Junk removal on Key Biscayne, condo by condo and house by house

01

Key Biscayne bulk pickup: who it covers and what it skips

Key Biscayne's trash service depends on what kind of home you live in. The Village uses a contracted hauler, Great Waste, for single-family homes. Condos and commercial properties each have their own trash contracts that the Village does not manage. If you are in a condo, the Village bulk day is not your plan; your building's contract is.

For houses, Great Waste picks up garbage twice a week, recycling once a week and bulk once a month on your zone's date. The Village takes household furniture, household trash and yard trash as bulk. It does not take construction materials, concrete, glass and mirrors, rocks and soil, paint or white goods. Fridges, stoves and air conditioning units with Freon are picked up by appointment only.

Timing is strict. Bulk has to be at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your date, and putting it out more than 24 hours early breaks county code and brings fines to the homeowner. The bulk truck will not come back for a pile that goes out after your block is done. Miss the date and it waits a month, or Dany takes it now.

02

Tear-outs and permits on the island

Permits here come from the Village of Key Biscayne Building, Zoning and Planning Department through its online portal, with questions going to the Building Official and permit clerks. The department also points to related requirements such as Miami-Dade DERM review, building recertification and the Florida Building Code. Your general contractor, or you as the owner, pulls the permit. Rapid Haul does not.

Dany's part is the non-structural tear-out and the haul. In a condo that usually means flooring, cabinets, counters, vanities and tile. Never anything that holds up the house. The Village's weekly yard pickup will not take debris from home improvement or house demolition, and bulk will not take construction materials, so remodel debris on Key Biscayne has to leave privately either way. Room demo starts at $750 and construction debris hauling at $200.

or call (754) 249-1015

03

An island of condo buildings, built around the 1970s

Key Biscayne is an island village between Crandon Park to the north and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park to the south, with the Atlantic on one side and Biscayne Bay on the other. It had 14,809 people in the 2020 Census.

Census survey data shows how the housing is laid out: 7,310 housing units, 72.0% of them in buildings of 20 or more units, and 18.6% single-family detached houses. The median home was built in 1977, and 66.6% of homes are owner-occupied. So most jobs here start with a building manager, an elevator booking and a loading area, and the rest are houses on the monthly bulk schedule.

Before Dany comes to a condo, ask management about elevator times, padding, where the truck can stand and whether they want a certificate of insurance. Rapid Haul carries $1M general liability.

04

Getting junk off the island

There are not many ways off the island for a load of junk. Key Biscayne is not listed among the places whose residents can use the Miami-Dade Trash and Recycling Centers, and no public drop-off for construction debris is on record for the Village. The Village does partner with Miami-Dade County on hazardous household items. For furniture, appliances and remodel debris, that leaves the monthly bulk date for houses, your condo's own contract, or a hauler.

or call (754) 249-1015

05

How a Key Biscayne job is priced and booked

Rapid Haul is based in Hollywood, and Miami-Dade is one of Dany's two main counties. Text photos to (754) 249-1015, including the hallway and elevator if you are in a condo. Dany answers himself and sends one flat, all-in price covering labor, loading, hauling and disposal. Same-day is often possible when you call early, Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to 7 PM.

Junk removal is paid after the job. Jobs of $1,000 and over, mostly demolition, take a 50% deposit.

• Furniture removal from $125
• Appliance removal from $100, including Freon units the bulk truck skips
• Construction debris hauling from $200
• Room demo from $750
• Full condo or house cleanouts from $1,000