The next 30 days, hot tubs, sheds and swing sets before the snow
Homeowners want old hot tubs, sheds and playsets gone before the ground freezes. A 30-day plan to sell outdoor removal jobs while the weather still allows it.
Right now a lot of homeowners are looking at the backyard and seeing things they meant to deal with in the summer. The hot tub that has not run in two years. The shed with a sagging roof. The swing set the kids outgrew. Once snow covers them, they sit until spring. Before that, many owners want them gone.
These are big tickets for a junk removal company. They take more labor than a pile of boxes, but they also pay more, and few haulers market them on purpose. Here is a plan for the next 30 days.
Week 1: make the jobs visible
Most homeowners do not know that a junk removal company takes hot tubs or sheds. They assume they need a contractor or a demolition crew. Your first job is to tell them.
Add the services to your Google profile. Add "Hot tub removal," "Shed demolition and removal" and "Playset removal" as separate services, each with a one-line description and a price range if you are comfortable sharing one. Our Google Business Profile guide covers where these go.
Add them to your website. One short page for each is better than a line on the services list. Each page should say what is included, such as disconnecting, cutting up, hauling and sweeping the pad, and what is not, such as electrical work that needs a licensed electrician.
Post photos. If you have before-and-after shots of an old hot tub or shed, post them on your profile with the town name in the caption. If you do not, take them on your next job.
Week 2: price it so people say yes
Outdoor removal is where homeowners worry most about cost. They imagine a big demolition bill. Clear ranges calm them down.
Here is an example of how to present it. The numbers are placeholders. Use your own based on labor, dump fees and your market.
| Job | Example range | Usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Hot tub removal | $300 to $600 | Cut up, haul, disposal |
| Small shed, under 10x10 | $300 to $700 | Tear down, haul, rake area |
| Wood swing set | $200 to $450 | Disassemble, haul |
Say what changes the price: access through a gate, a deck around the tub, a concrete floor in the shed. Customers who know this up front do not argue later. Our pricing and quoting guide covers how to quote from photos and when to visit first.
Ask for photos on every quote request. A photo of the hot tub and the path to the truck tells you most of what you need.
Week 3: go after it with a small ad
This is a good place for a small, local Facebook or Instagram ad. People do not search for "hot tub removal" until they decide, but they recognize the problem when they see it.
Keep it simple:
- Image: a real before-and-after of a hot tub or shed you removed. No stock photos.
- Headline: "Old hot tub? Gone before the snow."
- Text: "We cut it up, haul it away and sweep the pad. Send a photo for a quote today."
- Area: a few miles around neighborhoods with bigger yards and older homes.
- Budget: a small daily amount for two weeks, then look at what came in.
Our Facebook and Instagram ads guide has more on targeting and budgets for haulers.
Week 4: work the neighbors and the past list
Two cheap moves to close the month.
Door hangers on the street. After every outdoor removal, leave a hanger on the neighbors' doors: "We just removed a hot tub at a house on your street. Need yours gone before winter? Text a photo for a quote." Neighbors notice when a big old tub disappears.
Text past customers. Anyone you hauled for this year already trusts you. Send a short note:
"Hi [name], [your name] from [company]. Before the snow, we're removing old hot tubs, sheds and swing sets. If you've got one, text a photo and we'll send a price today."
Make sure you can catch the calls
This kind of push only works if quote requests get a fast answer. A homeowner who sends a photo on Saturday and hears nothing until Monday may have already booked someone else. 36.8% of junk removal profiles in our benchmark report list no hours at all, and only 44.5% list Saturday hours. If you answer on weekends, say so on your profile.
Also check your reviews. The median hauler in our data has 44 Google reviews. Big, unusual jobs like hot tubs make great review stories, so ask every one of these customers. A review that says "they took out our old hot tub in two hours" sells the next one.
What to expect
You will not get a hot tub every day. But a few of these jobs in a month can change a slow stretch, and the photos and reviews keep working into spring, when people start on their backyards again. Use the calculator to see what a handful of extra large jobs, or a handful of missed quote requests, is worth to you.
If you want help listing these services and running the ads, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card. Text or call (385) 378-6189.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, junk removal and hauling companies among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor