Suburban life differs a bit from that found in the downtown areas of cities like San Diego. Those in apartments, condominiums, and townhouses rarely have enough storage, for example, and they almost never have a storage shed. 

While many of these residents may be renting a storage unit at a nearby self-storage facility, any kind of shed is unlikely to be had. Of course, some urban homes may have a back porch or even a sizable patio. In those instances, it’s not unusual for folks to set up a small tool shed, usually one of the heavy-duty plastic models. 

But for those living in single-family houses, the preponderance of backyard sheds is on a whole other level.

And one of the facts of suburban life is that those sheds don’t last forever, and many will need to be removed eventually.

Why Do You Need to Remove Your Shed?

There are a few reasons why you need a shed removal and chief among these is the eventual breakdown of your old shed. And when it comes to removing sheds, the reasons for it and the methods required largely depend on the construction of the sheds.

Generally speaking, backyard sheds – whether they’re used for storing tools, storing toys and other outdoor items, or used for gardening purposes – are constructed of one of three types of materials:

• Wood
• Metal
• Plastic

Wooden sheds, which are increasingly less common, are subject to wood rot, decay, and general sagging and deterioration. Metal construction is far more resistant to decay but do fall victim to rust unless they’re constructed of aluminum. 

According to one article,

“A metal shed can be made of either steel or galvanized aluminum. Metal sheds have been available for many years and are a common first-time shed purchase because they are the least expensive shed kit option. However, they are not as strong as resin or wooden sheds.”

The most popular material being used today seems to be plastic resin. These resin sheds are also known as plastic sheds, vinyl sheds, or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sheds. Resin sheds are usually constructed of a high quality plastic material making them lighter, stronger, and more durable than wooden sheds.

Nonetheless, any backyard or outdoor shed will eventually reach a point where it is no longer usable or simply needs to be replaced. Which means that it has to be removed.

And that begs the question, how does a shed removal work?

Step by Step Guide for How to Remove a Shed

The good news is that for most sheds and most homeowners or tenants, the first part of shed removal – dismantling the shed – is within their realm of abilities and skill sets.

Of course, not everyone wants to take on that type of project which is why preferred junk removal firms like Junk King San Diego can often take care of that for you with our professional shed removal service. 

But, if you are more of a DIY type of homeowner, here’s a step-by-step guide for getting your shed ready for removal and disposal.

Step 1: Empty the Shed

• For items you want to keep, make sure they’re moved and stored somewhere safe before you start your shed demolition.
• Everything else should go into three piles: junk/debris, donate/recycle, and hazardous disposal items.

Step 2: Remove Windows

• Remove trim, if any, from the interior and exterior of the windows.
• Remove any window jambs or frames and remove the window sashes.
• Pry the window frame from the wall opening.

Step 3: Take Off Doors

• With the door closed, tap the hinge pins on the bottom of the pin with a hammer and nail.
• Once loose, use a flat-head screwdriver to drive up on the underside of the pinheads to remove them.

Step 4: Tear Off Roof

• The roof is the place to start whether you’re tearing down a wooden, resin, or metal shed.
• Taking the proper safety precautions when using ladders. For traditional roofs, carefully strip shingles off first.
• Disassemble any wooden or metal framework of your roof structure.

Step 5: Tear Down Walls

• Start with the wall with the doorway in it, as it is the least structurally sound.
• In wooden sheds, remove any existing drywall.
• Pry or unscrew and remove the walls one by one.

Step 6: Pull Up Floor

• If there’s wood flooring, pry it up using a pry bar or flooring tool.
• If there is no flooring but a concrete slab, this will have to be broken up and removed unless you choose to leave it in place.

Once your shed has been completely dismantled, the final step is to clean up and remove the debris. Ideally, you should have three piles to dispose of: debris, reuse or recycle, and special disposal (for hazardous materials)

Of course, those large piles of debris and other items can lead to even more pressing questions such as “How do you remove a shed?” and “How long does it take to remove a shed?” And, of course, the answers all depend on other factors. Are you doing everything yourself? How large is your shed? And are you considering a professional shed removal service instead?

So, perhaps a better question to ask is “How do you get rid of your old shed easily and affordably?”

And that’s where the experts at Junk King San Diego can help!

Tips & Tricks When Removing a Shed

We already considered the question of how long should it take to remove a shed? The most obvious answer is “It depends.” But to be more specific, an average size backyard shed can usually be fully dismantled in a day even by one person without help. 

However, this too depends on the construction, materials, and type of shed being taken down.

Also, you should consider some things not allowed when removing sheds such as a demolition permit for certain types or sizes of structures. 

Keep in mind that when you replace your old shed with a newer – and possibly bigger – model, that a permit may be required.

For example, the County of San Diego specifies that a building permit shall not be required for one-story detached accessory buildings used as non-habitable space such as tool or storage sheds provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet and no plumbing, electrical or mechanical permit is required for the structure.

These accessory buildings, however, shall be subject to County Zoning Ordinance requirements and limitations.

It is safer to check with the city and the county first, especially if a permit was required to build or install your shed in the first place.

How to Remove a Shed Successfully

Once your old shed has been completely dismantled, deconstructed, or simply demolished, it is time to remove the remains of that shed. And this can be an overwhelming task for most homeowners or renters. 

While there are many pickup truck owners in the City of San Diego and the greater San Diego area, not everyone owns a truck. So, that puts a wrinkle in the process right at the start. And cleaning up and loading all the parts, materials, and debris can be a bit difficult for many residents, especially those that are older or have physical limitations.

All of which is why we highly recommend turning to the experts in local shed removal service: Junk King San Diego.

Simply give us a call and we can have all that debris and junk cleared up, loaded, and hauled away quickly, safely, and affordably. And best of all, if you need help with dismantling your old shed, we can often take care of that for you, too!

Just let us know what you have and what needs to be done and we can provide you with a free estimate and let you know what we can or cannot do for you when it comes to the actual demolition.

Junk King San Diego: Your Local Partner for Old Shed and Yard Debris Removal

It’s nice to know that you don’t have to do all the hard work of taking down and hauling off that old tool or storage shed from your backyard. And having the pros from Junk King take care of it for you means it doesn’t need to be expensive.

Plus, we do all the heavy lifting! 

Just make a quick call to Junk King San Diego and you are guaranteed to get the city’s greenest, most affordable, and most reliable residential yard waste removal services. And, for many of our customers, our services come in handy for a whole range of residential junk and rubbish.

At Junk King San Diego, we provide a wide variety of professional residential junk removal and hauling services for our friends and neighbors throughout the entire San Diego area.

So, no matter where you live in or near San Diego, you simply need to make a call and we’ll come to your home, often on the same day. And we service the entire San Diego area including places like Spring Valley, Lemon Grove Jamul, Bonita, El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Alpine, Dulzura, Ramona, and Lakeside, to name just a few.

And we’re reliable.

Which is important since your time is valuable. And after you make an appointment with us, our expert yard waste and junk removal team will always show on time, as promised.

All of which means that you can be confident our residential – and commercial – junk removal services will be fast, easy, and affordable. How affordable? You can get an estimate today online or by simply calling Junk King San Diego and let us know about the yard waste and other trash and junk items you need to have cleared out of your home or workplace.

We’ll give you an estimate in writing that is guaranteed to beat any other written estimate. And if you like our price, we can easily schedule a pickup time that works with your busy schedule.

And we are also both green and eco-friendly, as well.

So, are you ready to get rid of that old shed and yard debris? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

You can make an appointment by booking online or by calling us at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).