Small-structure demolition comes up regularly on our calls, usually starting the same way: "I've got an old deck (or shed, or pool) in the backyard that needs to come down. Can you do that?" Yes, and here's how the work breaks down.
What we do ourselves
The exterior demolition work we handle ourselves:
- Decks (single-level and multi-level, attached and freestanding)
- Sheds (wooden, vinyl, metal, with or without slab)
- Above-ground pools (round, oval, all common sizes)
- Hot tubs (covered in a separate post)
- Old campers and RVs that are past restoration
- Other similar small outdoor structures
These are usually a few hours to a day on site, depending on size, and the structure leaves in our truck or in a dumpster we rent for the job.
What we don't do
Interior demolition (walls, ceilings, kitchens, full-room gut work) we don't do ourselves. We're not interior carpenters or structural demo specialists. For a renovation that needs interior demo, we know someone who handles it and can point you to them. We're a good fit for the cleanup side after the demo is done.
Whole-house demolition (full teardown of a home) is also outside what we do directly. That's a specialist excavation contractor with equipment we don't run.
How a deck demo runs
A typical deck demolition goes in this rough order: walk the site to figure out the connection to the house and what's under the deck, disconnect the ledger from the house (carefully, around siding and flashing), tear down deck boards and framing, deal with posts and footings. Concrete footings either come out with effort or get cut at grade and left in place. Decking, framing, and hardware leave with the truck or in the 20-yard on site.
Deck demos are most often paired with a 15 or 20-yard dumpster because the volume of lumber adds up faster than people expect.
Shed demos
A shed demolition is usually one of the cleaner jobs we do. Most sheds come down in a few hours:
- Empty the shed. Whatever's inside either gets hauled with the cleanout or stays for the homeowner to move.
- Roof first. Shingles or panels off the top.
- Walls. Disconnect at the corners, fold the walls down.
- Floor and slab. The wooden floor breaks up into a 10 or 15-yard easily. Concrete slabs are a separate question (some come out, some stay).
- Haul.
Smaller sheds usually come down quickly. Bigger sheds or barn-style outbuildings take longer.
Above-ground pools
Above-ground pool removals usually run like this:
- Drain. Pool drains either through a pump or through a punctured liner.
- Liner out. Cut and fold the liner. It's the biggest single piece of debris on the job.
- Wall panels. Disassemble. Metal panels stack flat in the truck.
- Top rails and uprights. Final disassembly.
- Sand or stone base. This depends on the homeowner. The base can stay (it'll regrow grass), or it gets raked off and hauled.
Pool removal typically pairs with a 15 or 20-yard dumpster, or just a truckload visit if the pool is smaller.
Pricing factors
The big variables on small-structure demo:
- Size. A 12x12 deck is a different job from a 30x16 deck.
- Access. Backyard structures behind a narrow gate need more carrying.
- Connection to the house. A deck attached to the house needs careful ledger work.
- Footings. Concrete footings can stay or come out. Coming out doubles the labor for that part of the job.
- Pool diameter and base. A 27-foot round pool is a different job from a 12-foot round pool.
- Disposal load. Lumber, pool walls, and shed materials all go through different transfer station rates.
We quote based on a walkthrough or photos. The numbers stabilize once we can see the structure.
What about decks with composite or PVC
Composite and PVC deck materials are heavier per cubic foot than pressure-treated lumber. The demo is the same but the dumpster math is different. Worth mentioning on the call.
What about old hot tubs on a deck
If your deck has a hot tub on it, the tub comes out first (usually cut on site if it's a built-in), then the deck section under it. We can handle both.
The booking call
For a small-structure demolition job, three things drive the quote:
- Type and dimensions of the structure
- Access (gate width, distance from truck, slope)
- Disposal needs (just the demo? deck demo plus a basement cleanout?)
Photos are the best way to get a quick quote. Text photos and the address to 603-634-9947.
Call 603-634-9947 when you're ready to talk through a demo job.