Clearing a flat or a house in Geneva

We empty the property completely — cellar, attic and balcony included — sort everything into the correct waste streams, clean it for the handover, and buy back what still has value.

Call 079 232 22 21

Cantonal PCTN licenceFree on-site quoteWithin 24–48hLicensed disposal · fees includedDisposal certificate

A full apartment clearance in Geneva is priced on volume, not by the hour: CHF 60.–/m³ for labour and loading, CHF 10.–/m³ for sorting, CHF 150.– per truck run and CHF 300.– per tonne in cantonal disposal taxes. A three- to four-room flat is typically 25–40 m³ and 3.5–6 tonnes; a house is usually 80–150 m³. End-of-tenancy cleaning is a flat CHF 480.–. Anything resaleable is bought back and deducted. The site visit and written quote are free, and the quote is fixed once given.

What a full clearance covers

Every room emptied, plus cellar, attic, garage, box and balcony — the parts most often forgotten, and the ones that will block your handover if left.
Furniture dismantled where needed to get it out, and communal areas protected if the building requires it.
Sorting by waste stream — furniture and wood, scrap metal, appliances and electronics, textiles, paper, garden waste, rubble, chemicals — each to a licensed cantonal facility, with the disposal taxes paid and shown on your quote.
All documents, photographs and personal effects boxed and handed to you. Nothing personal is ever thrown away.
A joint walk-through with you before we leave, while our equipment is still on site.
A disposal certificate for your letting agency or notary.

Access is what actually drives the price

Volume sets the baseline; access decides how long it takes. In Geneva that varies enormously by neighbourhood, and it is the main reason we insist on seeing the property before quoting.

Old town and Belle Époque buildings — narrow stone staircases, no lift or a small retrofitted one with a low weight limit, and often no place to park a truck. Large furniture comes out in pieces.

Large post-war estates such as Le Lignon or the Meyrin satellite town — lifts everywhere, but very long horizontal distances between the flat and the vehicle, which on a big volume costs more than a flight of stairs.

Houses and villas — ground-level access and a truck in the driveway. The cheapest scenario per cubic metre, even though total volumes are larger.

Where no parking space is available, a communal parking permit may be required and takes time to obtain. Tell us at the first call — it is the single most common cause of a postponed job.

Rates

Item	Unit	CHF
Clearance and removal — labour, carrying, loading	per m³	60.–
Sorting by waste stream and recovery	per m³	10.–
Transport — truck run to a licensed facility	per run	150.–
Cantonal disposal taxes, by weight	per tonne	300.–
Special streams — fridge, appliances, chemicals	flat	500.–
End-of-tenancy cleaning, any size of property	flat	480.–
Boxing of documents, photographs and personal effects	—	included
Touch-up guarantee — free return visit if the agency objects	—	included
Disposal certificate for the agency or notary	—	included
Buy-back of resaleable furniture and valuables	—	deducted

Swiss VAT not applicable. Quoted after a free site visit, then fixed and binding.

Full detail and a real itemised quote: prices and rates.

Buy-back: how the bill comes down

Older Geneva properties routinely contain things with a real market value — 19th-century and Art Deco furniture, mid-century design, paintings, silver, porcelain, jewellery, watches, books, oriental rugs, cameras, musical instruments, and collectable scooters and motorcycles.

We value these on site, free of charge, and offer to buy them. The amount is deducted directly from your quote. It can reduce the bill, cover it entirely, or exceed it — in which case we pay you the difference. We hold a cantonal second-hand trading licence (2025-CO-AUT-Vente objet usage-3612) which requires us to keep a register of everything bought back, so you always receive a written statement.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to empty a flat in Geneva?

Labour is CHF 60.–/m³, sorting CHF 10.–/m³, transport CHF 150.– per truck run, and cantonal disposal taxes CHF 300.– per tonne. A three- to four-room flat is typically 25–40 m³. Cleaning is a flat CHF 480.–. Whatever we buy back is then deducted. The visit and quote are free.

How long does a clearance take?

Half a day to two days for a typical apartment, two to four days for a house including outbuildings. We can usually start within 24 to 48 hours, with no urgency surcharge.

Do you clear the cellar and the attic too?

Yes, and they must be emptied — a single box left in the cellar is enough to cause an objection at the exit inspection even when the flat itself is spotless. Garage, box and balcony are included as well.

What happens to things that could still be used?

Anything with resale value is offered to you as a buy-back and deducted from the invoice. Usable items with no market value go to charities and reuse channels where they will accept them. Only what cannot be reused goes to the licensed disposal facilities.

Is the quote binding?

Yes, once we have seen the entire property including the cellar. It can only change if a room was not shown to us at the visit, and then only by a written amendment agreed before we start.

Other clearance services in Geneva

House & apartment clearance — full clearance of a flat or house anywhere in the canton of Geneva.
Estate clearance after a death — discreet handling, working alongside notaries and letting agencies.
Prices & rates — our full published rate card, with a real itemised quote.
Version française — le site en français — services, tarifs et communes.
Deutsche Version — die Website auf Deutsch — Leistungen und Preise.

Let's talk — no obligation

One call is enough for a free on-site visit and a written quote.

079 232 22 21

info@debarr.as