Fall cleanup and leaf removal in Chicago.
Leaf removal in Chicago, IL.
A two-person leaf cleanup crew with truck, blowers and bags clears your Chicago lot on the day you pick, from $95 with hauling in the price. Up to 10 photos land on your phone the same day.
Hauling included.
Dump fee is in the price. Nothing left at your curb.
Up to 10 photos.
Front, back, sides, beds and the loaded truck. Same day.
Two-person crew.
Truck, blowers and bags, on the day you pick.
8-year average crew tenure.
Most cleanup crews have been on Plowz for 8 years.
Real prices on the page. No quote calls.
From $95 small lot · $145 standard · $225 large
Pricing updated
Quick answer
How much does leaf removal cost in Chicago?
Leaf removal in Chicago, IL starts at $95 for a small lot under a quarter acre, $145 for a quarter to half acre and $225 for a half to one acre, with hauling and disposal in the price. A two-person crew clears the leaves and sends up to 10 photos the same day. Enter your Chicago address, see the price, pick the day. The average first measurable snow in Chicago is November 18, and most fall routes fill in the 3 weeks before it.
When leaves drop in Chicago.
Leaves in Chicago come down mid October, with parkway trees bare by early November. Illinois DNR has northern counties starting color in late September and peaking by mid October. North Shore oaks hold a week or two longer than the maples.
The average first measurable snow in Chicago is November 18 (1991 to 2020 normal at O'Hare, NWS Chicago). The crew needs the leaves off the lot and hauled before that date. Leaves under the first snow pack into a wet mat that smothers the lawn until spring and blocks the storm drains on your street.
Chicago bungalow-belt yards and North Side parkways fill fast, and the city only collects bagged leaves on a 311 request. The crew brings the bags, fills them and takes them, so there is no request to make.
- Peak leaf drop
- Mid October, with parkway trees bare by early NovemberIllinois Department of Natural Resources
- Average first measurable snow
- November 181991 to 2020 normal at O'Hare, NWS Chicago
- Plowz price
- From $95 small lot, $145 standard, $225 largeHauling and disposal included
Chicago leaf pickup rules.
Chicago has no citywide loose-leaf vacuum. Bag leaves separately from the black and blue carts, leave the bags in the alley or at the curb, and request a yard-waste pickup through 311. Dedicated trucks compost them.
- Bags. Bagged separately from the trash and recycling carts. The city page does not specify paper or plastic.
- Schedule. By 311 request. No fixed season on the city page.
Source: Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Check the city page before you set anything out; schedules move.
None of that applies to a Plowz booking. The crew bags, loads and hauls everything to a licensed yard-waste site the same visit, so the Chicago leaf pickup calendar does not set your cleanup date.
Leaf removal across Chicago.
Crews run leaf cleanup routes in Chicago and the suburbs around it, including Evanston, Oak Park, Naperville, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Skokie, Wilmette, Glenview, Hinsdale, Park Ridge, Lombard, Downers Grove. Drop your address in the form and the booking flow tells you in 60 seconds whether a crew is already working your block.
- Evanston
- Oak Park
- Naperville
- Schaumburg
- Arlington Heights
- Skokie
- Wilmette
- Glenview
- Hinsdale
- Park Ridge
- Lombard
- Downers Grove
Fall routes, booking now
Leaves before the snow in Chicago.
Fall cleanup routes in Chicago run until the first snow, which averages November 18. Book now and pick the day. The crew hauls everything away and a photo lands on your phone the same day.
Snow passes are on sale until the first snow. See the snow passes
Leaf removal questions from Chicago homeowners.
How much does leaf removal cost in Chicago?
Leaf removal in Chicago is $95 for a small lot under a quarter acre, $145 for a quarter to half acre and $225 for a half to one acre. Hauling and disposal are in the price. Heavy debris adds $25 to $75 and bed edging starts at $35; both show in the booking flow before you confirm. The price is the same in October and December; only the open days change.
When should I book leaf removal in Chicago?
Book for the week after your trees finish dropping. In Chicago the drop runs mid October, with parkway trees bare by early November, so the week after that is the sweet spot. The average first measurable snow is November 18, so the 3 weeks before it are the busiest; during that stretch most addresses book 3 to 7 days out.
Does Chicago pick up leaves at the curb?
Chicago has no citywide loose-leaf vacuum. Bag leaves separately from the black and blue carts, leave the bags in the alley or at the curb, and request a yard-waste pickup through 311. Dedicated trucks compost them. Bagged separately from the trash and recycling carts. The city page does not specify paper or plastic. A Plowz crew hauls everything the same visit, so you can book any day, not just the city window.
Do I have to bag leaves for the Plowz crew in Chicago?
No. The crew brings the bags, fills them and takes them. You do not need to be home. If the back yard is locked, leave a gate code in the booking and the crew lets itself in and out.
What does a Plowz leaf removal in Chicago include?
The Chicago leaf cleanup service covers the full lot: front, back and sides cleared, beds raked out, driveway and walks blown off, sticks and small branches picked up, and everything hauled to a licensed yard-waste site. Gutter cleaning pairs with the same visit on request. Tree work is not included.
What if it rains or the leaves are wet in Chicago?
If it is raining at the scheduled start, the crew moves to the next dry day, usually within 48 hours, with no rescheduling fee. Damp leaves are fine and get bagged heavier. Standing water is the only thing that stops a route.
How do the photos work?
The crew takes up to 10 time-stamped photos: front, back, sides, beds and the loaded truck. They hit your phone before the crew leaves the street, and your card is charged after the photos land, not before.
Reviews from homeowners across 41 metros.
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Leaves gone in Chicago in one visit.
Drop your Chicago address, see your $95 to $225 price, pick the day. The crew shows up with the truck, hauls everything and texts up to 10 photos before it leaves the street.