Here is the question almost nobody asks before booking a junk removal job in Columbus, and it is the one that decides what you actually pay: how big is the truck?
I am Chris Blumfeldt. My wife Shawna and I own Ohio Junk Force. We started the company in 2010, we have run more than 20,000 jobs across Ohio, and we brought our crews into Columbus and Franklin County in 2026. You should know going in that I own one of the two companies in this comparison. I am not going to pretend to be neutral. What I am going to do is show you my arithmetic and tell you where the other guys genuinely beat us.
Because there is a real difference in Columbus, and it is not the one most people expect.
Start Here: “A Full Truck” Is Not a Unit of Measurement
Junk removal is sold by the truckload. Everybody in the industry does it that way, including us, because it is the easiest thing to explain on a phone call. A quarter truck, a half truck, a full truck. Simple.
The problem is that a truckload only means something if you know how big the truck is. And almost nobody tells you.
So two companies can quote you what sounds like the same job, and the numbers look close, and you pick the lower one — without ever finding out that one truck holds noticeably more than the other. If the smaller truck fills up before your basement is empty, you are not done. You are paying for a second trip, or you are watching half your stuff stay right where it was.
Here are the two trucks in Columbus. Our full truck holds 405 cubic feet. The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? truck holds 380 cubic feet. Ours is about 6.6% bigger.
Now put the prices against the capacity. When you divide each company’s full-truck price by the space you actually get, our cost per cubic foot in Columbus comes out roughly 14% below theirs. Same city, same kind of work, same week — about 14% less to move the same amount of your stuff.
I am deliberately not printing both companies’ dollar figures here, because competitor pricing moves and I do not want a stale number on this page misleading anybody. What I will give you is the method, so you can check it yourself: ask each company how many cubic feet their truck holds, ask what a full truck costs, and divide. That is the only comparison that means anything. If a company will not tell you their truck’s capacity, that is worth noticing on its own.
See What Your Job Costs Before You Call Anyone
Our Columbus pricing is published, and our online estimator will give you a real number in about a minute — no phone call, no sales pitch: https://ohiojunkforce.com/junk-removal-pricing/. Come back and finish this if you still want the comparison.
The Customer Who Paid the Same Price and Got Half as Much Hauled
A Columbus-area customer called us recently. She had used 1-800-GOT-JUNK? before, so she had a reference point most customers do not have.
After our crew finished, she told us something that stuck with me. The price she paid us was essentially the same as what she had paid the franchise on her previous job. But we had taken roughly twice as much stuff.
She was not making a point about truck geometry. She was just describing what she saw: same money, twice the work done. She told us she would be calling us from now on.
I want to be careful about what that story does and does not prove. It is one customer, comparing two jobs that were not identical, from memory. It is not a controlled test. But it is the single most common piece of feedback we get from Columbus customers who used a national franchise first, and it is exactly what you would predict from the arithmetic in the previous section. When the truck is bigger and the rate per cubic foot is lower, the same check moves more of your belongings. The math shows up in the driveway.
Where the Price Difference Actually Comes From
I want to be fair here, because there is a lazy version of this argument that says the franchise charges more because they are greedy. That is not it. The difference is structural, and it is documented in a public filing.
Franchisors are required by federal law to publish a Franchise Disclosure Document. It spells out exactly what a franchisee owes the parent company. Per the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? FDD, every franchise pays the franchisor:
- An 8% royalty fee on every dollar of gross revenue
- An 8% sales, marketing, and technology fee on every dollar of gross revenue
- Up to a 5% branding cooperative fee on top of that
Add it up: somewhere between 16% and 21% of every dollar a Columbus customer hands that franchise leaves the local business before anyone has paid a crew member, fueled a truck, or covered a dump fee.
And it does not stop at the state line. The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? brand is owned by O2E Brands, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Those percentages leave Columbus, leave Ohio, and leave the country.
Think about what that means for the price you get quoted. A well-run independent junk removal company is targeting somewhere around a 10 to 15% operating margin. The franchise is sending an amount equal to that — sometimes more — out the door before they start. They still have to pay all the same real costs we do: wages, workers’ compensation, commercial auto insurance, truck payments, maintenance, disposal fees. That money has to come from somewhere. It comes from the invoice.
And to be fair to them, those fees buy real things. National brand recognition. A booking system that works. Standardized training. Marketing at a scale no independent can match. Some customers genuinely value that, and they are not wrong to.
We do not pay any of it. We are not a franchise. There is no royalty, no marketing levy, no branding cooperative, and no parent company. That is not a virtue on my part — it is just a different cost structure, and it is most of why our number lands where it lands.
How You Find Out the Price
The two companies handle this almost oppositely, and it matters more than most people realize until they are standing in it.
Our approach: the price is on our website. You can run our estimator yourself and get a real number in about a minute without talking to anyone. When you call, we will give you that same number over the phone. To be precise about what that number is — it is an estimate, and an honest one, based on what you describe to us. Nobody has seen your items yet. The firm quote comes when our crew is standing in front of your actual stuff and can confirm or adjust. If the job turns out bigger or harder to reach than either of us thought, we tell you the new number before we touch anything, and you decide.
