A little less shed. A lot more backyard.

SHED DEMOLITION & REMOVAL

Shed removal
in Des Moines, IA.

Shed Gone takes apart old sheds and hauls off every piece for Des Moines homeowners, in Beaverdale, Sherman Hill and the neighborhoods in between.

Sources checked October 18, 2026 · How we research

START HERE

Upload a photo of the shed.
Get a quote.

Show us the shed and the way out. Tell us what goes, and what stays.

No payment. No commitment.

Get a shed removal quote without a photo →
Want to shop around? See 3 other companies ↓
Yard cleared after shed removal by Way 2 HaulWooden shed before removal by Way 2 HaulOLD SHEDSPACE RECLAIMED
LESS SHED.More possibility.Drag the handle to see the difference ↔
SHED REMOVAL
Removal & photos: Way 2 Haul ↗
Reference photos · not a Shed Gone job · Camera angles vary

SHED REMOVAL IN DES MOINES

We take it down.
We haul it away.

How it works ↗

Shed removal is all we do. Wood, metal or resin, falling apart or still standing, we take your Des Moines shed apart and leave the space clean.

  • Taking the shed apart: roof, walls, doors and floor
  • The stuff inside, if you want it gone too
  • Loading, haul-away and disposal, with metal and clean wood recycled where it’s accepted
  • The slab, gravel pad or footings, if you want them out
  • Sweeping and raking the spot clean

We check what Des Moines requires for your shed before any work starts, and any power to the shed must be disconnected by a licensed electrician before removal day. The local rules are below.

01

Send a photo.

Show us the shed and the way out, and add your Des Moines ZIP code. No payment, and it isn’t a booking.

02

Get our price.

We look at your photos and send our price, what it includes and the dates we have.

03

We haul it away.

We confirm a date, take the shed down, load every piece and leave the spot clean.

Get a shed removal quote ↗

PERMITS & DIY DISPOSAL

Doing it yourself, or just checking the rules?

Here’s what Des Moines asks for before a shed comes down, what city pickup will take, and where you can drop off the debris yourself.

Des Moines rules at a glance

Demolition permit

Yes. City code requires a demolition permit to tear down any building or structure, with no size exemption. It is $51.50 per accessory building. Call the Permit and Development Center at 515-283-4200.

Des Moines Municipal Code sec. 26-302 and 26-303: building permit exemptions and demolition ↗Des Moines Permit and Development Center fee schedule (1-1-26) ↗Des Moines Permit and Development Center permit exemption policy ↗

City pickup

No, not a whole shed. The $5 Large Item sticker covers single bulky items like furniture, and the city sends garage doors and landscape timbers to Metro Park East Landfill.

Des Moines bulk trash and appliances ↗Des Moines garbage collection ↗

Haul it yourself

Metro Park East Landfill (Metro Waste Authority). Construction and demolition debris $44 a ton ($22 minimum) for vehicles over 6,000 lbs. Vehicles under 6,000 lbs pay a flat $12 (car, under 200 lbs), $17 (van or SUV) or $22 (large SUV, truck or trailer). Commingled C&D recycling $40 a ton. Mixed loads pay the highest rate.

3 drop-off options →

What it costs

Shed Gone: a price from your photos, with teardown, haul-away and cleanup included.

Others here: LoadUp shows $94 to $1,559 for a shed in Polk County. The Goat Junk Removal and College HUNKS quote each job. Self-haul: Metro Park East Landfill takes construction debris at $44 a ton, $22 minimum.

LoadUp: Des Moines Shed Removal ↗The Goat Junk Removal ↗College HUNKS Hauling Junk Des Moines ↗Metro Park East Landfill rates and payments ↗

Do I need a permit?Des Moines demolition rules, utilities and property checks.

