In short
- One Ottawa firm's price page prints no single price for demolition: it is quoted up front from size, materials, weight and access.
- Once a structure is in pieces, hauling is priced by the share of a truck: $425 for a half and $695 for a full load on one Ottawa list.
- At Trail Road, shed wood weighs in as household garbage and clean footing concrete as fill, at $144 a tonne in 2026.
- A new shed under 15 square metres needs no building permit in Ottawa; a deck attached to the house and more than 600 mm above grade does.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition of a shed or deck | Quoted up front | One Ottawa firm: priced from scope, materials, weight, access and labour; no number printed |
| Hauling the pieces, half truck | $425 | One Ottawa firm’s list |
| Hauling the pieces, half truck | $645 | A second firm’s list, 16 cubic yards |
| Hauling the pieces, full load | $695 / $985 | Same two lists, plus tax on the second |
| City landfill, wood and construction material | $172.70/tonne | 2026 Trail Road rate, minimum $43.20 under 250 kg |
| City landfill, concrete without rebar | $144/tonne | 2026 Trail Road rate, minimum $36 under 250 kg |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026. Junk Gods, Ottawa pricing (demolition section, truck sizes). Mighty Mouse Junk Removal, pricing guide. City of Ottawa: Rates for the Trail Waste Facility Landfill; Detached garages and sheds; Decks. The company that calls you sets its own price.
Teardown and haul-away are two jobs
A junk crew can load what is already on the ground. Taking a shed or deck down first is demolition, and companies quote it separately. One Ottawa firm writes that demolition varies widely with the size of the structure, the materials, the weight and disposal costs, the access, and the labour and equipment, and that it is always quoted up front.
In the request, say which of the three jobs you need: haul-away only, teardown and haul-away, or teardown with the slab or footings. The company that calls prices each one.
What the structure is made of
Wood, metal, vinyl and plastic sheds come apart differently.
- Wood shed. Wall panels, rafters and plywood floor. Light per piece, bulky in the truck.
- Metal shed. Sheet panels and a frame. Sharp edges, and metal separates for recycling. The landfill takes source-separated scrap metal free of charge.
- Deck. Joists, boards, rails, stairs and posts. Posts and footings go into the ground, sometimes into concrete.
If the lumber is pressure-treated, say so in the request and ask the company where it goes.
What the City says about size
The City’s permit pages are about building, and they show what counts as small. A one-storey accessory building ancillary to the house and under 15 square metres (162 sq ft) needs no building permit to construct. A deck needs a permit when it is attached to the house and its walking surface is more than 600 mm (24 in.) above grade, or freestanding with a walking surface above 10 square metres and more than 600 mm high. These numbers are for new construction. For removing an old one, the pages do not say, so ask the City’s Development Information Officers (613-580-2424, extension 23434, dioinquiry@ottawa.ca) before work starts.
Price drivers
- Size and height. A small garden shed and a two-storey workshop are different crews.
- Access. A back yard behind a house with no side lane means carrying pieces by hand to the truck.
- Footings and slab. Concrete is charged by weight at the landfill ($144 a tonne for clean fill, 2026).
- Contents. Whatever is inside is a separate load. A shed full of tools and paint cans is two jobs.
- Truck load. After teardown, a half truck lists at $425 or $645 on two Ottawa firms’ lists, a full load at $695 or $985. A pile of shed panels is mostly air, so the share of truck is what counts. Compare with the whole-job table on junk removal cost in Ottawa.
Where the pieces go
Mixed shed wood pays Trail Road’s household rate, $172.70 for each tonne past the first 250 kg in 2026. Metal sheets and frames are accepted free when separated. Concrete without rebar is $144 a tonne. The landfill refuses commercial garbage, liquid and hazardous waste, so the stored paint, fuel and propane have a separate route: items haulers cannot take. A yard full of cut branches and fence boards is a different load again: yard waste removal.
Booking and timing
Ask whether the company takes the structure down and hauls in one visit or two. A bin on the road needs a City permit, set out on bin rental prices. A garage clear-out inside is on garage cleanout.
Who you are dealing with
Your photos of the shed or deck go to one independent company, and its call settles whether it takes the teardown, the haul or both. From that point the scope and the crew are its own. Get the scope in writing: what comes down, what stays, and who removes the slab.
Questions to ask the company
- Does the quote cover taking the structure apart, or only hauling what I have taken apart?
- Does the price include the slab, footings or deck posts in the ground?
- If the shed has a power cable, do I book an electrician to disconnect it first?
- What happens to treated lumber and metal roofing?
- Will the crew rake and sweep the spot afterwards?
Have this ready for the call
- Photos of the structure from all four sides and of the roof
- Length, width and height, and whether the floor is on skids, blocks or a slab
- A note on what stands inside: shelves, a workbench, paint, fuel, a mower
- The path for a truck: gate width, lane access, overhead wires, a fence in the way
- Whether the shed has a power cable or a light, so the company knows before it starts
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to take down a shed in Ottawa?
The City pages we opened deal with building a shed or deck and stay silent on removal. For a new shed the line is 15 square metres. For a demolition question, call 3-1-1 or the City’s Development Information Officers at 613-580-2424, extension 23434, and ask before the crew books.
How big can a shed be before the City treats it as a building?
The City says an accessory building ancillary to the house and under 15 square metres (162 sq ft) needs no building permit to construct. Other accessory types over 10 square metres (108 sq ft) do. Size tells the crew how many people and how much truck to plan.
Does the deck height matter for removal?
It matters for the work, since a deck attached to the house and more than 600 mm (24 in.) above grade needs a permit to build, and it comes down in sections with posts set in the ground. Give the height in the request so the company sends the right crew.
Where does the old shed wood end up?
Painted boards, hinges and shingles go in as household garbage by weight, and the hauler’s truck price usually covers that fee. Footing concrete kept clean is cheaper per tonne as fill. Metal panels separated out go free. Ask the company which route your pieces take.
My shed has paint and fuel cans inside. Who handles those?
Fuel, paint and propane do not ride with the debris. The City landfill refuses hazardous waste, and bin companies list paint, propane and gasoline as refused. Empty the shed or name the contents in the request so the company plans the stop.