Their approach: the phone rep will typically give you a range, and will explain — politely and not unreasonably — that a real number requires seeing the items in person. So the crew comes out, sizes up the job, and gives you the price in your driveway.
Here is the part I want you to think about. By the time that crew is standing in your driveway, you have already spent something. You took the morning off work. You moved things to the garage. You planned your day around an arrival window. You are committed — practically, logistically, and emotionally. And that is the moment you learn the number.
At that point you have one option that feels real, which is to accept, and one that feels absurd, which is to send everyone home and start the whole process over tomorrow. Most people accept. That is not a coincidence or a failure of nerve. It is what the sequence is designed to produce.
Our estimator exists because I did not want to run that play on anybody. You should be able to comparison-shop this before a truck rolls, not after.
Skip the Driveway Surprise
Run the numbers on your own job first, on your own time: https://ohiojunkforce.com/junk-removal-pricing/. Or call or text (614) 344-0332 and an Ohio-based person will pick up.
Who You Are Actually Hiring
Ohio Junk Force is what it sounds like. Shawna and I own it. We live here, we run it, and every decision about how the company operates gets made in Ohio by the two of us. There is no parent company, no franchise agreement, and no percentage flowing out of state every month. When a Columbus customer pays us, that money stays in the Ohio economy — payroll for Ohio employees, trucks maintained by Ohio shops, taxes paid in Ohio.
A 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise is a different arrangement by design. Whoever holds the Columbus territory operates under a franchise agreement, on the franchisor’s systems, paying the fees described above. The crews on those trucks are local people, and the person holding the territory may well be a local business owner too.
I want to be clear that I am not making an argument about that person. I do not know them, and I am not going to characterize somebody else’s business in public based on guesswork. The distinction I am drawing is not about who signs the paychecks in Columbus. It is about where the percentages go, and the answer to that is documented: a meaningful share of every dollar spent there ends up outside Ohio.
Whether that matters to you is genuinely your call. For some people it is decisive. For others it is a nice-to-have that loses to convenience. Both are defensible positions and I am not going to tell you the second one is wrong.
The Guarantee
We put this in writing in 2024, because I was tired of every company in this industry promising great service with no consequence attached to the promise.
It is called the Amazing Service Guarantee, and the wording is short on purpose: Friendly, Professional, Dependable — or it’s FREE.
If our crew shows up at your Columbus home and is not all three, you do not pay. Not a partial refund. Not a credit toward next time. Not a coupon for the next job. The job is free.
A guarantee that costs nothing to break is not a guarantee, it is a slogan. This one costs us the entire job, which is exactly why we are careful about who we put on your driveway.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has satisfaction policies and a professional reputation for standing behind their work, and I am not going to mischaracterize their specific terms, which can vary. What I will say is that I am not aware of any junk removal company operating in Ohio that puts a guarantee this aggressive in writing. If one exists, I would like to know about it.
What Happens to Your Things
On every Columbus job, our crew watches for pieces that still have life in them — a couch that is tired but structurally fine, a dining set that just needs refinishing, a dresser whose only problem is that it is out of style. Those go to the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, a local nonprofit that places donated furniture with Columbus-area families who need it.
The honest caveat: most of what we haul is genuinely finished. That is usually why it is being hauled. But the pieces that can be saved get saved, and the rest gets sorted for recycling before anything goes to disposal.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? runs corporate-level recycling and donation programs, and individual franchises often participate in local donation efforts. Where those items actually end up varies by operator.
Where 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Beats Us in Columbus
I saved this section for late rather than burying it, and I want to be straight about it.
They run later than we do. Their Columbus operation takes pickups into the evening, six days a week, until 8:00 PM. We do not. If the only window you have is after work on a Tuesday, that is a real advantage and it is theirs, not ours. Neither of us runs Sundays, so that one is a wash — but on weeknights, they can serve you and we cannot.
They have been in Columbus far longer than we have. We arrived in 2026. They were here for decades before us, they have served an enormous number of Columbus customers, and they have a longer local review history than we do. If you want to hire the company with the deepest track record specifically in Franklin County, that is not us yet. It will be. It is not today.
Brand recognition is also real and it is worth something. Most people in Columbus know that phone number. Nobody has to explain who they are. There is a genuine comfort in hiring a name you have heard your whole life, and I am not going to pretend that is irrational.
And they are a well-run operation. Their crews are trained on national standards, their booking process is polished, and most of their customers are satisfied — which is exactly what you would expect from a company that has done this much volume for this long.
If you need an evening pickup, or if the longest local track record and national brand familiarity are what drive your decision, call them. You will probably be fine.
