How do you remove an old shed from your property?

The basic process for free-standing shed removal

1. Empty the contents (you or Junk Nurse can handle this).
2. Disconnect any utilities if applicable (most sheds don’t have any).
3. Disassemble the roof — shingles or metal panels, then plywood/OSB decking, then rafters.
4. Disassemble the walls — siding, then framing.
5. Disassemble the floor if on a wooden platform.
6. Load and haul all materials to disposal/recycling.

For a standard 8×10 or 10×12 wooden shed, this is a 2–5 hour job for a 2–3 person Junk Nurse crew.

What Junk Nurse can handle

• Wooden sheds up to about 12×16 feet
• Metal storage sheds (prefab kits)
• Plastic / resin sheds
• Playhouses and wooden play structures
• Smaller hobby greenhouses
• Lean-tos and small open shelters

What requires a permit or contractor

• Sheds attached to your house, garage, or other structure — this is remodeling demo, not junk removal. Permits required.
• Large outbuildings (over 200 sq ft) — may push into permit territory in Aurora.
• Sheds on poured concrete foundations — foundation removal requires concrete-cutting equipment we don’t carry. We can do everything above the foundation.
• Structures with hazardous materials (asbestos siding, lead paint on extensive surfaces) — certified abatement required first.

Aurora permit guidance

Generally, you DO NOT need a permit if:

• The shed is free-standing (not attached)
• The shed is on a non-permanent foundation (skids, blocks, small slab)
• No utilities require disconnection

You typically DO need a permit if:

• The shed is attached to a structure
• It’s over a certain square footage (varies by zoning)
• You’re removing a permanent foundation
• Hazmat is involved

Check with Aurora’s building department (call 311 or visit aurora.il.us) if you’re unsure.

Step-by-step DIY approach (for the determined)

If you want to remove a small shed yourself, here’s the order:

1. Empty everything

Lawn equipment, garden tools, paint cans, fertilizer, kids’ toys, holiday decorations. Many of these have specific disposal rules (paint, fuel, propane tanks — all hazmat that doesn’t go in regular trash).

2. Strip the roof

Pry off shingles or unscrew metal roofing panels. Then unscrew or pry off the decking.

3. Remove doors and windows

Often the easiest exit path for tools, since walls don’t need to come down yet.

4. Disassemble walls

Pry siding off framing. Unscrew or pry framing apart at corners. Walls come down in panels rather than as a single unit.

5. Floor

If the shed sits on a wooden platform, the platform is the last piece. Pry boards up from underneath.

6. Haul

You’ll need a truck and at least one helper. Plan for 1–3 truckloads depending on shed size. Find a transfer station that accepts C&D (construction debris). Pay tipping fees.

Total DIY cost: $100–$300 in tipping fees, plus your time (probably 1–2 full days). Plus the cost of disposing hazmat from the shed contents.

Shed removal cost in Aurora — Junk Nurse pricing

• Small plastic/resin shed: $250–$450
• Medium metal shed (8×10 to 10×12): $400–$700
• Basic wooden shed (8×10 to 10×12): $500–$900
• Larger wooden shed (12×16, complex): $800–$1,400
• Playhouse or play structure: $250–$600

Plus contents clearing if needed.

What happens to the materials

• Lumber and plywood: C&D recycling, where wood is processed for mulch or recovery
• Metal siding/roofing/framing: scrap metal recycling
• Shingles: some facilities recycle for asphalt paving; otherwise disposal
• Plastic panels: recycling where feasible

For full details, see our shed removal guide.