Author Topic: Deck Removal Options and Advice  (Read 1758 times)

NextTime

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Deck Removal Options and Advice
« on: May 07, 2021, 11:41:41 AM »
So I'm removing my deck and having a concrete patio put in next week. 

The teardown should be straight forward, but I'm a little unsure of the best way to get rid of everything. It's painted wood, so I'm pretty sure I can dump it at the yard waste place.
I don't own a pickup, but I could most likely borrow a flatbed trailer from a friend.

Besides multiple trips to the city dump, which charges per dropoff, what is the best way to get rid of this thing (and some bed frames/misc items a former owner apparently threw under it)?
I haven't checked the prices yet, but would a dumpster rental maybe be the best case?  The deck is pretty small at around 21' x 10'.

Looking for my options. Please advise.

thd7t

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2021, 11:45:58 AM »
Have you verified whether the wood is treated?  It's pretty unlikely that it would be allowed as yard waste either way.  I would lean toward a dumpster or (if it's small enough) seeing if your municipality offers large item pickups.

bacchi

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2021, 11:50:28 AM »
Does your area have a bagster pickup or similar? It takes 3 cubic yards/1.5 tons of debris.

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2021, 12:08:41 PM »
I'm not sure if it's treated. I would hope so. It is painted. I doubt yard waste would take it. I'd also have to remove every single nail if they did.

I just called on the dumpster. A 15 yard container (8’ WIDE X 16’ LONG X 4’ HIGH (3’ INSIDE HEIGHT)) would be about $230/load. I'd imagine it would be only be 1 load.
This may be ideal because I wouldn't have to remove all the nails, just make sure I stack it properly  so it stays below that 3 foot height.
My bad back can only take so much bending over at a time.

I'm not sure what bagster pick up is. I'll have to google around for that

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2021, 12:24:34 PM »
Does your area have a bagster pickup or similar? It takes 3 cubic yards/1.5 tons of debris.


Hmm.
Dumpster is 16’ x 8’ X 3’
$230/load

The bagster is 8-ft x 4-ft x 2-ft 6-in
$30 to buy the bag at Lowe's
$165 for pickup of 1st bag
$195 total, but $162 ($30/bag and $132/add'l load) more if I can't fit everything in the first bag.

Assuming I could get it all into 1 bag, it would be a savings of $35 for the bagster over the dumpster. But if not, it's an extra $100.
With the dumpster, I could for sure get it all in one load, and I wouldn't have to be as meticulous when stacking it in the bin.


yachi

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2021, 12:33:19 PM »
If your buddy's trailer is 8' by 4' I would think you can get the entire deck on that, if you stack it up good.  I put my whole 14'x7' deck on a standard pickup truck bed with one of those toolboxes taking up part of the bed.

In my area dumpsters need permits, but bagsters do not. 

Jesstache

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2021, 03:09:54 PM »
Rent a uhaul truck in town for the day and pay per mile to bring to the dump.  We've done this and it works great.  If you rent the u-haul (like the small moving truck, not the pick-up) You'll have lots of room and not have to worry about the load being covered, since it's enclosed in the truck, which is a requirement for loads going to the dump in my city.

Morning Glory

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2021, 03:19:51 PM »
Just list it on Craigslist or Facebook for free. With the price of lumber these days a lot of people will be interested in repurposing it. You might even get someone willing to help you take it down.

SunnyDays

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2021, 03:42:44 PM »
Just list it on Craigslist or Facebook for free. With the price of lumber these days a lot of people will be interested in repurposing it. You might even get someone willing to help you take it down.

That’s just what I was going to suggest.

sonofsven

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2021, 07:02:01 PM »
$230/load for the dumpster, plus the weight of the material in the dumpster, right?
If time =money then go with the dumpster, if you want to save money drive it there yourself.
They used to take painted wood in the yard debris pile at my dump but they don't anymore.
I would be leery of anyone coming to remove a deck from my house that had no liability coverage.

Morning Glory

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2021, 08:15:08 PM »
(and some bed frames/misc items a former owner apparently threw under it)

Tangentially related anecdote: when rebuilding our old deck, I found the previous owners' formerly teenage son's Nirvana CD and several bottles of Busch Ice.

I found a hammer under mine when I went to fix a pipe Did the CD still work?

If the bedframes are metal you can drop them at a scrapyard for free. They will pay you for it if you have over their minimum amount. If you don't have enough just put them by the curb. Scrap prices are high enough right now that someone will take them. Same goes for the wood, if you don't want someone else to take it down. You should be covered under your homeowners insurance though, same as if a buddy was helping you.

Greystache

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2021, 08:53:42 AM »
I demolished a deck two years ago. I stacked up the used lumber (mostly 2x6) in my driveway and listed for free on craigslist and offerup. I had a guy show up the next day with a trailer and I helped him load it all up. Some of it was in good enough shape to be used for framing or concrete forms and some of it was not suitable for anything by firewood.

GoCubsGo

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2021, 09:12:25 AM »
 Craigslist first, if that doesn't work, not having to pull nails and being able to throw out extra crap in your house makes a dumpster definitely the way to go. Dumpster companies around here only charge for extra weight above a certain threshold.  No way a deck and miscellaneous crap would come near that weight.  Make sure you don't throw unapproved things in the dumpster (they have a list). 

