Repair & Replacement · Minneapolis, MN
Deck demolition and removal in Minneapolis
An old deck that is rotting, unsafe or simply in the way of what you want next still has to come down carefully, without damaging the house it is fastened to.
We take apart the decking, framing, stairs and footings, haul everything away, and check the house wall behind the old ledger.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Written scope before work starts
$1,240 to $4,770 per deck, based on 2026 Twin Cities jobs.
Deck demolition means removing the decking, railings, stairs, joists, beams, posts and usually the footings, then hauling the debris and checking the house rim where the ledger was attached. In Minneapolis it typically runs $1,240 to $4,770 per deck, depending on size, height, materials and how much concrete must come out. Ground-level wood decks sit low; tall walkout decks with deep footings sit high.
Why taking a deck down is more than tearing off boards
Pulling up deck boards is the easy part. The real work is lowering beams and joists without dropping them on a patio door, removing posts that may still carry part of the load, and digging or cutting out old concrete footings. On a tall deck off a walkout lower level, that means staging and taking things down in the right order. We plan the sequence before the first board comes up so nothing shifts or falls unexpectedly.
The most important moment comes when the ledger board comes off the house. Many decks built in the 1980s and 1990s were nailed to the house with no flashing, and water has been soaking the ledger and the rim joist behind it for decades. We look at that rim joist and the sheathing as soon as they are exposed. Sometimes it's fine. Sometimes it needs repair before you put a new deck, a patio or siding against it.
Demolition is often the first step of something else. Some homeowners are replacing a worn deck with a new one; others want a paver patio, a ground-level deck or simply more lawn. We remove the old structure with that next step in mind, leaving footings that can be reused when they meet frost depth and pulling the ones that would get in the way. Call us and tell us what comes next.
Removal scopes, from boards only to full site cleanup
Surface tear-off for redecking
When the framing is sound, we remove only the decking and railings, check the joists, and leave the frame ready for new boards. This is the smallest demolition scope and keeps your existing footings and frame in service.
Full removal, footings left
Everything above ground comes down and the posts are cut at the footings. Sound footings that meet frost depth can be reused for a new deck, which saves digging and inspection time.
Full removal, footings pulled
Every post, footing and concrete pier comes out, and the holes are backfilled and compacted. This is the right choice before a patio, a lawn or a new deck in a different spot.
Demo plus house wall repair
After the ledger comes off, we repair rotted rim joist and sheathing, add proper flashing, and close up the bolt holes, so the wall is sound for siding, a patio or a new deck.
How a deck demolition day goes
- 01Call
Walkthrough and plan
We look at the deck, ask what comes next, and plan the order of removal, the dumpster or trailer location and how to protect doors and windows.
- 02Visit
Protect the house
Patio doors, windows, siding, AC units and plantings near the deck get covered or shielded so falling lumber and swinging tools can't damage them.
- 03Scope
Strip boards and rails
Decking, railings and stairs come off first, sorted so metal hardware, composite boards and treated lumber can each go to the right disposal or recycling stream.
- 04Prep
Lower the frame
Joists come out in sequence, then beams are lowered with temporary support and posts removed, so nothing drops onto a patio or into a window well.
- 05Build
Footings and ledger
Footings are pulled or cut as agreed and the holes backfilled, then the ledger comes off so we can check the rim joist and sheathing behind it.
- 06Check
Haul away and rake
All debris leaves the site, the ground under the old deck is raked clean, and you get photos and notes on the condition of the house wall.
What deck removal typically costs in Minneapolis
Most deck removals we price in Minneapolis typically fall in the $1,240 to $4,770 per deck range. A small ground-level wood deck with posts on blocks sits at the low end. A tall walkout deck with long stairs, deep concrete footings and composite boards that need sorting sits higher. Disposal, access and whether the house wall needs repair afterward move the number. We price it once we see the deck.
What changes the price
- Deck size and height, including stairs and any multi-level sections
- Number and depth of concrete footings that must be pulled or cut
- Disposal of treated lumber, composite boards and old metal hardware
- Access for a dumpster or trailer from the driveway, alley or street
- Protection needed for patio doors, windows, AC units and plantings
- Rim joist, sheathing or flashing repair found once the ledger comes off
When removing a deck makes more sense than repairing it
Rot through most of the framing
When joists, beams and posts are soft across the deck rather than in one corner, repair costs climb toward a rebuild, and removal becomes the honest starting point.
