Why the side gate decides the job
Most Toronto backyards are reached by a side passage between houses, and on a semi or a row house that passage is narrow or does not exist at all. An assembled hot tub almost never fits through. That is why, on most jobs, the tub is broken down where it stands and carried out in sections.
The things worth photographing before you ask for a price:
- The gate and side passage, with something for scale, or the width if you can measure it.
- The tub itself, from two sides, with the cover off if you can.
- How it is set in. A tub sitting on a pad or on a deck surface is a straightforward lift. A tub sunk into a deck may need deck boards lifted around it, so mention it.
- The rear lane, if there is one. Many East York and west-end lots have a laneway garage at the back, and loading from the lane can be the shorter carry.
Three jobs to finish before removal day
1. Have the power disconnected
A hot tub runs on its own dedicated circuit, and it has to be disconnected before the tub is moved. In Ontario this is work for a licensed electrician: the Electrical Safety Authority's guidance for homeowners says that when you hire someone for electrical work, "by law, it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC)". Book the electrician first, and schedule the removal for a day after the tub has been disconnected.
2. Drain the tub
Drain it completely a day or two ahead, following the manufacturer's instructions for your model, so the shell and the pipes are empty and the panels have time to dry. A tub with water still in it is much heavier and spills into the yard and the truck when it is cut.
3. Set aside the spa chemicals
Chlorine, bromine, pH adjusters and clarifiers cannot go on a junk removal truck, because liquid chemicals are excluded from every load. Take them to one of the City of Toronto's drop-off depots that accepts household hazardous waste, or use them up on a neighbour's tub.
How the removal runs
With the tub disconnected and drained, the crew breaks it down where it stands: the cabinet panels come off, and the shell and frame are cut into sections that fit through the gate. The pieces, the cover and the steps are carried out to the truck, and the pad is swept.
Metal from the frame and the pumps is separated for recycling where it can be. Our junk removal service covers how a visit runs from booking to the swept-up spot.
If the tub is coming out as part of a bigger backyard clear-out, such as an old shed, a play structure or a garage full of junk, put it all in the same request. One visit for everything costs less than two visits for separate items, because it is all priced on the same load scale.
Can I sell or give it away instead?
A tub that still works and is less than a few years old may find a buyer on a local marketplace, but the buyer needs a truck, a crew, an electrician at their end and a way through your gate. Most older tubs, especially ones with a cracked shell, a failed pump or a cover that has taken on water, have no resale value, and removal is the realistic route.
If you are replacing the tub, ask the supplier whether taking the old one away is part of the delivery. If it is not, the old tub needs to be gone before the new one arrives, so book the removal first.
Questions to ask before you book anyone
- Is the price confirmed before work starts? It should be. Ours is confirmed from photos and again on site, before anything is cut or loaded.
- What happens to the cover, steps and surround? They should be in the same price, not added on the day.
- Who disconnects the power? It should be your licensed electrical contractor, before the crew arrives. Be wary of anyone offering to cut the wires themselves.
- Does the price include the clean-up? The pad should be swept and the pieces gone, not left by the curb.
Need a Hot Tub Gone in Toronto? Junk Alert Is Ready to Help
Send photos of the tub, the gate and the path to the street, and tell us when the electrician will have it disconnected. We will confirm the price before anything is booked.
See our junk removal service, compare loads on the pricing page, call us at (647) 456-6665, or contact us today. We work across Toronto and the GTA, Monday to Saturday from 7am.
