How Fence Boys handles old fence removal in Columbus — post extraction, concrete footing removal, responsible disposal, and full site cleanup before your new fence goes in.
Most homeowners planning a new fence have already figured out the materials, height, and style. What tends to catch people off guard is the old fence that needs to come out first.
Old fence removal is more involved than it looks. Columbus posts are set 30 to 36 inches deep and anchored in concrete footings that can weigh 60 to 150 pounds each. That's real excavation work. Fence Boys offers removal as a separate service alongside installation, so the same crew can handle both the teardown and the new build without any gaps in the timeline.
Fence Boys handles old fence removal as a service separate from installation, including post extraction, concrete footing removal, material sorting, and full site cleanup. Most residential removals take one to two days depending on fence size, soil conditions, and how the posts were originally set.
Removing an old fence seems simple enough. Pull up some posts, toss the panels in a truck, and call it done. But once you start digging, you find out there's more going on down there than you expected.
Any fence installed correctly in Ohio has posts buried nearly three feet deep, each anchored in a concrete footing that can weigh over a hundred pounds. Even one post takes real effort to get out by hand.
Safety is part of it too. Concrete footings are heavy and awkward to lift. Old fences tend to have rusty nails and sharp hardware hiding in them. And if you're digging without knowing where the utility lines run, you could hit a gas or cable line.
That's why getting removal right matters. When it's done well, the ground is prepped, the old materials are cleared out, and installation can start without any holdups.
Before anything comes down, we walk the property and see what we're dealing with.
We look at the fence itself for things like rot, leaning sections, and anything attached to it that needs to come off first. The soil matters too. Ohio clay can be rock-hard in dry weather or grip the concrete like glue when it's wet. Either way, it changes how we approach the job.
Then there's what's underground. Ohio law requires an 811 call before digging, which gets gas, electric, and cable lines marked. One thing to keep in mind: 811 only marks public utilities. Private lines like irrigation systems, invisible dog fences, and landscape lighting won't show up, so we always ask about those before we dig.
Once we know what we're working with, we start removing the fence in order. Panels come off first, then rails, then hardware, and posts last. Taking the weight off before pulling posts makes the job safer and keeps nails from scattering across your yard.
The posts are the hard part. Ohio soil doesn't make it easy. