How to Get Rid of a Shed: 6 Options Compared

There are six realistic ways to get rid of a shed. Which one fits depends on three things: whether the shed is still sound, whether it sits on concrete, and how much of the work you want to do yourself. Here they are side by side, then one at a time, with real city rules, rental-company guidance and published prices.

Shed disposal options compared

Before any option: contents, power, water and paint

Whatever you choose, the same jobs come first.

1. Empty it. Removal services expect this. LoadUp tells customers to empty the shed of all contents, because its teardown covers the structure itself. A buyer or mover will want it empty too.
2. Sort out the hazardous leftovers. Sheds collect old paint, gas cans, motor oil, weed killer and batteries. The EPA counts leftover products that can catch fire, react or explode, or that are corrosive or toxic, as household hazardous waste. It lists paints, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides as examples, and warns against pouring them down the drain, on the ground or into storm sewers. Search your county's name plus "household hazardous waste" for a drop-off.
3. Disconnect power and water. If the shed has a light, an outlet or a water line, get it disconnected and made safe by a licensed professional before anyone pulls it apart or lifts it. LoadUp asks that any electrical wiring, lighting or power connection be professionally disconnected before pickup day. For larger demolitions that need a permit, cities may require proof. Denver's demolition permit page, for example, requires water and sewer lines to be shut off, cut off or capped, and gas and electric to be handled through Xcel Energy, before a permit is issued.
4. Check the paint. If the shed is old and painted, the paint may contain lead. The EPA says a home built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, and its advice for DIYers starts with testing first. More in old shed hazards.
5. Check the permit rule. Small sheds are often exempt, but not everywhere. Denver says demolishing a structure of 200 square feet or less and 8 feet tall or less does not need a permit. Confirm with your own building department. Do you need a shed demolition permit?

Option 1: Sell it

If the shed is in good shape, selling is the only option that can put money in your pocket. The catch is that a shed is not like a couch. Somebody has to take it down or move it whole, and most buyers will want you to say how.

• Be specific in the listing. Size, material (wood, metal or resin), age, roof condition, floor condition and whether it's on skids, blocks or a slab.
• Say who moves it. "Buyer dismantles and hauls" or "buyer arranges a shed mover" are both common. Give the gate width and what's between the shed and the street.
• Show the floor and roof. Rot in the floor and a leaking roof are the first things a serious buyer looks for. Clear photos save wasted visits.
• Get paid safely. The FTC warns about a common scam where an online buyer "accidentally" sends a check for too much and asks you to refund the difference. It can take weeks for a bank to discover a fake check, and you're stuck paying the money back. Take payment you can verify before the shed leaves.

More on pricing and listing in how to sell or give away a used shed.

Option 2: Give it away (the taker dismantles and hauls)

This is the closest thing to genuinely free shed removal. A usable shed, or one with good lumber, panels or a decent door, can attract someone who wants a project or materials. Post it on a local marketplace or a gifting group. Buy Nothing groups, for example, are for items that are freely given; their guidelines say trading, bartering, buying or selling is counter to the project's mission.

Make the deal clear in writing:

• "Free, you take it all." Say that the taker removes the whole structure, including the floor, and leaves the site clean. Partial pickups, where only the good panels go, leave you with the worst part.
• Set a deadline. The Buy Nothing guidelines note that givers aren't expected to hold items for a recipient longer than is convenient. If nobody has taken it in a few weeks, move to another option.
• Don't hand over a hazard. A shed with a sagging roof, rotted framing or unknown wiring is not a safe giveaway. Treat that one as a demolition.

Option 3: Move or relocate it with a shed mover

If the shed itself is fine and you just want it out of the way, a shed mover can shift it across the yard or take it to a new property. This also helps a sale: a buyer who can't move a shed may still buy it if you know a mover.

HomeAdvisor puts professional shed moving at $200 to $1,000 for most relocations, with a national average of $500 and challenging projects reaching $3,500. It notes that a building permit may be needed at both the old and new locations, which it prices at $10 to $80.

What movers need from you, from Kauffman Structures, a shed mover in the Midwest:

• A route from the road or driveway to the shed that's clear of low-hanging branches and utility wires.
• A level pad at the new spot. Kauffman recommends gravel or concrete.
• An understanding that sheds on a concrete foundation, and larger sheds that need to come apart, are special cases.

Road size limits matter too. Shed Builder Magazine reports that in North Carolina, for example, buildings 12 feet wide or wider need a wide-load permit, and that each state sets its own oversize rules. One mover quoted there says some customers think a 16-foot building can go down the road, "and it can't." How to move a shed.

Option 4: City bulky-item pickup, where it applies

This is the option people search for most and get least. Bulky pickup is built for furniture and household items. A shed is a building, and most cities treat it as construction or demolition debris. Here are real rules, as each city publishes them.

