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Haulers

Estate cleanouts in Bourne, Massachusetts

Open garage and screened porch of a closed-up Cape Cod summer house with boxes and a rocking chair

What the town's rules mean for a clear-out

The DPW's carts hold only trash and recycling, so a full house goes elsewhere. The center issues stickers only to Bourne residential property owners and renters with proof of residence, with a license, registration and a tax bill, lease or deed; raw landowners do not qualify. A family member out of state clearing a parent's cottage may have none of those, so call 508-759-0600, ext. 4238 before hauling.

Stickers are capped at two per household, trailers over 12 feet and rental vehicles are excluded, and the flyer says special circumstances may get a temporary sticker if you call ahead.

Sale, inspection and dumpsters

If the house is being sold, the Fire/Rescue page notes Massachusetts law requires a certificate of compliance for smoke and CO detectors, $50 for a single-family home. A dumpster permit is also listed at $50, though the town doesn't say who needs one.

The curbside carts stay with the household when a property changes hands, so don't take them. And if the cottage was ever rented by the week, the town's short term rental inspection program covers 30-day-or-less rentals; ask the Building Department about an existing certificate.

Sorting, donating and hauling

Good furniture can go to the Swap Shop at the center, or to the Habitat ReStore in Falmouth, which advertises free pickups. Textiles go to the school boxes or the center. Paint, pesticides and chemicals wait for the county day.

Everything else, from attic boxes to mattresses and a dead freezer, can go in one visit: a quarter trailer $209, a half $319, three-quarters $409, a full trailer $519, with a $159 minimum. We carry from basements, porches and sheds and sweep the pile as we go. Executors can text photos for one price.

Clearing a Bourne estate, in order

  1. Check sticker access

    Owner or renter with a license, registration and tax bill, lease or deed. If not, call ext. 4238.

  2. Pull the valuables and papers

    Keep items for family, appraisers and the attorney before any hauling starts.

  3. Offer the good pieces

    Swap Shop or the Falmouth ReStore for clean furniture and working appliances.

  4. Set aside the hazards

    Paint, pesticides and fluids wait for the next county collection day.

  5. Book the haul

    JunkRun clears the rest, room by room, at a flat price.

  6. Schedule the sale inspection

    Smoke and CO certificate through Fire Prevention, 508-759-0600, ext. 2258.

Local resources in Bourne

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Quick answers

Can an out-of-town heir use the Bourne recycling center?

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Only if they hold a sticker, which is issued to Bourne residential property owners and renters with proof. Call ext. 4238 about special circumstances.

Do I need a dumpster for an estate cleanout in Bourne?

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Not necessarily. The town lists a $50 dumpster permit but does not state who needs one. Call Fire Prevention before ordering.

What do I do about the trash carts when the house sells?

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The carts remain with the household when property changes hands, per the curbside policy.

Does JunkRun charge extra for a cottage on a neck or island?

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No. Prices are flat everywhere we serve, with no travel fee.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Bourne before you go.

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