Junk removal in Sunny Isles Beach, for high-rise condo cleanouts and tear-outs

01

Condo trash, the dumpster rule and county bulk

Almost every home in Sunny Isles Beach is in a high-rise, and that changes how junk leaves. Condominium and hotel trash is handled by private refuse companies under each building's own contract. The city says oversized trash such as furniture and household appliances should not go in the dumpsters or be left next to them, and points residents to a drop-off center instead.

Single-family homes are on Miami-Dade County service. Each household is allowed two large bulk pickups a year, scheduled with the county (up to 25 cubic yards each, per the county) through 311 or Miami-Dade County Solid Waste at 305.594.1500. The city's rule is tighter than the county's: bulky waste must not be left out more than 24 hours ahead of the scheduled pickup, and nothing goes on the swale until you have a pickup confirmation.

So in a condo, there is no curb to use. A sofa, a mattress or a whole unit of furniture has to come down through the building and leave with a hauler, and that usually means working with building management.

02

Condo tear-outs, the association letter and permits

Permits here come from the City of Sunny Isles Beach Building Department at the Government Center, 18070 Collins Avenue, 305.947.2150, through its online portal. The city's demolition checklist calls for an association approval letter on condominium projects, so get the board's sign-off early. Your GC or you as the owner pull the permit. Rapid Haul does not.

Rapid Haul does the non-structural tear-out inside the unit: flooring down to the slab, kitchen cabinets and counters, bathroom tile and vanities, and interior partition walls. The debris goes out in the crew's hands and off the property the same visit, instead of sitting in a hallway or next to a dumpster the city says should not hold it.

or call (754) 249-1015

03

Towers on a barrier island

Sunny Isles Beach is a barrier-island city between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. From the early 2000s, high-rise condominiums and some hotels went up along Collins Avenue (A1A), replacing most of the old one- and two-story motels along Motel Row.

The numbers show how different it is from its neighbors: 19,666 housing units for 22,342 people, 94.3% of homes in buildings of 20 or more units, only 2.2% single-family detached, and 54.2% owner-occupied. The median year built is 1983, so many units in the older towers are due for new floors, kitchens and baths. When a unit is sold, rented out or renovated, the old contents and finishes have to go.

04

How it works and what it costs

Rapid Haul is based in Hollywood and covers Miami-Dade as a main service area. Text a photo of the unit to (754) 249-1015 and Dany sends one flat price covering labor, loading, hauling and disposal. Tell him the building, and the crew works to your management's rules. Same-day pickup 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 tear-out, take a 50% deposit.

• Appliance removal from $100
• Furniture removal from $125
• Construction debris pickup from $200
• Room demo from $750
• Full condo or house cleanouts from $1,000