Case Study: A Long Day pt 2
After finishing the apartment cleanout, we were warmed up and a little tired, but not phased. One more job stood between us and the end of the day: a construction debris haul from a recent kitchen renovation.
The customer told us to expect about 700 lbs of material — drywall, framing, countertops, cabinets, the usual suspects. Sounded like a manageable load. We pulled up, backed the truck into position, and took a look at the neatly stacked piles waiting for us. Honestly, it didn’t look too bad.
We should’ve known better.
Once we started moving piece after piece, it began to hit us: this was not 700 lbs. This was way more. But at that point, the only way out was through. So we set up an assembly-line system — passing debris from the yard, through a narrow gate, and into the truck. The customer even threw on gloves and pitched in, which was very nice of them.
Neat stacking inside the truck became essential, because we could see just how quickly it was filling. Still, progress was steady. Trip by trip, the piles shrank, and patches of grass started to reappear in the yard. By the time we wrapped the first round, the truck was stuffed, and it was off to the dump.
That’s when reality hit.
What was supposed to be 700 lbs of debris? It weighed in at a MONSTOROUS 3,900 lbs. Nearly four tons of junk. We couldn’t help but laugh at the mix-up — because what else do you do? That day, we couldn’t clear every last piece (not without multiple runs), so we honored the original estimate and gave the customer a discount on what the cost of the work would really be and matched the workload we’d planned for. Fair’s fair.
It was a long day, but a good reminder that junk removal doesn’t always play by the rules. Sometimes “manageable” turns into “monstrous,” and all you can do is load, sweat, laugh, and keep going. One thing’s for sure: Manitoba’s junk doesn’t stand a chance.
Haul Stats:
3,900 MONSTOROUS lbs of construction debris
Drywall, framing, countertops, cabinets, and more
1 very full truck
3 very sweaty guys
1 story we won’t forget anytime soon