The requirements depend on the structure, the work and the property’s jurisdiction. These are the official starting points for checking your job. Confirm with the building office before teardown day. How shed demolition permits work ↗

01

What the demolition permit asks

Section 26-303 says no one may start demolishing any building or structure without a permit from the building official. The application lists the shed's size and materials and any fencing needed. Work must start within 30 days and finish within 90. Shallow footings come out unless the building official approves otherwise, the top 12 inches of fill must be clean earth, and debris goes to a state-licensed facility.

Des Moines Municipal Code sec. 26-302 and 26-303: building permit exemptions and demolition ↗

Can I dispose of it myself?City pickup rules, drop-off options and fees for shed debris.

Will Des Moines pick up shed debris?

Not as a shed teardown. Des Moines Public Works picks up items that don't fit the cart with a pink $5 Large Item sticker on each one, scheduled at least 24 hours ahead at (515) 283-4950. Its garbage page sends items like garage doors, landscape timbers and railroad ties to Metro Park East Landfill instead. The city's pages don't say how much lumber it will take with stickers, so ask before setting out boards.

Des Moines bulk trash and appliances ↗Des Moines garbage collection ↗

Drop-off and recycling options

If you’d rather haul it yourself, sort the load first: clean wood, metal, roofing, concrete and household contents often go to different places or cost different amounts. Call ahead before hiring a trailer. What can be recycled ↗

Metro Park East Landfill (Metro Waste Authority)

12181 NE University Ave., Mitchellville, IA 50169

Metro Waste Authority's main landfill takes construction and demolition debris. Sorted loads of clean untreated lumber, scrap metal, or concrete and other rubble are recycled at no charge; plywood, particle board, shingles and treated or painted wood count as regular construction debris.

Fees: Construction and demolition debris $44 a ton ($22 minimum) for vehicles over 6,000 lbs. Vehicles under 6,000 lbs pay a flat $12 (car, under 200 lbs), $17 (van or SUV) or $22 (large SUV, truck or trailer). Commingled C&D recycling $40 a ton. Mixed loads pay the highest rate.

Before you go: Open Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (April to October) or 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (November to March). Cover or tie down the load or pay a $35 fee; staff don't help unload. Call 515-967-2076.

Metro Waste Authority: Metro Park East Landfill ↗Metro Park East Landfill rates and payments ↗Metro Park East Landfill rules and policies ↗Metro Waste Authority: construction and demolition ↗

Metro Park West Landfill (Metro Waste Authority)

20 335th St., Perry, IA 50220

Metro Waste Authority landfill that lists construction and demolition debris, bulky waste and scrap appliances among its rates.

Fees: Construction and demolition debris $64 a ton ($22 minimum) for vehicles over 6,000 lbs. A pickup, van or SUV pays $60 a ton ($22 minimum); a car load under 200 lbs is $12. Mixed loads pay the highest rate.

Before you go: Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month 9 a.m. to noon. Call 515-333-5618.

Metro Waste Authority: Metro Park West Landfill ↗Metro Park West Landfill rates and payments ↗

Metro Compost Center (Metro Waste Authority)

12181 NE University Ave., Mitchellville, IA 50169

Metro Waste Authority's yard waste drop-off and compost sales site, at the same address as Metro Park East Landfill. Use it for brush and limbs cleared from around a shed, not for building materials.

Fees: Its rate page lists yard waste at $30 a ton ($20 minimum) for vehicles over 6,000 lbs, and flat rates of $10, $15 or $20 for smaller vehicles.

Before you go: Same hours as Metro Park East: Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., plus Saturday mornings. Call 515-967-2076 to confirm the rate before you go.

Metro Waste Authority: Metro Compost Center ↗Metro Compost Center rates and payments ↗

What else should I know in Des Moines?Local notes, and the photos that set the price.

The city's hauler permit leaves out demolition debris

Des Moines has no exclusive hauler for construction debris. Its code requires a city permit, filed with the city clerk, to haul trash from other people's property for pay, but the rule covers waste "other than those resulting from construction or demolition activities." Permitted haulers need $1 million in liability coverage and covered or paneled trucks. Anyone hauling waste on city streets must keep it from blowing or dropping off.

