# Hot Tub Removal in Minneapolis, MN: What It Costs, How It Works, and What Happens to Your Old Spa
That hot tub in the backyard has been broken for three years. The cover is cracked, the jets quit working the summer before last, and now it's just a giant, water-collecting, mosquito-breeding plastic fixture you have to walk around every time you mow. You know it needs to go. The question is how.
Hot tub removal in Minneapolis, MN is more involved than a standard furniture pickup — these things weigh 500 to 800 pounds empty, and getting one out of a fenced backyard takes disassembly, the right equipment, and a truck big enough to haul the pieces. That's exactly what the crew at Junktastic Removal & Recycling handles every week across the Twin Cities.
Here's what you need to know before you book.
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Why Hot Tub Removal Is a Two-Person (Minimum) Job
Hot tubs aren't just heavy — they're awkward. A standard 4-person hot tub shell, once drained, runs 400 to 600 pounds. The cabinet, mechanical components, and cover add more. Getting that through a gate, around a deck corner, or across a slope without damaging your fence, siding, or lawn takes a team that's done it before.
Most homeowners who try the DIY route end up stopping at one of two points:
1. When they realize they can't fit it through the gate without cutting the shell 2. When the rental truck quote comes back higher than a professional removal
We bring the tools to disassemble the shell on-site when needed, protect your fence and landscaping during extraction, and load everything in one trip. You don't touch a thing.
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Hot Tub Removal Cost in Minneapolis: What to Expect
For hot tub removal in Minneapolis and the surrounding Twin Cities metro, most jobs fall between $250 and $450. A few things that affect the final number:
- Access difficulty. A hot tub sitting in an open backyard costs less to remove than one wedged behind a fence with a 36-inch gate. If we need to disassemble to get it out, that adds time.
- Condition. A hot tub that's been emptied and has no standing water is faster to deal with. One that's still full needs to be drained first — we can handle it, but factor in time.
- Size and weight class. A compact 2-person spa removes faster than an 8-person swim spa. Swim spas especially are in a category of their own and require a quote.
- Add-ons. If you want the concrete pad removed, the surrounding decking hauled off, or other yard items cleared at the same time, we'll quote the full job.
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How the Hot Tub Removal Process Works
Here's what a typical removal looks like from booking to cleanup:
Step 1: Book and get your quote. Call us or request a quote online. Tell us where it's located, whether it's been drained, and the access situation. For most jobs, we can give a firm price range over the phone. For anything unusual, we'll do a quick visual before quoting.
Step 2: We show up and assess. Our crew does a walkthrough before touching anything — confirming access, the best extraction path, and whether disassembly is needed. If something changes the scope, we tell you before we proceed.
Step 3: Extraction and loading. We drain any remaining water, cut or disassemble the shell if the gate access requires it, and haul the pieces to the truck. Depending on access and size, most hot tub removals take 1.5 to 3 hours.
Step 4: Site cleanup. We sweep up debris and leave the area clean. The footprint your hot tub sat on will be clear — what you do with that space is up to you.
Step 5: Responsible disposal. Old hot tubs aren't pure trash. The acrylic shell, metal frame, wiring, and insulation foam each go different directions. We separate what can be recycled and what needs disposal — the same Junktastic Green Sort process we apply to every load.
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What Happens to Your Old Hot Tub?
This is where Junktastic works differently than a lot of haul-away services.
Hot tubs contain several recyclable materials:
- Steel and aluminum framing goes to scrap metal
- Copper wiring and electrical components are stripped and recycled
- Acrylic shell pieces — depending on condition and thickness — may be accepted by certain recyclers or reused
- Foam insulation panels require specific disposal but can often be diverted from landfill
If your hot tub is still functional (or close to it), we'll also check whether it can be donated. Working hot tubs in good condition can sometimes find second lives through habitat organizations or resale. We'll flag it if that's a realistic option.
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Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Full Twin Cities Metro
We remove hot tubs and spas throughout the Twin Cities metro, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Plymouth, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and surrounding suburbs. If you're in Hennepin or Ramsey County, we can almost certainly get there same week — often same day.
Winter removal is something we handle regularly. Minnesota winters don't stop hot tub removals; frozen ground actually makes extraction easier in some cases, and an unheated hot tub sitting outdoors through a second winter isn't doing anyone any favors. We work year-round.
Already dealing with a full property cleanout? Our crews handle full-property junk removal in St. Paul and garage cleanouts across Minneapolis — so if the hot tub is part of a bigger clear-out, we can handle the whole job in one visit.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Tub Removal
How do I prepare my hot tub for removal? Drain it completely if you can. Most hot tubs have a drain spigot near the bottom — attach a garden hose and run it to a suitable drainage area. If you can't drain it or don't want to deal with it, we'll handle it, but emptying it first speeds things up and can affect the price.
Do you remove hot tubs in winter? Yes. We operate year-round across the Twin Cities. Cold weather doesn't change the job significantly — and a frozen-in hot tub is still a hot tub that needs to go.
Can you remove a hot tub through a fence? Usually yes. We disassemble the shell as needed to get it through tight access points. A standard 36-inch gate typically isn't a problem. We'll confirm during the booking process.
What if the hot tub is still partially full of water? We can handle it. We'll drain remaining water before extraction. This adds some time, so factor that into your scheduling window.
Do you remove swim spas? Yes, though swim spas are substantially larger and heavier than standard hot tubs. Request a quote for those and we'll give you a more specific price based on the unit.
How much does hot tub removal cost in Minneapolis? Most jobs run $250 to $450 depending on size, access, and condition. We quote before we load — you won't see a number you didn't agree to.
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Ready to Get Rid of That Hot Tub?
If it's been sitting there long enough that you've stopped noticing it, it's time. We'll have it out of your yard in a single trip — no heavy lifting on your end, no mystery fees, and no landfill guilt.
Get a free quote for hot tub removal or call us directly at (320) 380-5312. We serve Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the full Twin Cities metro.
Need Help With This?
Junktastic Removal handles all junk removal and cleanouts in Twin Cities. Let us do the heavy lifting while you relax.