Old Fence Removal and Haul Away — Posts and Footings Pulled
A falling-down fence, a chain link fence you never wanted, or a line that has to be cleared before the new fence goes in — posts, concrete and all.
JMB Builders does old fence removal and haul away across the Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. Panels, pickets, chain link and wire come down, posts and their concrete footings are pulled with a machine, and everything is hauled to disposal or metal recycling. The holes are filled, tamped and graded so the line is ready for a new fence, sod or seed. Priced per linear foot.
- Priced per linear foot of fence
- Concrete footings pulled, not cut off
- Holes filled, tamped and graded
- Wood, chain link, vinyl and wire hauled
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Taking down a fence is fast. Getting the posts out is the job. Most wood and chain link posts in the Twin Cities are set in concrete, and a footing is a heavy plug of concrete in the ground. Cutting the post off at grade leaves that plug where the next post or the mower will find it. We pull the footing out whole with a machine, fill the hole with soil and tamp it so it does not sink.
Wood panels and pickets go to disposal. Chain link fabric, top rail and steel posts go to metal recycling. Vinyl is cut down and hauled. The line is raked and graded when we leave, ready for seed, sod or the new fence posts. If the new fence is going in the same line, we can reuse the holes and save a step.
What you supply
- Photos of the fence from both ends and a close-up of a post at the ground
- Your survey or the property pins if the fence is on or near a lot line
- Agreement with the neighbor when the fence is shared
- Sprinkler lines and dog fence pointed out
What JMB supplies
- Utility locate before any posts are pulled
- Panels, pickets, wire and rails taken down and loaded
- Posts and concrete footings pulled with a skid steer or post puller
- Holes filled with soil and tamped, the line raked and graded
- Haul-away to disposal, with steel to metal recycling
- Seed or sod on the line when you want it, quoted as its own line
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Fence type: wood privacy, chain link, vinyl, split rail or wire
- How many posts are set in concrete and how big the footings are
- Machine access along the line vs. a fence behind a garage or in a tight side yard
- Vines, brush or trees grown into the fence
- Gates, gate posts and any fence on a retaining wall or slope
- Seed, sod or new fence posts on the same visit
Send a photo of one post where it meets the ground. It usually shows whether it is set in concrete, and that is the biggest part of the quote.
How long it takes
A typical back yard fence: one day to remove, pull footings and grade. Long or overgrown lines: two days.
How your project works
- 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
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
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
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
Wood privacy fence
Panels and pickets unscrewed or cut into sections, rails off, posts and footings pulled. The most common tear-out, usually before a new fence goes in.
Chain link fence
Fabric rolled, top rail and ties off, steel posts and their concrete pulled. The steel goes to metal recycling. Line posts in older chain link fences often sit in big footings.
Removal before a new fence
Old fence out and the line graded the same week the new fence goes in. If the new posts can use the same spacing, the old holes are cleaned out and reused.
Old Fence Removal and Haul Away — Posts and Footings Pulled: questions, answered
How do you remove fence posts set in concrete?
Pull the whole footing out of the ground with a machine: a skid steer with a chain, or a post puller where a machine will not fit. Digging around each footing by hand is slow, and cutting the post off at grade leaves the concrete in the ground. Once it is out, the hole gets filled with soil and tamped so it does not settle.
Can you cut the fence posts off at the ground instead?
We can, but it leaves the concrete in the ground, right where a new post or a garden bed would go. It is cheaper only when nothing is going in that line again. We price it both ways if you ask.
What do you do with the old fence?
Wood and vinyl go to a disposal site. Chain link fabric, rails and steel posts go to metal recycling. Concrete footings are hauled with the rest or to a concrete recycler. Nothing is left on your lot unless you want to keep something, like gate hardware or good panels.
Do I need my neighbor's permission to remove a fence?
If the fence is yours and on your lot, no. If it sits on the lot line or the neighbor paid for part of it, talk to them first; tearing out a shared fence can start a dispute. If you are not sure where the line is, your survey or the property pins answer that before we pull anything.
Will my yard be torn up after fence removal?
Along the line, for a bit. The machine leaves some tracks, and each footing leaves a hole that we fill, tamp and grade. We rake the line smooth; seed or sod on it is its own line on the quote, and new fence posts can go in the same week.
Can you remove a fence in a tight back yard with no gate?
Yes. Where a skid steer cannot get in, posts come out with a post puller and footings are broken or lifted by hand, and the debris is carried to the trailer. It takes longer, and the quote reflects the carry.
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.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All landscaping pages
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