Yard Waste Haul-Offs by Type
Yard debris is light per cubic foot but bulky, wet and awkward to carry. What sets the price is how far the pile sits from the driveway and whether it is loose, bundled or bagged.
Brush piles
A brush pile is what's left after a weekend of pruning: hedge cuttings, saplings, vines pulled off a fence. Crews load it loose or bundled. Tell the hauler roughly how tall and long the pile is and whether a gate is wide enough for a wheelbarrow. City crews leave brush that is mixed with trash, junk or leaves, so keep the pile clean if you might still put it out for them.
Storm limbs and fallen trees
A limb thicker than 6 inches is too big for city brush pickup, and stumps are refused outright. A hauler can carry cut sections away, but cutting a limb that is still hung up in a tree or resting on a roof is a tree service's job. Ask whether the hauler brings a saw for limbs already on the ground, or whether you need them cut to length first.
Leaf and yard bags
Bags are the easy part of the job and the most predictable to price, since cost guides quote haul-offs per bag. Yard carts won't take bags or boxes, so a stack of twenty bags after leaf season usually means a hauler or your own trip to a drop-off site.
Landscaping debris and old sod
Pulled shrubs, old mulch, rolled sod and root balls weigh far more than leaves, and soil clinging to sod adds more. Expect a quote that reflects weight, not just space. Landscape timbers, edging and bricks are not yard waste; if they are in the pile, say so, because they go to a different site.
Why Winston-Salem homeowners call Winston-Salem Junk Co.
- Your request goes to a single independent hauler
- Hear the all-in figure before anything is carried out
- Calling is free; the hauler bills only the job you OK
- Mention stairs, a gate code or a hot tub when you call
Where Yard Waste Goes in Forsyth County
North Carolina law bars yard waste from landfills (G.S. 130A-309.10(f)). Instead, the City of Winston-Salem runs two drop-off sites, both open year-round to private haulers and the public. They take leaves, grass clippings, tree limbs, brush and untreated wood, and the material is processed and sent to a composting facility.
Overdale Yard Waste Facility
4010 Old Milwaukee Lane. Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.Forum 52 Yard Waste Facility
180 Northstar Drive, Rural Hall. Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.Fees
The sites charge by the ton at the same fiscal 2027 rate as the landfills; the homepage cost section has the figures.
Neither site opens on Sunday, and only Overdale opens Saturday morning. Ask the hauler which site they use and whether the dump fee is inside the quote.
City Brush Pickup or a Hauler?
City crews collect brush from houses one quadrant of the city at a time. The rules are strict:
Size
No piece wider than 6 inches or longer than 6 feet, stacked with the cut ends facing the same way.Who cut it
Brush cut by a contractor or a commercial service is refused, as is brush from apartments, businesses or vacant lots.Leaf season
From November 1 to January 15 only small branches in a stickered yard cart get picked up. Excess brush piles wait until after.Yard carts
A city cart costs $130 with the sticker, then $65 a year to renew; up to three carts of 150 pounds each.
So if a landscaper cut it, if it's a fallen limb, or if it's mid-November and the pile is in the way, a private haul-off is usually the only quick route.
See construction debris removal for landscape bricks, pavers and broken concrete.