Ledger never flashed
A ledger nailed straight to the house with no flashing has likely rotted the rim joist behind it. Taking the deck off is the only way to check it properly.
Footings far too shallow
Posts on blocks or footings well above the 42-inch frost depth heave every spring. Correcting them under a standing deck is often harder than starting over.
Deck no longer gets used
A deck that sits empty, blocks light into a lower-level window or eats half the yard may simply be better as lawn, a patio or garden space.
Selling with a problem deck
Decks that would fail a buyer's inspection can slow a sale. Removing it, and fixing the wall behind it, can be simpler than a rushed repair.
Plans for a fire pit area
Some plans, like a stone fire pit or a ground-level hot tub, work better on a paver patio than on the aging deck that stands there now.
What we find when old Twin Cities decks come down
Behind most decks built in the 1980s and 1990s around the Twin Cities, we find the same story: a ledger nailed to the house, no flashing over it, and dark, soft wood in the rim joist. On inner-ring ramblers in Richfield, Crystal or Roseville, that's often a single-story repair. On the tall two-story walkout decks common in Maple Grove, Plymouth and Eden Prairie, the ledger can run along a wall a full floor up, so we stage the work to reach it safely.
Footings are the other surprise. Many older decks sit on footings well short of the 42-inch frost depth that Minnesota code now requires, or on precast blocks that were never meant to carry a raised deck. Those come out completely if a new deck goes in, and the holes are backfilled. Demolition can happen year round, though frozen ground makes pulling footings slower, and planning removal for late fall or winter frees up a spot in the busy May through October building season.
Where we do deck removal around Minneapolis
Deck Removal jobs take our carpenters to these cities and neighborhoods most weeks, and to the rest of the metro too.
- Minneapolis 55414
- Saint Paul 55102
- Bloomington 55420
- Brooklyn Park 55443
- Plymouth 55447
- Woodbury 55125
- Maple Grove 55369
- Lakeville 55044
- Blaine 55434
- Eagan 55122
- Burnsville 55337
- Eden Prairie 55344
- Coon Rapids 55433
- Apple Valley 55124
- Edina 55424
- Minnetonka 55305
- St. Louis Park 55416
- Shakopee 55379
- Maplewood 55109
- Cottage Grove 55016
- Richfield 55423
- Roseville 55113
- Inver Grove Heights 55076
- Andover 55304
- Savage 55378
- Fridley 55432
- Chanhassen 55317
- Prior Lake 55372
Questions about deck removal
Do I need a permit for deck demolition and removal in Minneapolis?
Removing a deck on its own does not always need a building permit, but rules vary between Minneapolis and the suburbs, and some demolition work does call for one. If a new deck is going in right after, its permit covers that next step. We check with your city before we start so there are no surprises from an inspector.
What happens to the old lumber after a deck removal?
We haul it all away. Treated lumber should never be burned, especially boards from older decks treated with chemicals that were phased out of home use in the mid-2000s, so it goes to a facility that accepts it. Metal hardware is separated for scrap, and some composite boards can be recycled, depending on the maker.
Can existing footings be reused for a new deck after deck demolition?
Sometimes. If a footing goes below the 42-inch frost depth, is the right size for the new load and sits where the new design needs a post, we can reuse it once the inspector agrees. Footings that are shallow, cracked or in the wrong place come out. We tell you which ones are keepers after we dig around them.
How long does deck demolition take for an average backyard deck?
A ground-level or single-story deck usually comes down in a day, sometimes two if every footing is pulled. A tall walkout deck with stairs and several levels takes longer because the frame is lowered in stages. Weather and access to the dumpster spot matter too. You get the expected timing when we set the date.
Will deck removal damage the siding or patio door behind it?
We protect doors, windows and siding before demolition starts, and we lower framing rather than letting it fall. Some siding near the ledger is usually already damaged by years of water, and patching it is part of closing up the wall. We point out any existing damage before we start so you know what was there.
Talk to us about deck removal
Call any hour about deck removal, tell us what you are seeing, and we will set a time to look and write up a scope.