House clearance after a death: costs and approach

What does it cost to have a house cleared after a death?

The price depends mainly on the size of the property and how full it is. A senior-living flat that has already been tidied is emptied faster than a family home with a full attic. These are the prices you can expect from us:

Indicative prices as of October 2026. Prices exclude VAT; the exact price is stated in your quote.

The “from” price applies to a property with an ordinary set of contents that is easy to reach. A full attic, a cellar or a flat on a high floor without a lift takes more time, and you will see that in the quote.

What extra costs can be added?

Besides the clearing itself, there are four items that often appear in a quote. Which of them you need depends on how the property has to be left.

Prices exclude VAT.

Removal is often the biggest item after clearing: the more has to go as waste, the higher these costs. If it is a rented property, ask the landlord when the property has to be empty and whether floor coverings and curtains must be removed.

If the property is not recently built, it may contain asbestos, for example in old floor tiles, ceiling panels or around the boiler. Asbestos may only be removed by a certified asbestos removal company. We do not do that; if we see anything that looks like asbestos, we leave it in place and report it to you.

How does clearing a house after a death work?

You usually clear a house after a death only once or twice in your life. That is why we keep it straightforward, in five steps:

1. Request a quote. You tell us which property it is, how full it is and what has to happen afterwards. Within 24 hours you have our quote.
2. Set aside what stays. The family sets aside what is to be kept: papers, photos, jewellery and items with memories. If you are unsure about a cupboard, stick a note on it.
3. Clearing. We start on the day we agree together. We remove the contents and take away what has to go.
4. Cleaning or refurbishing. Then we clean the property, or refurbish it if that is in the quote.
5. Handover. You walk through the empty property with us, so you can see that everything is done.

Why must the estate be settled first?

Heirs choose whether to accept an estate outright, accept it with benefit of inventory, or renounce it. If you take items from the house or sell them before making that choice, this can count as accepting the estate outright. You are then also liable for any debts of the deceased.

So only have the house cleared once it is clear who decides about the contents. If in doubt, ask the notary first. After that, we schedule the clearance on a day that suits you.

Will strangers go through your parents’ belongings?

We hear that feeling often, and it is understandable: these are not just things. That is why you decide what happens. What the family wants to keep, you set aside beforehand, and we do not touch anything that has been set aside.

Our own people do the house clearance, not a hired crew from another company. Besides 97 of our own tradespeople for wallpapering, plastering and painting, we have four of our own building teams. So you know who is coming into your parents’ house.

Getting the property ready for sale after clearing

After clearing, the traces of years of living appear: holes from picture hooks, yellowed wallpaper and stains behind the cupboards. If you want to sell the property, a fresh, light home makes a better first impression on buyers.

We do that in the same schedule. Our wallpaperers take off the old wallpaper (wallpaper removal costs from €6.99 per m²), our plasterers smooth the walls and our painters paint the walls white. That takes the property from empty to ready for sale in one go.

If more has to be done, such as a new floor, kitchen or bathroom, one of our building teams does that as part of a home renovation. For the finishing we use the fixed prices in our price list.