What we handle
Clearing the house
We take a house nobody has been through yet to an empty property, ready to hand over.
Island Estate Clearing empties properties room by room across Vancouver Island, British Columbia, sorting items for sale, donation, recycling and disposal. We carry out this work while probate moves forward, starting during the 21-day Form P1 notice window. You receive a complete written summary of all removed items for your estate file.
Clearing the house is often the biggest job in settling an estate, and you do not need to wait for probate to begin. We can start whenever you are ready.
Project scope depends on total volume, what we can sell, outbuildings, driveway access, and travel distance to donation and disposal sites. We send you a written price after the walk-through.
What happens when we clear a house?
We go room by room through every closet, garage and shed. We separate what will be sold from items for donation, recycling and disposal. We set aside documents, photographs and anything that looks personal or financial for the family, rather than handling them as contents.
What if there's something valuable in there?
We catalogue items of value before moving anything so you have a complete accounting from the start. Doing this step first protects the estate and gives you a clear record when approving the work.
Do you have to wait for probate?
You can clear a house long before a grant of probate issues. You deliver the Form P1 notice of proposed application at least 21 days before filing, and the court queue takes two to three months after that. Estate administration through to final distribution usually takes 8 to 12 months after the grant. Very little of that wait has anything to do with the contents.
What state is the house left in?
We sweep the floors as standard practice, and we can add a full clean so the home looks presentable to visitors.
What a clearing job covers
- Full house clearance
- We sort and empty every room, plus the garage, crawlspace, attic and outbuildings.
- Partial clearance
- We can clear a single room, a garage or an outbuilding if your family is managing the rest of the home.
- Donation and recycling routing
- We route usable household goods to local donation channels, and separate recyclables from disposal.
- Written contents summary
- We give you a record of what was sold, donated, recycled and disposed of, for the estate file.
How a clearing job runs
- A walk-throughwe walk and photograph the property, flag what's worth selling, and identify anything that needs an appraisal.
- A written scope and priceWe outline what is included, where items go, and the exact cost in writing before anything moves.
- Sorting and removalwe work room by room, setting aside personal papers and anything of apparent value for the family rather than clearing it.
- A written summaryWe send you a full list of what was sold, donated, recycled and disposed of for your estate record.
What local housing styles mean for clearing work
Homes across Vancouver Island range from long-held ranchers to low-rise strata units and rural acreage with three outbuildings. Each property type needs a different approach, so we walk the site to set a scope rather than relying on square footage.
People also ask
- Can a house be cleared before probate is granted?
- Contents do not have to hold up an estate. We clear during the notice period and court wait, accounting for items of value first.
- What happens to personal papers and photographs?
- We set aside documents, photographs and anything that looks personal or financial for the family, rather than treating them as contents to be cleared.
- Do you need to be there?
- No. If you're not on the Island, we send photographs, a video walk-through and written updates, and confirm every decision in writing.
- Do you get a record of what was removed?
- Yes. We give you a written summary of what was sold, donated, recycled and disposed of, for the estate file.
Related: selling the contents · cleaning and preparing the property · the executor's guide · Qualicum Beach · Ladysmith
We clear and prepare the contents of a family home across Vancouver Island.
You don't have to sort, identify or value anything first. Send us whatever you know and we'll arrange a walk-through.