frequency of trash pickups

Started by MikeS1 • 15 replies • 1332 views

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MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Trash Pickup Frequency – Recently the cost of trash removal has skyrocketed and we’re looking for ways to mitigate this expense. We’re a mix of large Single family homes, small non-garage town homes, medium (20ft) single car garage town homes, and larger 22 ft garage town homes. We do not use dumpsters or containers and everyone manages their own trash receptacles or containers. Currently, we have trash picked up twice a week and we’re contemplating changing this to once per week since the savings is huge. I know larger families might bawk at this but if the cost benefit is very significant, we might move in this direction since we're really trying to build reserves. MY “POWER OF 10” SURVEY QUESTION TODAY IS THIS… Of all the communities surveyed on HOATALK, what percentage of the communities said that they have trash picked up once per week, and/or what percentage of Americans surveyed said that one pickup per week was fine? How many similar type (non-condo) communities use twice per week?

GloriaM (North Carolina)
Posts: 829

Posted:

Mike:

Why isn't the Town/City picking up the trash for the HOA? Since this is already paid for in your taxes?

RickR3 (California)
Posts: 42

Posted:

Our Trash Pickup in California is NOT paid for by the Town or other Govermental Agency. The current pickup is once a week and each individual is responsible for payment for the pickup. The trash company does offer differing sizes of pickup for differing costs.

Rick
HOA President.

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

Rick,
Have you thought of requiring a standard wheeled receptacle that is far larger than a normal size garbage can. You might be able to get a company that has trucks made to mechanically lift those type receptacles.

What am I missing here? Did you state the Board was responsible for trash collection? This post you are saying the individual pays for service.

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

No Gloria, We live in a county in Northern Virginia. Even though we pay about $4,000 per year in taxes on a home that's worth about $440,000 and is assessed for taxes at $381,000; it does not include trash removal.

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Thanks Rick.

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

Rick,
As far as how frequent various home owners have trash pick-up, I don't think those kinds of figures would be available. It is more a case of what the community in question would desire. It may be the board can step in and save the members a bit of money if the trash contract is given to one company and the board pays with one check. This puts a burden of the association but then again, the association can carry a bigger stick than the individual. We have that arrangment with out Cable company, we get a reduced rate when we pay with one check and the contract is exclusive to one company. We then bill owners yearly at the begining of the contract date.

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

To all,
I see my error, sorry for the mistake.

RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MikeS1 on 09/07/2007 1:00 PM
MY “POWER OF 10” SURVEY QUESTION TODAY IS THIS… Of all the communities surveyed on HOATALK, what percentage of the communities said that they have trash picked up once per week, and/or what percentage of Americans surveyed said that one pickup per week was fine? How many similar type (non-condo) communities use twice per week?

Trash is picked up once a week for all those we manage.

GloriaM (North Carolina)
Posts: 829

Posted:

Mike:

Have you gone to the County Comissioners and asked for a tax reduction since the Owners pay for trash pick up?

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Robert - Hope that this clarifies the situation. There is only one Trash Contractor and the HOA pays with one check for 2 pickups per week. I guess I should have clarified the question to read - Where HOA's only have one trash contractor and the HOA pays for the pickups; what it typical in most HOAs. ... One or two pickups per week??? There are a little over 300 townhomes and about 60 single family. If everyone paid for their own trash pickup and there were multiple contractors, you can imagine what the community would look like most of the time. Although it's not mandatory for individuals to recycle, it IS mandatory for the HOA to offer the recycling option. Since recycling is no longer mandatory, not many people take advantage of the option. That's sad. Well the recent change in the county law, our costs has gone up by about $25,0000 per year. We were just debating on whether or not to go to just one pickup per week instead of two. The cost difference might or not be worth it at this point. Some of the townhomes wi th large families and very little storage space might bawk at the idea. We will still have to send the recycling truck around. We're just considering reducing the number of regular pickups per week.

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Gloria - The county does not pay for trash pick up for ANY residents. Why would they give us a reduction in taxes?

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Thanks Roger.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Our HOA has 2 dumpsters on each end of the neighborhood that are picked up 2 times a week. This is done by an outside contractor we hired that is NOT provided by the city. We paid about $1K a month and another $300 for recycling service that picked up once a week. (107 homes) Your area may have this option as well to hire another trash collector besides the city. You may want to check into that. We actually have several garbage contractors in our city/county. (BFI, Waste Management, etc...)

My city house gets garbage pickup 2 times a week. It's part of my utilities and runs about $13.50 a month. I get a nice sized 55 Gallon roll-out garbage container. I also do have recycling Once a week by the City. However, they only accept certain items and are lousy at regular pickup days/times.

The city besides us (we share services ironically) has changed back their pickup days to once a week in some areas. It was supposed to be a "costs savings" to them. Plus during the summer months they start pickup EXTREMELY early in the morning to save on gas and heat exhaustion. The customer's have been mixed on that reaction if they like it or not. I don't think there's a cost savings to the customer with the once a week pickup.

There's positives and negatives on each way the garbage pickup is handled. If the arrangement isn't working for ya, then look into changing it. If it's a matter of saving money but NOT convenience, look into other areas for the costs savings. If you don't get proper garbage pickup in a HOA, your screwed. It's better to have spent the money, than live with the garbage.

Former HOA President

PaulM (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1,347

Posted:

MikeS1: We too live in a community whose residents' trash pick-up is NOT provided through our taxes but through our association fee. This is what the developer contracted with the municipality (same as street lights for electricity) at development. We do contract for trash pick-up once per week on the same day each week, and it is adequate. We also have a separate recycle bin. Trash/recycle bins are provided by the trash company at no charge to the h/owner.

By the way, your VA taxes seem quite low based on your home's assessment figure. Hooray for you!!!

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Paul - Where do you reside? ..neighbor..?

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