The Comparison at a Glance
Everything above, in one scannable table.
| Category | Ohio Junk Force | 1-800-GOT-JUNK? |
| Business structure | Independent, Ohio-owned since 2010 | Franchise operating under a Canadian parent company |
| Share of revenue paid to a franchisor | None | 16–21% per the FDD |
| Full-truck capacity | 405 cubic feet | 380 cubic feet |
| Cost per cubic foot | About 14% lower | Baseline |
| Pricing published on website | Yes | No |
| Online Price estimator | Yes, about 60 seconds | No |
| Price known before the truck arrives | Yes — estimate up front | Typically a range only |
| Firm quote given | On site, before work begins | On site, before work begins |
| Phone answered by | Ohio-based team member | National call center |
| Online booking | Yes | Yes |
| Evening pickups | No | Yes — until 8:00 PM |
| Sunday service | No | No |
| Rush fees | Never | Varies |
| Google reviews (Columbus) | 5.0 Stars with 23 reviews (5.0 Stars with ~1,600 reviews statewide) | 5.0 Stars with ~7,500 reviews |
| Written service guarantee | Friendly, Professional, Dependable — or it’s FREE | Standard satisfaction policies |
| Local donation partner | Furniture Bank of Central Ohio | Varies by franchise |
| Years serving Columbus | Since 2026 (Ohio since 2010) | Longer than us |
Cost per cubic foot compares each company’s full-truck price divided by that truck’s stated capacity, observed in the Columbus market. Operating hours reflect each company’s published schedule. Verify current pricing and hours with both companies before booking.
My Honest Recommendation
I am not going to end this with “you decide.” You already know I own one of these companies, so here is what I actually think.
Call 1-800-GOT-JUNK? if you need an evening pickup, if brand familiarity genuinely matters to you, or if you want the company with the longest operating history specifically in Columbus. Those are real considerations and they favor them today.
Call us if you want to know the price before a truck is in your driveway, if you want the most space in the truck for the money, if you want to talk to somebody in Ohio when you call, if you want your money to stay in the state, or if you want a guarantee written plainly enough that you could actually hold us to it.
There is not a hidden third answer. Those are the two lanes, and I have been as honest with you about where they win as I know how to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ohio Junk Force actually cheaper than 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Columbus?
Measured the only way that allows a fair comparison — cost per cubic foot of truck space — yes, by roughly 14%. Our truck also holds more than theirs, so a single full load moves more of your belongings. Comparing headline full-truck prices alone is misleading, because the trucks are not the same size. I cannot promise we will be lower on your specific job, because I cannot see what they would quote you. I can tell you our price is published before you book.
Why does truck size matter so much?
Because you are buying space, not time. If the truck fills before your job is finished, you are paying for a second load or leaving things behind. A truck that holds 405 cubic feet does meaningfully more work per trip than one that holds 380. When two companies quote similar-sounding prices for “a full truck,” the one with the bigger truck is doing more for the same money.
Why is 1-800-GOT-JUNK? more expensive?
Their franchisees pay the franchisor an 8% royalty, an 8% sales, marketing and technology fee, and up to a 5% branding cooperative fee — 16% to 21% of gross revenue, documented in the company’s Franchise Disclosure Document. The brand is owned by O2E Brands, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, so that money leaves Ohio entirely. We pay none of it because we are not a franchise, and that difference shows up in the quote.
Will you give me a firm quote over the phone?
We will give you a real, honest estimate over the phone or online in about a minute, based on what you describe. The firm quote comes in person, when the crew can see the actual items. That is not us hedging — it is that nobody can commit to a final number for a basement they have not seen. The difference between us and the franchise model is that you know the estimate before you commit to a service call instead of after, and if the scope turns out different than described, we re-quote before we start work, not partway through.
What does the Amazing Service Guarantee actually cover?
It covers the whole job. Friendly, Professional, Dependable — or it’s FREE. If our crew is not all three on your job, you do not pay for it. There is no partial refund, no store credit, and no coupon toward next time.
Do you serve my part of Columbus?
We cover the Columbus metro and Franklin County, including Downtown, the Short North, German Village, the OSU area, Clintonville, Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington, Hilliard, Westerville, and Gahanna. If you are not sure about your area, call (614) 344-0332 and ask.
How soon can you get here?
Same-day service is often available and next-day is nearly always available. Larger demolition-type jobs in peak season can push out a day or two. We never charge a rush fee — whether we come this afternoon or Friday, the price is the same. One honest exception: if you need a pickup in the evening after our crews are done for the day, the franchise runs later than we do and can serve you when we cannot.
Do you handle the same kinds of jobs they do?
Essentially yes. Furniture, appliances, electronics, mattresses, garage and basement cleanouts, estate cleanouts, construction debris, hot tub removal, shed and deck demolition, fence removal, piano hauling, and light demolition.
Will you try to donate my usable items?
Yes, when they qualify. We work with the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, which places donated furniture with Columbus families who need it. Most of what we haul is genuinely at the end of its life, but our crew separates out the pieces that are not.
Ready to See a Real Columbus Number?
You can price your job right now, before you talk to anybody, at https://ohiojunkforce.com/junk-removal-pricing/. About a minute, a real estimate, no sales call.
Or call or text (614) 344-0332. Shawna, one of our CSRs, or I will pick up — in Ohio. We will get you an estimate, put you on the schedule, and show up when we said we would.
Truck capacity, pricing, and operating hours accurate as of [PUBLISH MONTH/YEAR], based on each company’s published figures in the Columbus market. Company pricing, hours, and policies change; we update this post as they do.
— Chris & Shawna Blumfeldt, Ohio Junk Force