Deck removal cost in Toronto
Deck removal in Toronto runs from a few hundred dollars for a small ground-level deck to several thousand for a large raised one. This guide sets GTA ranges by size and height next to our posted price, explains footings and locates, and works through an example with 13% HST.
What deck removal costs in Toronto
A deck is mostly lumber, so the price follows its size, its height off the ground and how it is anchored. A 10 by 10 foot deck on skids is a morning's work. A second-storey deck over a walkout, with stairs and a roof of its own, is not.
GTA companies we checked in October 2026 posted the ranges in the middle column below. Disposal is included in most of them. Our posted price covers a deck up to 200 square feet with disposal included, and larger or raised decks are quoted from photos.
| Deck | GTA companies we checked, October 2026 | Our posted price, before HST |
|---|---|---|
| Ground level, about 10 by 10 ft (100 sq ft) | $500 to $800 with disposal | from $750, up to 200 sq ft. Disposal included. |
| Ground level, about 20 by 10 ft (200 sq ft) | $700 to $1,200 with disposal | from $750, up to 200 sq ft. Disposal included. |
| Small to mid-size, ground level or single storey | $500 to $1,500 with haul-away in two Toronto price lists | from $750, up to 200 sq ft. Disposal included. |
| Larger than 200 sq ft | $1,200 to $3,500 for 150 to 300 sq ft, and $2,500 to $6,000 or more past 300 sq ft in a Toronto contractor guide | Quoted from photos. |
| Raised, second storey or multi-level | $1,500 to $3,500 with haul-away | Quoted from photos. Height and access decide it. |
| Footings, each | $40 to $120 | Set on the quote. Concrete hauled out is billed under heavy material, from $350 per cu yd. |
Ground level versus raised
A ground-level deck sits close enough to the soil that the boards, joists and posts can be taken apart from the top and carried straight out. The job is mostly labour and weight.
A raised deck changes three things. The frame is taller, so there is more lumber per square foot. It is bolted to the house through a ledger board, and that connection has to be taken apart carefully. And everything comes down in order, boards first and frame last, because the structure has to carry the people working on it until the end.
Toronto's building permit page uses 60 centimetres (24 inches) above the adjacent finished grade as the line for new construction. A new deck above it needs a building permit, and an uncovered platform at or below it does not, provided it also meets the Zoning Bylaw. The page does not say anything about removing a deck, so that is a question for Toronto Building if the structure is attached or covered.
Size, stairs and footings
A Toronto contractor guide scales the range with size, and the bands below match the pattern in the company price lists we checked.
- Under 150 sq ft: about $800 to $1,800 in the Toronto guide.
- 150 to 300 sq ft: about $1,200 to $3,500.
- More than 300 sq ft: about $2,500 to $6,000 or more.
Stairs, rails and skirting
Stairs, rails, privacy screens and lattice skirting are part of the structure, and they all leave with it. Tell us in the photos if the deck has a roof, a pergola or a built-in bench. Those add lumber and take longer to take apart.
Footings
Most decks stand on concrete footings, and published GTA ranges put the removal of each at $40 to $120. The footings can stay in the ground with the posts cut off at the surface, or they can be dug out. Which one you want depends on what goes there next: a new deck often reuses the footing positions, while a lawn or a garden bed is easier without them. Concrete that comes out of the ground is heavy, and we bill it under our heavy material line, from $350 per cu yd.
Composite versus pressure-treated wood
No GTA price list we checked set a different price for composite and pressure-treated decking, so we cannot give you a market figure for the difference. What differs is the work.
Pressure-treated boards are usually face-screwed or nailed, and they come off with a bar and a driver. Some composite systems use hidden clips, and the fastening can take longer to release than face screws. Composite boards can also be heavy, and weight over the allowance is billed from the scale ticket. Photos of the underside of the boards, or of a board edge, tell us which system you have.
If you plan to haul it yourself, Toronto's drop-off depots list pressure treated wood and lumber up to 4 feet long among the accepted renovation waste, with fees for renovation waste. Concrete and bricks are not accepted at the depots, so footings need another route. Composite decking is not named on that page, so check the Waste Wizard before you load a truck.
Before you dig: Ontario Dig Authority locates
Ontario One Call now operates as Ontario Dig Authority. Its site says locates are required for any project that breaks ground, no matter the size or depth of the excavation, and that the service is free and required by law. You request a locate at least 5 business days before you dig, each utility sends someone to mark its buried lines, and you must request a new locate if your project changes.
Pulling footings out of the ground breaks ground, and so does digging for the replacement deck's new footings. Ask who is digging before you book, and submit the request early enough that the 5 business days are up before the dig day.
Worked example: a 12 by 14 ground-level deck
A 12 by 14 foot pressure-treated deck is 168 square feet, so it sits inside our posted deck price for up to 200 square feet. The footings stay in the ground. Here is the invoice with and without same-day service.
| Line | Standard booking | With same-day service |
|---|---|---|
| Deck removal, 168 sq ft, disposal included | $750 | $750 |
| Same-day service | Not added | $50 |
| Subtotal | $750 | $800 |
| 13% HST | $97.50 | $104 |
| Total | $847.50 | $904 |
Ways to spend less
Decks are one of the few demolition jobs where the homeowner can do real work before the day.
- Clear the deck: furniture, planters, barbecue and anything stored underneath. Anything left on it gets hauled with it.
- Take off the loose parts you can handle: rails, spindles and railing posts held by bolts. They are quick to remove and light.
- Send photos from the side, from above and of the underside. Height is the detail that changes the quote most.
- Tell us what goes there next. Leaving the footings in the ground for a new deck saves digging and a locate request.
- Book for a day with open access to the yard. A gate that is wide enough for a wheelbarrow saves carrying time.
- Tell us if the deck covers the gas connection, a hose bib or an air conditioning line, so nothing is pulled loose on the day.
Questions
GTA companies we checked in October 2026 posted $500 to $800 for a ground-level deck of about 10 by 10 feet and $1,500 to $3,500 for a large raised or multi-level one. Our posted price is from $750 for a deck up to 200 sq ft before HST. Disposal included.
Yes. A raised deck has a taller frame, more lumber and a ledger connection to the house, and it comes down in order from the top. GTA companies we checked posted $1,500 to $3,500 for raised and multi-level decks. We quote them from photos so height and access are in the number.
Published GTA ranges put each footing at $40 to $120. Concrete that comes out of the ground is billed under our heavy material line, from $350 per cu yd. Tell us whether the footings stay or go, because digging them out means a locate request first.
We did not find a GTA price list that prices them differently. The work differs: composite boards can be held by hidden clips and can weigh more, and weight over the allowance is billed from the scale ticket. Send a photo of a board edge and we confirm.
Yes. Ontario Dig Authority, which Ontario One Call now operates as, says locates are required for any project that breaks ground, no matter the size or depth. The request is free and needs at least 5 business days' notice.
Toronto's permit page does not name deck removal. It says a new deck more than 60 centimetres above ground needs a building permit, and an uncovered platform at or below that height does not, as long as it follows the Zoning Bylaw. If your deck is attached to the house or covered, ask Toronto Building before you start.
Yes. Every price on this page is before 13% HST. In the example above, $750 becomes $847.50 once HST is added.
Get a quote from your photos
Tell us what needs to go, add photos and leave a number. We price from the posted rates.