Des Moines Municipal Code ch. 98, div. 2: waste hauler permits ↗

Historic districts and older buildings get a review

In a local historic district, city code requires a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before changing a structure's exterior, with extra steps to demolish a building listed as contributing. Outside the districts, every demolition permit gets a staff historic review within 10 days; buildings 80 years or older can be referred to the commission.

Des Moines Municipal Code sec. 58-31: certificate of appropriateness ↗Des Moines Municipal Code ch. 58, art. IV: historic review of proposed demolition ↗

SCRUB drop-off days are for residents' trash, not contractors

The city holds free SCRUB drop-off events on the third Saturday of each month from March through November. They take general trash, furniture, appliances and tires from Des Moines residents with proof of address, in cars, pickups or single-axle trailers up to 12 feet. Commercial haulers must use the landfill. The guidelines don't list lumber or demolition debris.

Des Moines SCRUB guidelines ↗

Asbestos notices skip single homes

Iowa's asbestos demolition notice covers 'facilities', which the state's form says excludes single-family homes and apartment buildings with four or fewer units. When a notice is required, it must be postmarked 10 working days ahead. Metro Waste Authority takes suspect asbestos only if packaged, scheduled and paid at $52.50 a ton.

Iowa DNR asbestos notification of demolition and renovation form ↗Iowa DIAL asbestos demolition and renovation notification ↗Metro Waste Authority: asbestos ↗

Photos that explain the job.

  • The whole shed, with the roof, doors and rough dimensions
  • What it sits on: slab, gravel, pavers, skids or blocks
  • The route out: gates, steps, slopes and the narrowest gap
  • Anything stored inside, and any wiring, lights or a water line

Tell us whether the shed has power. A licensed electrician should disconnect and make the circuit safe before teardown. Say which items stay, and whether the slab or footings go too.

Get a shed removal quote ↗
What will it cost?How shed removal is priced, and what other local companies publish.

Shed Gone

Priced from your photos

A small empty resin shed and a large timber shed on a concrete slab are different jobs, so we don’t publish one number. The price depends on the shed’s size and material, what’s inside, what it sits on, and the route from the shed to the truck.

Start a quote from photos ↗

Other companies’ advertised prices

LoadUp shows $94 to $1,559 for a shed in Polk County, set when you book. The Goat Junk Removal and College HUNKS quote each job. Shed Gone prices each shed from your photos.

LoadUp (Des Moines, IA) ↗

$94–$1,559

Its shed page shows $94 to $1,559 for shed removal in Polk County, depending on size, condition and type, and lower for a shed that's already taken apart. LoadUp books local independent haulers to do the work. It does not say permits are included.

These are the other companies’ own advertised prices, checked October 18, 2026. They are not our prices and not a citywide average.

When you compare quotes, ask for one written total that covers dismantling, hauling, disposal fees and cleanup, and ask whether the contents, the floor and the slab or footings are included. What shed removal costs ↗

Want to shop around in Des Moines, IA?

3 other companies

Shed removal is what we do, and we think we’re the best at it. If you’d like to compare, here are 3 other companies whose own websites advertise shed removal in Des Moines. Give them a call. We’re confident you’ll come back to us.

Junk removal franchise

College HUNKS Hauling Junk

Junk removal franchise that lists storage sheds among the items it hauls away.

Ask for a priceJob-specific quote
Service & price details

Des Moines area, including West Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee and Johnston, from a Clive office

Its local pages don't describe tear-down, slab work or what's included for a shed. Ask whether the crew takes the shed apart or only hauls the pieces.

The local page offers a free estimate and publishes no shed price.

Visit company ↗Call 515-619-5486

Removal company

The Goat Junk Removal

Owner-run junk removal company that says it removes toolsheds and breaks down old wooden playsets.

Ask for a priceJob-specific quote
Service & price details

Des Moines, Ankeny and Central Iowa, from an Ankeny base

Lists barns and sheds among the items it hauls. Its pages don't say whether slabs, wiring or permits are handled. Its contact form takes job photos for quotes.

No prices are published. It quotes each job, and its contact form asks for a picture of the job.

Visit company ↗Call (515) 368-0074

National booking platform

LoadUp (Des Moines, IA)

National junk removal booking platform that sends local independent haulers to pick up and dispose of sheds.

$94–$1,559Published shed price
Service & price details

Polk County, Iowa, including Des Moines

Upfront online pricing, with same-day or next-day pickup when booked before noon. LoadUp says it connects you with local independent contractors and that its shed service covers heavy lifting, loading, transport and disposal.

Its shed page shows $94 to $1,559 for shed removal in Polk County, depending on size, condition and type, and lower for a shed that's already taken apart. LoadUp books local independent haulers to do the work. It does not say permits are included.

Visit company ↗Call (844) 239-7711

Independent companies, not affiliated with Shed Gone. Listed alphabetically. Prices are their own advertised prices. How we choose listings

COMMON QUESTIONS

A few more answers.

What does shed removal cost in Des Moines?

Shed Gone prices each shed from your photos, with teardown, haul-away and cleanup included. Among other companies serving Des Moines, LoadUp shows $94 to $1,559 for a shed in Polk County, lower if it's already taken apart. The Goat Junk Removal and College HUNKS quote each job. The city's demolition permit is $51.50 per accessory building.

LoadUp: Des Moines Shed Removal ↗The Goat Junk Removal ↗College HUNKS Hauling Junk Des Moines ↗Des Moines Permit and Development Center fee schedule (1-1-26) ↗

How much does it cost to dump shed debris myself?

At Metro Park East Landfill, construction and demolition debris is $44 a ton with a $22 minimum for vehicles over 6,000 pounds. Smaller vehicles pay a flat rate: $17 for a van or SUV, $22 for a large SUV, truck or trailer. Mixed loads are charged the highest rate that applies.

Metro Park East Landfill rates and payments ↗

Can the wood be recycled for free?

Only if it is clean. Metro Waste Authority takes clean, untreated lumber with no paint or stain at no charge, but not plywood or particle board. Painted, stained or treated wood and shingles mixed in turn the load into regular construction debris.

Metro Waste Authority: construction and demolition ↗

What about the concrete pad?

City code says demolition includes removing shallow footings and foundation unless the building official approves otherwise. Broken concrete, brick and other rubble recycle free at Metro Park East if nothing but rebar is mixed in. Concrete pieces are size-limited, so call 515-967-2076 before hauling a large slab.

Des Moines Municipal Code sec. 26-302 and 26-303: building permit exemptions and demolition ↗Metro Waste Authority: construction and demolition ↗

Where does a metal shed go?

Metro Waste Authority accepts ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal at no charge, as long as the load holds only metal. Pull out wood floors and other materials first.

Metro Waste Authority: construction and demolition ↗

Can I use the transfer station on Delaware Avenue?

No. Metro Central Transfer Station at 4198 Delaware Ave. is not open to the public, and Metro Northwest Transfer Station in Grimes serves commercial haulers. Homeowners self-haul to Metro Park East Landfill or Metro Park West Landfill.

Metro Waste Authority: Metro Central Transfer Station ↗Metro Waste Authority: Metro Northwest Transfer Station ↗Metro Waste Authority: Metro Park East Landfill ↗Metro Waste Authority: Metro Park West Landfill ↗

Sources behind this guide

Reviewed October 18, 2026 using company websites, municipal guidance and facility rules. Prices and published policies can change; older source dates are identified where relevant. We have not called every business or facility.

See all 26 research sources

SHED DEMOLITION & REMOVAL

More backyard.
Less baggage.

Start with the shed and the way out. Add a few photos and tell us what should stay.

START HERE

Upload a photo of the shed.
Get a quote.

Show us the shed and the way out. Tell us what goes, and what stays.

No payment. No commitment.

Get a shed removal quote without a photo →
Local service information →