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Tear Down an Old Shed or Garage and Haul Away

The old shed or detached garage is rotted, leaning or in the way of something new, and you want it gone and the ground left clean.

JMB Builders will tear down an old shed or garage and haul it away anywhere in the Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. Utilities are disconnected first, then the building comes down, the debris is hauled off, the slab is broken out if you want it gone, and the site is left graded. Priced per project after a site visit.

  • Priced per project after a site visit
  • Building down and debris hauled away
  • Slab removal as an option
  • Site left graded
  • Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Wood framing of a small building on a job site

An old shed or garage is not just lumber. There may be power, water or gas running to it, shingles and siding to sort, and a slab or footings in the ground. A clean teardown starts with the utilities shut off and ends with graded dirt, not a pile of nails in the grass.

Any power, water or gas to the building has to be disconnected before demolition. That is done by a licensed electrician or plumber, or by the utility company, and we schedule it. Many cities also require a demolition permit; we pull it with the job. Older buildings may have materials that need to be checked before they are torn out.

After the building is down and hauled away, the slab can stay for a new building or a patio, or be broken out and hauled. The site is graded so water drains and it is ready for seed, sod or the next building.

What you supply

  • Utilities to the building disconnected by a licensed trade or the utility company
  • Contents removed from the building
  • Decision on the slab: keep it or break it out

What JMB supplies

  • A walk-through before the quote
  • The demolition permit pulled with your city or county when one is required
  • Gopher State One Call (811) locate request before any digging
  • Tear-down of the building
  • Loading and hauling of the debris
  • Slab and footings broken out and hauled, when quoted
  • Site graded so it drains, ready for seed, sod or a new building
  • Photos of the cleared site in your job folder

How it is priced: per project

Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:

  • Size of the building and what it is built from
  • Roofing layers, siding and materials to haul
  • Slab or footings left in place or broken out
  • Access for a machine and a dumpster or truck
  • How close it sits to the house, fences or trees
  • Materials that need testing or special handling

Send photos of all four sides, the inside and the floor, plus the size of the building.

How long it takes

A small shed: often half a day. A detached single-stall or two-stall garage with the slab out: one to three days.

How your project works

  1. 1

    Send photos, get a written quote

    Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.

  2. 2

    Pick materials, or bring your own

    We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.

  3. 3

    Clean, precise installation

    The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.

  4. 4

    Walkthrough and invoice

    We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.

Situations and options

Shed teardown

A backyard shed torn down and hauled away, the floor or skids removed, and the spot raked and graded.

Detached garage teardown

Garage down to the slab, roofing, siding and framing hauled away. The slab stays or goes as you choose.

Slab and footing removal

The concrete floor, apron and footings broken out and hauled. The hole is filled and compacted, and the site graded.

Tear down and rebuild

Old building out, then site prep for a new garage, shed or pole barn on the same spot.

Tear Down an Old Shed or Garage and Haul Away: questions, answered

Do I need a permit to tear down a shed or garage?

Many Minnesota cities require a demolition permit for a garage, and some for a larger shed. We check with your city or county and pull the permit as part of the job. The permit usually asks for proof that the utilities are disconnected, so we line that up first.

Who disconnects the power to an old garage before it comes down?

A licensed electrician disconnects the power, and a licensed plumber or the gas utility handles water or gas. Utilities are disconnected before demolition starts. Tell us what runs to the building when you send the photos.

Can you remove the concrete slab too?

Yes. The slab, the apron and any footings can be broken out and hauled away, then the ground filled and graded. If you plan to build on the same spot, it is worth asking whether the old slab can be reused first.

What happens to the debris from a garage teardown?

It is loaded and hauled away. Nothing is buried on site. The site is raked and graded when the debris is gone.

What should I check for before tearing down an old garage?

Older buildings can have materials like asbestos in siding or roofing or lead paint. If the building is old, have the suspect materials checked before demolition. Also check for buried fuel tanks, wells or septic lines near the building.

How is shed or garage demolition priced?

We price tear-downs per project. Size, materials, whether the slab comes out, and how easy the site is to get a truck into all move the price. Send photos for a first look, and a site visit makes the quote firm.

Recent JMB work, from our job log

59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.

Get a written quote for this job

Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.

Free quote from your photos in one business day · No obligation · Licensed contractor

Photos (up to 3 — the fastest way to a price)

One wide shot of the room or wall, one close-up of the trim or opening, one of anything you're unsure about.

Related jobs we do

Page reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All excavation pages

Where we work

Excavation near you

Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: