Tornado and storm debris cleanup in St. Louis

The short answer

Storm debris is priced like any other job: by truck tier for mixed piles — quarter truck $241, half truck $431, full truck $732 — or by item for specific pieces. Yard waste is $88, roofing shingles $48 per bundle, and concrete or masonry $219 per quarter truck. Photograph everything for insurance before it goes. Yard waste is banned from Missouri landfills, so branches and brush are routed separately.

What the 2025 tornado showed

On May 16, 2025, an EF3 tornado crossed Clayton and Richmond Heights, then the Greater Ville, Fountain Park and O'Fallon neighborhoods in North City, and into Illinois near Granite City. It damaged about 5,000 structures, with damage estimated around $1.6 billion, and Missouri authorized $100 million for recovery.

It was not the first. The May 27, 1896 tornado struck Lafayette Square, whose townhouses were rebuilt afterward. Spring is severe-storm season here, and it is worth knowing what to do before the next one.

First steps after a storm

1. Safety first. Stay away from downed power lines and call the utility. Do not enter a structure that may be unsafe.
2. Document everything. Photograph the damage, the debris and the damaged belongings before anything is removed. Your insurer will want them.
3. Talk to your insurer about what they need before cleanup and what is covered.
4. Separate debris types where you can: yard waste, building materials, household items.
5. Watch for scams. After big storms, out-of-town crews show up. Ask for insurance and a firm written price.

Who collects storm debris where you live

The rules for regular collection do not change because a storm came through, unless your city announces otherwise. In the City of St. Louis, bulky pickup is still monthly, up to three items, nothing over 100 lbs, 6 ft long or 2 ft in diameter, set out in the alley or at the curb by 6:00 am on the Monday of your collection week. A storm pile of limbs, a crushed shed and soaked furniture does not fit that. City residents can self-haul to the North or South transfer station, weekdays 8:00 to 4:00, up to 12 half-ton pickup loads a year, but no household hazardous waste.

Clayton and Richmond Heights are County municipalities, and Granite City is in Illinois; each runs or contracts its own trash service. After a major event, cities sometimes announce special debris collections, so check your city's official announcements before building a pile at the curb. If nothing is scheduled, or you need it gone before the insurer's contractor starts, a pickup takes it from the yard, the house or the basement directly.

Storm debris prices

Worked examples

• Richmond Heights yard after high winds: yard waste plus a crushed patio table and four chairs, $88 + $89 + $30 + $30 + $30 + $30 = $297.
• Clayton home with interior water damage: carpet out of two rooms and a quarter truck of soaked furniture and boxes, $71 + $71 + $241 = $383.
• North City brick home with a damaged chimney and porch: concrete and masonry per quarter truck $219, plus a lumber bundle $41, $219 + $41 = $260.
• Backyard after a limb came down: a crushed small shed and the yard waste around it, $186 + $88 = $274.
• Whole-house contents after a roof failure: often a full truck at $732, sometimes two: $732 + $732 = $1464.

Flooding: the other storm damage

Not every storm brings wind. Heavy rain floods basements, and river flooding is part of the region's history: the July 30, 1993 Missouri River levee failure flooded Gumbo Flats, now Chesterfield Valley, and the 1993 flood cut Alton's water supply for more than three weeks. Meramec flooding has hit Valley Park and Fenton. Flooded basements mean soaked carpet, ruined furniture and mold risk. Remove wet material quickly, photograph it first, and see basement cleanouts for more.

Sorting storm debris so it routes correctly

Missouri law treats several kinds of storm debris differently, so a little sorting helps.

• Yard waste — branches, limbs, brush, leaves. Banned from Missouri landfills since 1992, so keep it in its own pile.
• Building materials — shingles, siding, broken lumber, drywall, glass. Keep sharp material together and visible.
• Masonry — brick from a chimney or wall, broken concrete steps. Heavy; priced separately at $219 per quarter truck.
• Household contents — soaked furniture, carpet, mattresses, boxes.
• Appliances — a flooded washer, dryer or water heater goes to recycling, since major appliances are banned from Missouri landfills.

Do not try to cut large limbs that are tangled in lines or resting on a roof. That is a job for the utility or a tree service; once they are on the ground, they are yard waste.

Before the next storm season

Spring is the window to prepare. A few things make a storm easier to recover from: clear the basement of stored boxes and old furniture before the wet months, so there is less to soak; take dated photos or a short video of each room and the contents of the garage, which helps with any later insurance claim; and remove a rotting shed or an old trampoline before high winds turn it into debris in a neighbor's yard. A large trampoline is $141 and a small disassembled shed $186.

When it does happen, send photos of the debris at the instant quote page and you will see the flat price before booking. We are open seven days, 8am to midnight, and same-day works when you book by 4 PM, though availability after a major event depends on demand. Vetted, insured local haulers handle every job, and we email a COI within one hour for buildings and property managers. Property managers with several affected properties can set up one account covering them.

Frequently asked questions