What Home Services Actually Cost Around Columbia, South Carolina

I moved into a modest house near downtown and learned fast that “call a guy” is not a plan. You figure out where the city bills hide fees, who actually picks up a busted sofa, and which companies post real prices instead of “call for a quote.” Here is exactly what I ended up paying or confirming in Columbia, with names, numbers, and the policies that decide whether your bill is $40 or $400.

What I paid first: water, sewer, stormwater, and the small fees that sneak in

Columbia’s water and sewer bill is predictable once you know the pieces. Rates were updated effective July 1, 2026, and they break down into a base charge, a per‑unit usage charge, and stormwater. A “unit” is 100 cubic feet, or about 748 gallons. For standard 5/8‑inch meters inside city limits, the water base charge is $10.37 and sewer’s base starts at $10.37; outside city limits the 5/8‑inch water base is $17.63 and sewer base is $17.63. After the first 3 units, in‑city residential water runs $3.72 per unit, and in‑city sewer use adds $5.38 per unit. That structure is published plainly and is the same bill I see at the house month to month.

There is also a flat stormwater fee of $15.03 per month for single‑family residential properties inside city limits. If you live outside city limits on Columbia Water service, you will not see that stormwater line; you’ll see hydrant and fire fees on the bill instead. New accounts come with small one‑time charges that show up on your first statement: a $30 processing fee plus a $15 connection fee when you start or transfer service. Columbia’s own water site lists those fees alongside the application steps, and they did appear on my first bill.

Billing and pay options matter if you are juggling set‑up errands. Columbia lets you apply for new service online and pay by card, but in‑office card payments add a convenience fee (debit 1.5%, credit 2.5%, $1.95 minimum). If you prefer to walk in, Customer Care lists its in‑person counter at 3000 Harden Street, open weekdays. Knowing those small fees and hours helped me avoid repeat trips.

One more utility you will likely touch: Dominion Energy’s electric service. I avoided a refundable security deposit by starting on Dominion’s PrePay program, which lets you turn power on with a $100 down payment that funds usage instead of tying up a larger deposit. If your credit history is thin because you just moved, that’s a useful path to “lights on today.”

Trash, bulk pickup, and what dumping costs if you go the DIY route

Inside Columbia city limits, the Solid Waste and Recycling Division handles weekly roll‑cart garbage plus separate pickup for yard trimmings and bulk items. Their page spells out one easy‑to‑miss rule: roll carts must be pulled back from the curb by 7:30 p.m. on collection day. The division’s office is at 2910 Colonial Dr. and lists Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with the main line at 803‑545‑3800.

Yard trimmings pickup is routine, but construction material is different. The city’s guidance is blunt that things like bricks, concrete and other building materials are “subject to a charge” and must be separated. For big leaf seasons or storms, the Solid Waste team publishes temporary drop‑off points and reminds residents to separate yard debris from bulk items. The city also runs a compost operation and notes you can pick up finished compost by appointment at the facility off Shop Road on Humane Lane. That little perk is why my garden got a jump‑start without paying per‑bag retail.

If you are out in unincorporated Richland County or you are hauling something yourself, the county publishes tipping fees by material. The County Council’s FY 2026 schedule lists $28.88 per ton for C&D debris, yard/land‑clearing debris, metal and appliances, and “brown goods”/bulk items at the county landfill. Two resident‑friendly items stand out: mattress and box spring drop‑off is free for county residents, limit two per day, and residential electronic waste up to five items per day is free. Those two policies determine whether a DIY run costs you nothing but time, or whether you should book a hauler.

For routine weeks, the city’s Solid Waste app has been useful. It pushes service updates and has a “Waste Wizard” that tells you how to handle oddball items. I used it to confirm that my one broken bookcase could go out as a bulk item and that a bag of leftover thinset could not. That saved me one missed pickup tag and a follow‑up call.

Pest control, cleaning, and lawn care: two providers that actually publish prices

Lots of Columbia companies still hide their rates. The two that did not saved me time and gave me a real ceiling to budget against.

Jeffcoat Pest & Home Services has a Columbia page that puts numbers up front. A one‑time pest treatment is $110, and monthly protection plans are $35 to $120 per month depending on coverage. They promise next‑business‑day appointments in the Midlands. That transparency let me stack a first treatment the week I moved in, then roll into a monthly plan for summer palmetto bugs without waiting for a sales visit.

Precise Services, LLC operates in Columbia and does something I wish more trades did: they keep a running General Price List page. It shows $125 for a one‑time indoor and outdoor general pest control service and $90 for each subsequent bi‑monthly visit on their no‑contract plan. For lawn pests, their Fire Ant treatment is listed at $390 with a 4‑month guarantee or $450 for 12 months, based on a roughly half‑acre lot. If you are selling a house, their price list also posts the Wood Infestation Report fee: CL‑100 letters are $250 for non‑customers and $125 for current customers. I also noticed their Flea Treatment (Inside & Out) listed at $425 and a Power Dusting add‑on at $80 or $50 when combined with other work. Having it all in writing beats phone‑tag guessing.

For house cleaning, my calls landed on Deserved Comfort, which has cleaned in Columbia since the 1980s. They quote by phone in under ten minutes and, crucially for real‑life scheduling, publish office hours and contact details on their site: Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., phone 803‑739‑9700, with a listed mailing address at 911 12th Street, Cayce, SC 29033. Even if you price shop, those business hours and a real phone answer beat contact forms when you are trying to get on a weekly route before company arrives.

How the pest control quotes compared in my notebook

Neither company required a surprise inspection visit just to see a price. If you are juggling closings, leases, or school start dates, that alone can decide who actually gets the job.

