Most of the calls I get in my first year with a client aren't about the market — they're about the house. When is bulk trash picked up? Can I put the old dock boards out? Do I need a permit for the generator? Here's the plain-English version for Fort Lauderdale homeowners, plus the items that quietly cost people money at closing.
Bulk Trash Pickup in Fort Lauderdale
The City of Fort Lauderdale collects bulk trash from single-family homes once per week, on the same day as your regular garbage collection. Put items at the curb or swale by 7:00 a.m. on collection day — and no earlier than the evening before. Early set-outs are the most common code-enforcement notice on the isles, where the right-of-way is narrow and everyone sees the pile.
Accepted
- Furniture, mattresses, rugs and carpet (roll and tie)
- Appliances — refrigerator doors removed
- Bundled yard waste and trimmings, cut to about 4 feet and tied
- Household clutter from a normal cleanout
Not accepted
- Construction and demolition debris, roofing, concrete, tile
- Anything generated by a paid contractor — they must haul it
- Paint, solvents, pool chemicals, batteries, tires
- Electronics (take these to a Broward County drop-off event)
For a big cleanout before a listing, schedule the pickup a week ahead and stage the pile the night before photos, not after. Buyers scroll past a curb pile.
| Area | ZIP | Bulk trash | Local note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Vista / Colee Hammock | 33316 | Bulk trash on your regular garbage day, once per week | Historic-district properties may need extra review before exterior work. |
| Seven Isles / Las Olas Isles | 33301 | Bulk trash on your regular garbage day, once per week | Set-out on the swale, not the dock side; watch the narrow isle right-of-way. |
| Victoria Park | 33304 | Bulk trash on your regular garbage day, once per week | Yard waste must be bundled or in cans — no loose piles. |
| Coral Ridge / Coral Ridge Country Club | 33304 / 33308 | Bulk trash on your regular garbage day, once per week | Tree-trimming debris after a storm follows a separate city sweep. |
| Harbor Beach / Southeast Fort Lauderdale | 33316 | Bulk trash on your regular garbage day, once per week | Gated-community pickups can be handled by the association instead of the city. |
Collection days are assigned by route, not by neighborhood. Confirm your specific day with the City of Fort Lauderdale Sanitation division at (954) 828-8000.
Recycling and Yard Waste
Fort Lauderdale runs single-stream recycling in the blue cart, collected weekly. Clean paper, cardboard (flattened), cartons, metal cans, glass bottles and plastics #1 and #2 go in loose — no bags. Plastic bags, foam, garden hoses and food-soiled boxes are contaminants and can get the whole cart rejected.
Yard waste goes out on your garbage day, bundled or in a can. After a named storm the city runs a separate debris sweep — keep that pile away from the recycling cart and out of the swale drain, or it stays behind.
Water, Sewer and Stormwater Billing
City utility bills combine water, sewer, stormwater and sanitation on one statement. Two things matter when you sell: the account has to be brought current and finaled at closing, and any irrigation meter or reclaimed-water connection should be disclosed. Waterfront owners on the isles should also know their tidal-valve and swale-drainage status — king-tide flooding history comes up in inspections.
Permits: the Part That Costs Sellers Money
This is the single most expensive thing homeowners get wrong. In Fort Lauderdale you need a permit for roofs, windows and doors, electrical and plumbing, pools, generators, A/C changeouts, driveways, and — on the water — seawalls, docks and boat lifts, which usually add Broward County environmental review.
- Open permits from a decade-old project stall closings. Pull your permit history early and close them out.
- Unpermitted work shows up when the appraiser compares county records to what's actually there. Expect a price adjustment or a demand to permit it after the fact.
- Historic districts — parts of Rio Vista and Sailboat Bend add design review for exterior changes.
- HOA and gated communities such as Harbor Beach layer their own approvals on top of the city's.
A 30-Day Pre-Listing Checklist
- Pull the county permit history and close anything open.
- Gather roof, seawall, dock and A/C documentation with dates.
- Schedule one bulk pickup for the cleanout — before photography.
- Confirm HOA or historic-district rules that affect showings and exterior work.
- Bring the utility account current so the final bill is a non-event.
Handling these before the sign goes up is usually worth more than any single improvement you could make.
Keep Reading
If you're weighing where to buy or sell on the water, start with the Fort Lauderdale waterfront neighborhood comparison, or go deep on Rio Vista and Seven Isles.
Thinking about selling in Fort Lauderdale?
I've been solving these problems for South Florida homeowners since 1995 — permits, seawalls, cleanouts and pricing. Let's talk before you list.