Cities that exclude shed debris

Cities that take some homeowner building material

Read those last two carefully. Even where a city takes lumber, it usually won't take roofing, siding or concrete, and it won't take debris a contractor created. So curbside works best for a small wood shed you take apart yourself, with the shingles and any slab handled another way.

Three rules apply everywhere:

1. A missing listing is not a yes. If your city's page doesn't mention building material, call or check its waste app before you set anything out.
2. Set out only on schedule. In Denver, out-of-schedule set-outs count as illegal dumping.
3. Follow the prep rules exactly. Length limits, nail removal and separate piles are the difference between a pickup and a pile left at the curb.

Option 5: Rent a dumpster and demolish it yourself

For a shed that's past saving, a roll-off dumpster and a weekend of work is the standard DIY route. Dumpsters.com puts the minimum for a DIY shed demolition at roughly $200. The rental is the biggest line in most budgets.

Which dumpster size

Bin There Dump That calls a 20-yard dumpster ideal for most shed demolition projects, and says overestimating the size is safer than underestimating. Dumpsters.com notes that a standard pickup bed holds 2 to 3 cubic yards, which helps you picture it.

Weight is the trap. Budget Dumpster warns that rock, brick or concrete can quickly exceed a dumpster's weight limit even when the container is only partly full, and overage fees apply. Dumpsters.com recommends a 10-yard container for concrete and other heavy materials and asks customers to call about concrete, dirt or roofing shingles. If you plan to break out a slab, tell the rental company before you order.

Where it goes and what it costs to place

• Space. Dumpsters.com says a 10- or 20-yard container needs about 60 feet of clear, flat, paved space and 23 to 25 feet of vertical clearance, usually a driveway or the street.
• Permits. HomeAdvisor says to expect $10 to $100 for a permit if the container sits on the street, blocks a sidewalk or is otherwise in public view. Ask your city.
• Rental window. HomeAdvisor lists typical weekly rentals at $350 to $550, with $5 to $10 a day after the first week.

The work itself

Roughly, a teardown goes contents out, utilities confirmed off, windows and doors out, roofing off, then walls, then floor and framing. Wear gloves, eye protection and sturdy boots, watch for nails, and never work under a roof that has lost its support. Our step-by-step is in how to tear down a shed. Metal panels and clean lumber may be worth separating; see shed disposal and recycling.

Option 6: Hire a junk removal or demolition company

This is the option for a shed that's rotten, oversized, full of junk you don't want to sort, or simply not worth your weekend. A crew takes it apart, loads it and hauls it in one visit.

What it costs varies widely. Bob Vila, citing Angi and HomeAdvisor, puts shed removal at $3.50 to $12.50 per square foot. Nationally, LoadUp advertises shed removal from $1,555, priced by size, material, access and condition. Some local haulers price by how much truck space the debris fills: Denver's Altitude Hauling says it charges by how much space the items take up in the truck. More detail in shed removal cost.

Compare quotes on the same basis:

• Is disposal included? Or are dump fees added after?
• Is the floor included? Wood floors and skids usually are. Concrete usually isn't. LoadUp says the concrete pad or poured foundation is not included, and Denver's Mile High Haul-Off says it may refer concrete or paver bases to a local specialist.
• What about contents? LoadUp's teardown covers the structure, not what's inside. Some haulers will take both, at a price.
• Who handles the power? Expect to arrange a professional disconnection yourself.
• Is recycling part of it? Mile High Haul-Off says it sorts wood, metal and plastic for recycling. Ask what yours does.

How a quote works with us

Shed Gone does shed teardown and haul-away. You send photos of the shed, the route from the shed to where a truck can park, and a note of what stays: the slab, the gravel pad, a nearby fence or garden bed. We reply with a quote for your job, what's included and the dates we have. See pricing, our service areas and example projects.

What happens to the slab, gravel and anchors

A shed rarely leaves a clean patch of lawn. Plan the base before you pick an option.

• Concrete slab. You can keep it as a patio or the base for a new shed. Dumpsters.com's teardown guide makes the same point: if you plan on reusing the slab, you're done. Removing it is heavy, separate work that many shed quotes exclude.
• Gravel pad or blocks. Lighter work, but gravel is heavy in a dumpster. Reuse it if you can.
• Anchors and posts. Ground anchors and posts set in concrete need digging out or cutting flush.
• Before you dig. 811 is the free national call-before-you-dig service. It says to contact it a few business days before any digging, even shallow work with a shovel, so buried utilities can be marked.

More in what to do with a shed foundation.

Which option fits your shed

Work down this list and stop at the first one that's true.