For lawn basics when you are between mowers, Precise also posts a bi‑weekly “mow, blow, and go” starting at $65. I used that for a month to bridge the gap between closing and my own mower delivery. It kept the HOA letters away for less than the cost of a short‑term mower rental.

Storage and quick hauls: fees and policies that change the total

When my renovation hit the “everything in the living room” stage, I needed a storage unit close to downtown for a couple of months. Public Storage’s listings are clear about the one‑time admin line: locations such as 401 Hampton St and 7011 Garners Ferry Rd both show a $29 one‑time admin fee. The Hampton Street facility also advertises 24/7 access, which turned out to be the difference between keeping a unit and giving it up after two late‑night dump runs. Not every site in town has 24‑hour gate access, so check the facility page for “24/7 access available” before you book.

If you plan to store a vehicle, Extra Space Storage locations in Columbia publish one requirement that is easy to miss on aggregator sites: they require proof of vehicle insurance for anyone renting outdoor parking. That is a policy, not a promo, and can decide which facility you choose on move day if your glovebox paperwork is not current.

For junking a single item, I found starting prices all over the map depending on the company and truck volume. Those numbers drift with fuel and demand, so I lean on fixed local policies to decide whether to DIY: Richland County’s landfill rate at $28.88 per ton for bulk items, plus the county’s no‑charge limit of two mattresses per day for residents, can make a run in a borrowed pickup make sense. If I only have one old bookcase, the city’s bulk pickup is included in weekly service if I schedule it correctly and keep it separated from yard waste. If I am clearing a garage and the pile includes a small appliance or two, I price it out both ways against that $28.88 per ton yardstick before I book a hauler.

Permits, inspections, and city fees that affect small home projects

For anything bigger than replacing a faucet, expect to touch the City of Columbia’s Planning and Development pages. The city keeps an up‑to‑date fee schedule for zoning permits under its Unified Development Ordinance. As of February 2026, the zoning permit line for single‑family projects reads $5 for work under $10,000 and $10 when the value is over $10,000. Subdivision and site work have their own tables, but that quick read covers the small homeowner jobs like a new shed pad or a small addition.

For building trade permits and inspections, the city’s Residential Projects guidance still points to a small plan review fee on submittal and explains the inspection process clearly. If you fail an inspection, the city publishes re‑inspection fees: $30 for the first failed re‑inspection, then $50 for any additional failed re‑inspections on the same request. That policy alone made my electrician and I align on exactly which rough‑in items were “100% ready” before calling it in.

Paying Planning & Development invoices can be done online or at the Development Center on the 3rd floor of 1401 Main Street. They list 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. weekday hours. If you pay by card in person, the city notes a 2.5% credit card fee or 1.5% debit fee with a $1.95 minimum. I paid online to avoid a downtown parking run and kept the convenience fee in mind rather than being surprised by it at the window. A different department, but the same principle as setting up water.

One more city note that is easy to miss: Columbia Water’s stormwater page sets the Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) at 2,454 square feet of impervious area and sets the residential stormwater fee as one ERU at $15.03 per month. If you are planning a driveway expansion or a big patio and you are on the line about materials and size, that definition is where stormwater charges start for non‑residential projects, while single‑family homes stay at one ERU. It is not a surprise fee, but it is worth knowing early.

Key things I wish I had known on day one

• Columbia Water’s new account fees total $45 on your first bill ($30 processing + $15 connection). Plan for it so your “low” first bill does not surprise you.
• The stormwater fee is $15.03 per month for single‑family homes inside city limits. If you are outside city limits, expect hydrant and fire fees instead of stormwater on the bill.
• City Solid Waste wants roll carts off the curb by 7:30 p.m. on collection day. Yard debris and bulk items are separate pickups; construction materials are chargeable and must be separated.
• Richland County’s landfill charges $28.88/ton for C&D, metal/appliances, and brown goods. Residents can drop two mattresses per day at no charge, and up to five electronic items per day free.
• If you need pest control pricing in writing, Jeffcoat posts $110 for a one‑time treatment and monthly plans from $35. Precise Services lists $125 general pest, $90 bi‑monthly, $390/$450 fire ants, and $250/$125 CL‑100.
• Booking storage downtown, budget the $29 one‑time admin fee at Public Storage, and check whether your specific location offers 24/7 access if you move late. For vehicle storage at Extra Space, bring proof of insurance.
• Permits and inspections: City re‑inspection fees are $30 for the first failed re‑inspection and $50 each after that. Zoning permits for single‑family work sit at $5 or $10 depending on project value.
• Starting electric service without a big deposit is possible here. Dominion’s PrePay option turns power on with $100 down that funds usage.

Reader Q&A

How much does the city actually add to my first water bill when I start service?

Two small line items: a $30 processing fee and a $15 connection fee. They appear on your first Columbia Water bill alongside your base charges and usage, and they are one‑time charges.

Can the city pick up my broken furniture at the curb?

Yes, as a bulk item, but it must be set out separately from yard debris and not stuffed into the roll cart. The city states some building materials are subject to a charge, and Solid Waste asks that carts be pulled back by 7:30 p.m. after pickup.

What does junking a mattress cost in the county if I haul it myself?

For Richland County residents, mattress and box spring drop‑off at the landfill is no charge with a limit of two per day. Other items like brown goods, C&D debris, metal, and appliances are $28.88 per ton.

Do any Columbia pest control companies post real prices online?

Yes. Jeffcoat Pest & Home Services lists $110 for a one‑time treatment and monthly plans from $35. Precise Services, LLC posts $125 for general pest control with $90 bi‑monthly follow‑ups, plus fire ant and CL‑100 pricing.

If you only have time to call two places per task, start with the ones that publish fees and hours. In Columbia that often means city pages for rules and one or two local firms that post their numbers. You will waste less time, and the totals on the page above are what actually showed up on my bills.

Published: September 7, 2026