A full house clearance is exactly what it sounds like: the property is emptied completely, inside and out. It is the service most people need when a house is going on the market, when a parent has moved into care, or when someone is downsizing and the old home has to be handed over empty. We take on the whole job, so you do not have to hire a skip, make trips to the tip or find someone to collect the fridge.
When a full clearance makes sense
Most full clearances we carry out are linked to a change in someone's life. Common reasons include:
- Preparing a house for sale, where estate agents and buyers expect vacant possession
- A relative moving into a care home or sheltered housing, leaving their home to be emptied
- Downsizing to a smaller property with no room for decades of belongings
- Emptying a home after a death, often alongside the probate process
- Handing back a rented property or preparing a second home for sale
If only some rooms need attention and the rest of the house is staying as it is, our partial clearance service may suit you better.
Timing is worth thinking about too. If a sale is agreed, the buyer will normally expect the house to be empty by completion, so booking the clearance once dates firm up avoids a last-minute scramble. Where the house is part of an estate, check with the executor before anything of value is removed.
Every space, not just the living rooms
The rooms you can see are usually the easy part. The real work in many Cumbrian homes is in the places that have quietly filled up over thirty or forty years.
Lofts and cellars
Lofts often hold boxed paperwork, old toys, Christmas decorations and suitcases. Cellars in older sandstone terraces in Carlisle and Penrith can be damp and awkward to reach. We clear both and check carefully for papers or photographs worth keeping. Our dedicated loft and attic clearance page covers this in more depth.
Garages, sheds and outbuildings
Tools, paint tins, bikes, garden furniture and machinery tend to collect here. On farms and smallholdings there may be barns, stores and lean-tos as well, which we treat as part of the same clearance rather than an afterthought.
The garden
Plant pots, broken furniture, greenhouse contents and green waste are cleared so the outside looks as tidy as the inside when photos are taken for the sale.
Down to bare floors
A truly empty house means more than taking the furniture. We lift carpets, underlay and other flooring where you want them removed, disconnect and take away white goods, empty food from cupboards, fridges and freezers, and take down curtains and blinds if asked. When we leave, the property is swept through and ready for a cleaner, a decorator or the estate agent's photographer. Fitted items such as kitchen units and bathroom suites are normally left in place because they form part of the property, but if you want particular fixtures taken out, mention it when you ask for a quote.
Keeping what matters
Clearing a whole house can feel final, so we work carefully. Personal papers, photographs, jewellery, cash and anything that looks like a keepsake are set aside for the family as we go, rather than discovered too late. If there are items with resale value, such as good-quality furniture or collectables, we can offset their value against the clearance cost. Everything else is sorted for reuse and recycling, with only the remainder taken to licensed waste facilities.
Planning around the property
Full clearances in rural Cumbria need some forethought. A fell-side cottage near Keswick may have a steep staircase and a lane too narrow for a large vehicle, while a farmhouse outside Penrith might need a separate trip for the outbuildings. We ask the right questions at quote stage, often from photos sent by WhatsApp, so the day runs smoothly. Our step-by-step guide to how a clearance works explains what to expect, and the prices page outlines what affects the cost.
Get a free full house clearance quote
Send a few photos of each room and any outbuildings to 07898 719 509 on WhatsApp, give us a call, or request your free quote using the form. There is no obligation and nothing to pay until the job is finished.
