The short answer
Hot tub removal is one visit once the power is off. Have an electrician disconnect it before we arrive; then we drain the tub, cut it into pieces that fit through gates and side yards, carry them out, haul them away and clean up the area. Pricing starts at $250, and your exact price comes by text from photos, because size and access change the work.
Before we arrive: disconnect the power
Have an electrician disconnect the power before we arrive. That part is on you, and it needs to be done before the day.
We drain what's left in the tub on the day, so you don't need to do that part. If the cover is still on, leave it. We take that too.
If the tub is in-ground or built into a deck, send photos first so we can tell you what's possible.
Also clear the path. Move cars, bikes, planters and patio furniture out of the side yard and away from the gate so the crew can carry pieces straight out. Unlock the gate or leave instructions if you won't be home.
How the removal goes
Here's how the day goes once the power is off.
Most of the work is the cutting and carrying. That's why access matters so much to the price, and why a photo of the path out is worth sending.
- Drain: we drain what's left in the tub.
- Cut down: the shell and frame are cut into pieces that fit through gates and side yards.
- Carry out: pieces are carried to the truck and loaded on the trailer.
- Haul away: everything leaves with us.
- Clean up: we clean the area we worked in before we leave.
“The workers did an excellent job cutting it up. They cleaned the areas they worked in completely.”
Narrow side yards are normal
Backyard tubs in Pasadena, Altadena and the San Gabriel Valley often won't fit through the gate in one piece. That's why we cut them down. Send a photo of the path out with your tub photos and we'll plan the cuts around it.
Cutting it down also means you don't need a crane, a forklift or a wide-open gate. The pieces go out the same way you walk in.
Foothill homes can mean steep driveways and long carries to the street. That's fine; it just goes into the quote.
San Marino and Arcadia lots can mean a long walk from the backyard to the truck. Tell us where the truck and trailer can park, and we'll price the carry from there.
What to send in your photos
The better the photos, the closer the estimate. Here's what to include.
Text them to (562) 219-9266. It's the fastest way to a price.
If you can, include something for scale, like a person or a patio chair, next to the tub. Tell us if it's an above-ground tub, a swim spa or built in.
- The whole tub, from a few angles
- The cover, steps and any surround
- The path from the tub to the street, including gates and side yards
- Where the truck and trailer can park
- Your city
What's left after we're gone
When we're done, the tub, the cover, the steps and the pieces are gone, and we clean the area we worked in. What stays is whatever the tub sat on: a concrete pad, pavers, a deck or dirt.
If you want that gone too, send photos. Concrete is heavy, so it's priced from photos, and slabs and foundations are a send-photos-first job so we can tell you what's possible. A deck or patio cover can be part of a small demolition job, with the debris hauled away.
Will the city's bulky pickup take a hot tub?
Check your city's list before you plan on it. None of the four programs below names hot tubs or spas as an accepted item, and most cap how many items a pickup takes. A tub that has been cut into sections is also a pile of wood, metal and shell, which several cities list as construction material they won't collect.
If your city says yes, it's the cheaper route. If it doesn't, or the tub can't come out to the curb in one piece, that's the job we do.
| City | What the city pickup takes | Limits and exclusions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena | Appliances, furniture, mattresses, two tires, lawn furniture, barbecues, play equipment, bundled wood up to 3 feet; misc. items by phone | Two free pickups a year for single-family homes; no construction materials | https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-works/recycling-resources/resident-recycling/residential-recycling-and-refuse-services/ |
| Glendale | Only items on the city's accepted list | No construction materials, lumber, glass items or cast iron bathtubs | https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/public-works/integrated-waste-management/residential-1-4-units/bulky-item-pickup |
| South Pasadena | Mattresses, furniture and appliances | One pickup a quarter, five items max; no construction debris | https://www.southpasadenaca.gov/Your-Government/Department-Service-Areas/Public-Works/Environmental-Services-Sustainability-Division/Trash-Collection-Street-Sweeping/New-Bulky-Item-Collection-Program |
| La Cañada Flintridge | Furniture, appliances, e-waste, bundled green waste | Four items per pickup for single-family customers; no construction and demolition debris | https://lcf.ca.gov/?p=649 |
What hot tub removal costs
Pricing starts at $250. Hot tubs are priced from photos because no two jobs are the same. A small tub on a patio next to the driveway is a different job from a big spa in a backyard behind a narrow side gate.
The price depends on how much truck space it takes, the material, its weight, how easy it is to reach, and the labor involved. We never guarantee a final total over the phone.
The good news: you don't have to guess. Text photos and we'll text back an estimate, so you know the number before you book. If you add more on the day, like the spa cover, a broken deck box or patio furniture, the price is adjusted for it.
What sets the price
Send photos of all of it and we'll text back an estimate.
Heavier, bigger and harder to reach means more work, and that's what you pay for. A tub sitting on a pad by the driveway is about as easy as it gets. A large spa down a set of steps, behind a locked side gate, at the back of a deep lot is about as hard. Most jobs fall somewhere in between.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Size of the tub | A bigger shell is more cutting, more pieces and more truck space |
| The path out | Side yards, gates, steps and slopes add carrying |
| Distance to the truck | A long walk from the backyard to the street adds labor |
| Steps, surrounds and covers | Extra material to cut and haul |
| In-ground or built-in | Send photos first so we can tell you what's possible |
Taking out more than the tub
If the tub is part of a bigger backyard cleanup, we can haul the rest in the same trip: old patio furniture, a shed, branches and green waste, or a deck or patio cover from a small demolition job.
Tell us everything when you text so it's priced together. Your quote covers what's in your photos; if more is added on the day, the price is adjusted for it.
A cleared backyard is often the reason people pull the tub in the first place. Getting it all done in one visit means one price and one day of work.
Booking a hot tub removal
Text photos of the tub, the path out and your city to (562) 219-9266. Get the power disconnected by an electrician. Then pick a day.
Same-day or next-day pickup depends on availability. We take cash, check, credit/debit, Zelle, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, PayPal and Cash App, and your first pickup gets $50 off.
Sources
- City of Pasadena: Residential Recycling and Refuse Services
- City of Glendale: Bulky Item Pickup
- City of South Pasadena: Bulky Item Collection Program
- City of La Cañada Flintridge: Bulky Item Pickup
Rules change. Check the city or county page before you rely on a limit, fee or date.