the side yard by a gate. The most expensive is debris spread through a basement and carried up a stair one bucket at a time. If you are mid-project, stack as you go and book the haul for the day after demolition, before the finish trades need the space.
Frequently asked questions
Do you take drywall, concrete and shingles?
Yes. Drywall is separated as the Region requires. Concrete, brick, tile and shingles are heavy and are quoted by the load rather than by volume. Tell the crew what is in the pile and roughly how much and the number is firm before they arrive.
Can you take material that might contain asbestos?
No. Plaster, drywall compound, floor tile, pipe wrap and vermiculite in houses built before the 1980s can contain it, and handling it is licensed abatement work under Ontario rules. Test first; the crew hauls what remains once abatement is done and documented.
Do you work with contractors on a recurring basis?
Yes. A call at the end of demolition, a firm number by the truckload, and the site clear the next morning. Insurance and WSIB clearance certificates are provided on request. Contractors with several Cambridge jobs running can set up a standing arrangement.
Serving Cambridge and surrounding areas. Contact us for a no-obligation quote specific to your property.