Deck removal in Toronto

What deck removal costs in Toronto

Deck removal is from $750 before HST for a deck up to 200 sq ft. Disposal included, so the boards, joists, posts, stairs and railings all leave with us. Larger decks, raised decks and decks with footings to pull out are priced from the photos you send.

GTA companies and cost guides we checked in October 2026 posted the figures below. Size and height explain most of the spread between a quick ground-level job and a raised, multi-level one.

What happens on the day

Most decks come down in a single visit. This is the order we work in.

• We walk the deck with you and match it to your photos: size, height, stairs, footings and anything stored underneath.
• Furniture, planters, grills and any hot tub come off first. A hot tub on the deck is removed on its own line, from $399.
• Railings and stairs come off, then the decking boards.
• Joists and beams are unscrewed or cut into pieces we can carry. On a deck attached to the house, the ledger board is unbolted from the wall.
• Posts are cut off at ground level, or the footings are pulled out if your quote says so.
• Everything is carried out and loaded. We walk the footprint with you before we leave.

What changes the price

The posted price covers a deck up to 200 sq ft. These are the things that move a quote, and each one shows up in a photo.

• Size: the square footage of the deck surface, and whether it is one level or several.
• Height: a ground-level deck is a different job from a second-storey deck with stairs and a long drop to carry from.
• Footings: posts on blocks lift out easily. Poured concrete footings are heavy, and concrete that comes out of the ground is heavy material, from $350 per cu yd.
• Composite versus wood: composite boards and decks topped with stone or tile usually weigh more than bare wood. Weight past the load allowance is billed at $250 per tonne from the scale ticket.
• Access to the back yard: a wide gate and a straight path are quick. A narrow side passage, steps or a long carry to the street take longer.
• Attached structures: a built-in bench, privacy screen, pergola frame or lighting wired into the deck adds work.

What we take and what we do not

We take the whole deck: treated and untreated lumber, composite boards, railings, stairs, skirting, lattice, hardware and the footings named in your quote. We do not take hazardous waste: paint, propane, chemicals or asbestos. Remove leftover stain and paint cans, and any propane tank from a barbecue, before we arrive.

We tear the deck out. We do not rebuild it, and we do not repair the house wall where the ledger was bolted on. Plan for siding or flashing work with whoever builds the next deck.

Toronto rules that apply to a deck

Call before you dig. Pulling a footing or a post out of the ground is digging. The Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 defines an excavator as anyone who "digs, bores, trenches, grades, excavates, moves or breaks earth, rock or the materials in the ground," and section 10 says an excavator shall not start an excavation or dig until a locate request has been submitted and the utility owners have responded.

Requests go to Ontario One Call, now called Ontario Dig Authority. Its homeowner page says the service is free, names building a fence or deck among the projects that need a locate, and asks for at least 5 business days before a single-address project. The person doing the digging should submit the request. Cutting a post off at ground level digs nothing, so it is the footings that start the 5 business day clock. Tell us when you book if you want footings out.

Permits. The City of Toronto says you need a building permit to "demolish or remove all, or a portion of a building" and to build a deck more than 60 centimetres (24 inches) above ground. Its page does not say whether taking a deck down needs a permit. If your deck is attached to the house or you are unsure, ask Toronto Building through 311 before you book. If you plan a new deck, the City adds that the Zoning Bylaw applies even when no building permit is needed.

Disposal. Pressure treated wood is on the City's list of renovation waste accepted at its drop-off depots, for a fee, but lumber is limited to 4 feet in length. A deck is mostly longer boards, so a depot run means cutting everything down and carrying it yourself. Our price covers the removal. Disposal included.

What you can do before we arrive

A little preparation keeps the visit short and the quote accurate.

• Clear furniture, planters and storage from the deck and from underneath it.
• Take photos from each side, of the stairs, and of the underside or the footings if you can see them.
• Tell us the gate width and the route from the deck to where we will load.
• Mention anything attached: a hot tub, lights, a gas line to a barbecue, a pergola.
• If footings are coming out, book early enough for the locate request. Same-day service adds $50, but digging cannot start until the locates are back.