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2021, 08:44:16 AM »
$230/load for the dumpster, plus the weight of the material in the dumpster, right?
If time =money then go with the dumpster, if you want to save money drive it there yourself.
They used to take painted wood in the yard debris pile at my dump but they don't anymore.
I would be leery of anyone coming to remove a deck from my house that had no liability coverage.



Just a flat $230, no charge per weight below a certain, very high threshold that I won't possibly reach. Must be level though, so can't be sticking out above the top of the container.

I don't want to put it up on craigslist because I don't want strangers coming out to my house. I'm an anxious person.
I did put it on the neighborhood FB group in case anyone wanted anything and have had no bites.

The Uhaul is a good idea and something I have thought about. Right now I'm seriously considering it over the dumpster.


I do plan to keep some pieces if they are in good enough shape. I'm a novice woodworker and had some project planned this summer that I'm postponing due to the ridiculous cost of materials.
Hopefully there's some useable stuff.

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2021, 08:46:59 AM »
(and some bed frames/misc items a former owner apparently threw under it)

Tangentially related anecdote: when rebuilding our old deck, I found the previous owners' formerly teenage son's Nirvana CD and several bottles of Busch Ice.

I found a hammer under mine when I went to fix a pipe Did the CD still work?

If the bedframes are metal you can drop them at a scrapyard for free. They will pay you for it if you have over their minimum amount. If you don't have enough just put them by the curb. Scrap prices are high enough right now that someone will take them. Same goes for the wood, if you don't want someone else to take it down. You should be covered under your homeowners insurance though, same as if a buddy was helping you.


Saw a meme on FB where when someone was replacing their deck, they dropped a lifelike plastic skeleton underneath the new deck, buried halfway in the dirt.  If I was putting in a new deck, I'd love to do something like that.

Morning Glory

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2021, 10:44:21 AM »
$230/load for the dumpster, plus the weight of the material in the dumpster, right?
If time =money then go with the dumpster, if you want to save money drive it there yourself.
They used to take painted wood in the yard debris pile at my dump but they don't anymore.
I would be leery of anyone coming to remove a deck from my house that had no liability coverage.



Just a flat $230, no charge per weight below a certain, very high threshold that I won't possibly reach. Must be level though, so can't be sticking out above the top of the container.

I don't want to put it up on craigslist because I don't want strangers coming out to my house. I'm an anxious person.
I did put it on the neighborhood FB group in case anyone wanted anything and have had no bites.

The Uhaul is a good idea and something I have thought about. Right now I'm seriously considering it over the dumpster.


I do plan to keep some pieces if they are in good enough shape. I'm a novice woodworker and had some project planned this summer that I'm postponing due to the ridiculous cost of materials.
Hopefully there's some useable stuff.

I heard the most interesting political theories yesterday from an old guy who came to get a shovel that I was selling on marketplace. Nice enough guy, otherwise.

But seriously, I've had all kinds of strangers out here lately and nobody has caused a lick of trouble.

WSUCoug1994

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2021, 10:53:00 AM »
I am sure it varies by geography but our Garbage company offers one free dumpster per year for these kinds of projects.  Might be worth checking out.

Fishindude

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2021, 10:54:19 AM »
Dumpster is the way to go.  Cut it up in as big of sections as you can handle and toss them in the dumpster, as well as the posts and concrete around the posts.
If you have space left, this is a good opportunity to get rid of a bunch of junk from the house and garage.   Good policy to get a dumpster every now and then and purge some useless junk.

debbie does duncan

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #18 on: May 10, 2021, 11:21:31 AM »
Home Depot rents out a truck and a van. They do not charge mileage .

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #19 on: May 10, 2021, 12:38:35 PM »
Dumpster is the way to go.  Cut it up in as big of sections as you can handle and toss them in the dumpster, as well as the posts and concrete around the posts.
If you have space left, this is a good opportunity to get rid of a bunch of junk from the house and garage.   Good policy to get a dumpster every now and then and purge some useless junk.

That's the other benefit.  I'm sure there's a few other large things lying around I could toss in there on top. The previous owners left a tanning bed tucked into the wall in the unfinished space that I eventually need to get rid of. Have no idea if it works and no desire to find out. With only 3 feet of height I'm not sure it would fit though.

NextTime

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #20 on: May 10, 2021, 12:41:22 PM »
I am sure it varies by geography but our Garbage company offers one free dumpster per year for these kinds of projects.  Might be worth checking out.

That would be nice.  I'd be renting it from the County which does our garbage pickup and she didn't mention it. I doubt it, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to give her a call back and check it out.

sonofsven

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Re: Deck Removal Options and Advice
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2021, 09:04:06 AM »
$230/load for the dumpster, plus the weight of the material in the dumpster, right?
If time =money then go with the dumpster, if you want to save money drive it there yourself.
They used to take painted wood in the yard debris pile at my dump but they don't anymore.
I would be leery of anyone coming to remove a deck from my house that had no liability coverage.



Just a flat $230, no charge per weight below a certain, very high threshold that I won't possibly reach. Must be level though, so can't be sticking out above the top of the container.

I don't want to put it up on craigslist because I don't want strangers coming out to my house. I'm an anxious person.
I did put it on the neighborhood FB group in case anyone wanted anything and have had no bites.

The Uhaul is a good idea and something I have thought about. Right now I'm seriously considering it over the dumpster.


I do plan to keep some pieces if they are in good enough shape. I'm a novice woodworker and had some project planned this summer that I'm postponing due to the ridiculous cost of materials.
Hopefully there's some useable stuff.

Be aware that some people see a dumpster as a place to throw their junk as well...