1. The shed is sound and you want to keep it, just elsewhere. Call a shed mover. Check the route, the new pad and any permit first.
2. The shed is sound and you don't need it. List it for sale, buyer dismantles and hauls. If it doesn't sell in a couple of weeks, offer it free.
3. It's a small wood shed, you're handy, and your city takes homeowner building material. Take it apart, cut and de-nail the lumber, and follow the city's rules. Plan a separate route for shingles and any slab. Houston and Charlotte are examples; Denver, Phoenix and Tampa are not.
4. It's past saving, you have helpers and a driveway. Rent a dumpster, likely a 20-yard, and tear it down over a weekend. Call the rental company first if concrete is going in.
5. It's rotten, big, full of stuff, near a fence or a house, or you're short on time. Hire a removal or demolition company, and get the slab and contents quoted as separate lines.

A note on metal and resin sheds: kit sheds often unbolt, which makes them easier to give away or move. Bob Vila notes that undamaged sheet metal sections can be reused or sold, which may offset some removal cost.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Tearing into a shed with live wiring. Get it disconnected by a professional first.
2. Assuming the city will take it. Most bulky programs exclude building debris. Check the list.
3. Setting debris out off schedule. In Denver, that counts as illegal dumping.
4. Putting paint, fuel or pesticides in the dumpster. They're household hazardous waste.
5. Ordering a dumpster by volume alone. Concrete and shingles hit weight limits fast.
6. Letting a taker take only the good parts. Agree in writing that the whole shed goes.
7. Comparing quotes that cover different things. Check disposal, the floor, the slab and the contents.

The short version

Good shed: sell it, give it away, or move it. Bad shed: check your city's rules, then choose between a dumpster weekend and a removal crew. Either way, empty it, get any power or water disconnected, and decide what happens to the slab before anyone shows up.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a shed removed for free?

Sometimes. A shed in good shape can go free to someone who takes it down and hauls it away. A few cities, like Houston and Charlotte, will collect some homeowner-dismantled building material at the curb within strict limits, but most bulky programs, including Denver's, Phoenix's and Tampa's, exclude it.

Will the city pick up an old shed?

Usually not whole, and often not at all. Tampa lists sheds by name as not accepted, and Denver excludes construction materials. Houston takes up to 4 cubic yards of resident-generated building material, minus shingles, brick, plaster and concrete. Check your own city's list before you set anything out.

What size dumpster do I need for a shed?

Bin There Dump That calls a 20-yard dumpster ideal for most shed demolition projects. A small shed may fit a 10-yard. If you are also breaking out a concrete slab, call the rental company first, because concrete hits weight limits long before the container looks full.

Do I need a permit to tear down a shed?

It depends on your city and the shed's size. Denver, for example, says demolishing a structure of 200 square feet or less and 8 feet tall or less doesn't need a permit. Always confirm with your own building department before you start.

Does shed removal include the concrete slab?

Often not. LoadUp's shed removal page says the concrete pad or poured foundation is not included, and Mile High Haul-Off in Denver says it may refer concrete or paver bases to a specialist. Ask for the slab as its own line in any quote.

How much does it cost to move a shed instead of removing it?

HomeAdvisor puts professional shed moving at $200 to $1,000 for most relocations, with a $500 national average and hard jobs reaching $3,500. Large sheds and sheds on concrete may need to be taken apart first.

What should I do with things stored in the shed?

Most removal services want the shed empty. Old paint, pesticides, oil and batteries are household hazardous waste under EPA guidance, so take them to your local HHW drop-off rather than putting them in a dumpster or the trash.

Sources

• City and County of Denver: Large Item Pickup
• City and County of Denver: Demolition Permits
• City of Phoenix: Bulk Trash Pickup
• City of Austin Resource Recovery: On-Demand Bulk, Brush and Household Hazardous Waste Collection
• City of Houston Solid Waste: Heavy Trash Collection (Bulk & Tree Waste)
• City of Charlotte: Bulky Item Eligibility (PDF)
• City of Tampa Solid Waste: Special Services
• Dumpsters.com: What Size Dumpster Do I Need?
• Dumpsters.com: 10 Yard Dumpster
• Dumpsters.com: 20 Yard Dumpster
• Dumpsters.com: How to Tear Down a Shed
• Budget Dumpster: Dumpster Weight Limits
• Bin There Dump That: Best Dumpster Size for Demolishing an Old Shed
• HomeAdvisor: How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Dumpster?
• HomeAdvisor: How Much Does It Cost to Move a Shed?
• Bob Vila: Shed Removal Cost (citing Angi and HomeAdvisor)
• Kauffman Structures: Shed Moving
• Shed Builder Magazine: Navigating Shed Transportation Hurdles
• FTC Consumer Advice: How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams
• Buy Nothing Project: Community Guidelines
• LoadUp: Shed Removal
• Altitude Hauling: Shed Demolition (Denver)
• Mile High Haul-Off: Shed Tear-Down & Disposal (Denver)
• US EPA: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
• US EPA: Lead-Safe Renovations for DIYers
• 811 Before You Dig: the national call-before-you-dig service