Cost of Shredding Services in Pittsburgh

Shredding old files is a necessary part of any document management strategy. Finding a provider who puts your security above all else should be your top concern, but you are probably also considering the cost.

The price of a shredding project varies based on where the material is, the amount of materials you need shredded, and the type of service you choose. There may also be additional fees for special requests, such as weekend services or charges for transporting heavy boxes up and down stairs.

Some services will charge a flat fee, others charge by weight, and some charge by volume. Always ask your provider how they charge for shredding services so you know what to expect.

Estimate How Much You Have to Shred

Before you start shredding or get quotes on your shredding project, estimate how much material you have. For shredding service options that charge by weight or volume use these approximate guidelines:

A ream of paper (2-inch stack of 8.5” x 11” paper/500 pieces) weighs about 5 lbs
Standard letter sized file storage box (10” x 12” x 15”) weighs about 25-30 lbs
Standard Xerox letter size box (10” x 12” x 18”) weighs about 30-35 lbs
Long letter size file storage box (10” x 12” x 24”) weighs about 45-50 lbs
Legal-size file storage box (10” x 14” x 24”) weighs about 55-60 lbs
13 gallon white trash bag weighs about 20-25 lbs
33 gallon black garbage bag weighs about 35-50 lbs

A fool proof way to know how much paper you have by weight—weigh yourself and then weigh yourself again while holding your files. Subtract the smaller number from the larger one and you have your magic number.

Average Cost of Shredding by Service Type

When it comes to shredding your papers, you have several service options, each of which charge at different rates.

Mobile Shredding Services in Pittsburgh

The most secure and convenient shredding service—mobile (sometimes called onsite) shredding services drive to you and shred your materials at your location while you watch. Meant for larger shredding projects that weigh in at over 100 pounds, this type of service charges on average $119* but the price varies by volume. Call us at (412) 532-4266 for a more accurate estimate on your project.

Offsite Shredding Services in Pittsburgh

Your documents are picked up and shredded at a secure facility. Also meant for larger shredding projects, this type of service charges around $119* but the price varies based on volume.

Pittsburgh Drop Off Shredding

These services are designed for smaller projects that weigh less than 100 pounds. Typically, these services charge by the pound, and the average price is $1 per pound*—but that fluctuates depending on where you are located.

Pittsburgh Hard Drive Shredding

These services charge by the number of hard drives you have to shred. Prices vary based on the shredding company and how they shred or destroy your hard drives. The typical range is anywhere from $3-$10 for less than 10 hard drives*, and the more drives you have the cheaper these services become.

Shred Events in Pittsburgh

Shred event costs fluctuate quite a bit, but a sure-fire way to make your shred event as cost-effective as possible is to ask for donations. Our shred event customers have been more likely to cover the cost of their entire event when they ask for donations rather than asking for a minimum shred fee.

Get Free Quotes on Shredding Services in Pittsburgh

One of the best ways to ensure you get the best price on your shredding project is to get quotes. We will get you several quotes from secure Pittsburgh providers for free, so you can choose the option that works best for your business. Call us today at (412) 532-4266 or fill out the form on the right to get started.

*The pricing mentioned above is only an estimate and is not intended to be representative of the pricing in any particular market. It is also not intended to be representative of the pricing that you may be quoted by shredding companies within our network.