Single-item removal
Deck removal and demolition in the NW Chicago suburbs
Most decks in this area were built in the 1980s and 1990s, which means a lot of them are reaching the end of their lives at the same time. A rotting deck is a liability, and taking one apart is heavier work than it looks from the patio door.
- Licensed & Insured
- 1 to 2 Hour Response
- Free Estimates
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- Family Owned
Why this one is harder than it looks
Decks are structural and they are attached to your house. The ledger board is bolted or nailed into the framing, and pulling it carelessly damages siding, sheathing, and sometimes the rim joist. Footings run below the frost line, which in northern Illinois means 42 inches of concrete pier per post. Older decks are pressure-treated lumber that has been absorbing water for thirty years, and wet treated lumber is far heavier than the same board was when new.
Where it actually ends up
Pressure-treated lumber cannot be recycled or burned and goes to a licensed disposal facility. Composite decking goes the same way. Deck screws, joist hangers, and railing hardware are pulled for scrap metal where volume makes it worthwhile. Concrete footings, when removed, are weight-priced and go to a concrete recycler where one will take them.
How we do it
- Confirm what is coming out: surface boards only, full frame, or footings as well
- Remove railings and stairs first
- Strip decking, then joists, then beams
- Detach the ledger from the house carefully and flash or seal the scar
- Pull or cut posts and footings if they are in scope
- Grade and rake the footprint so it is ready for whatever comes next
What drives the price
- Square footage and height off the ground, since second-story decks cost more
- Whether footings and posts come out or get cut at grade
- Wet, rotted treated lumber, which is heavier and prices by weight
- Whether the ledger detachment needs care around siding you are keeping
- Stairs, railings, and built-in benches or planters
Free estimates, quotes typically starting around $125
Before you call us
Can your village take it instead?
A demolished deck arrives all at once as several tons of treated lumber, and no weekly program absorbs that. Buffalo Grove allows one oversized item a week through Waste Management, which is a fine rule for a recliner and useless for a deck. Barrington's one-cubic-yard weekly debris allowance is roughly a few contractor bags against a load measured in tons.
See the rules for your townDeck Removal questions
Deck Removal, answered
Still have a question? Give us a call, we pick up.
- The ledger board is the risk, and that is exactly why it comes off carefully rather than with a pry bar and enthusiasm. We seal the scar so water does not get behind the siding before your next step.
Need it gone?
Send a photo and we will quote it. We answer in 1 to 2 hours.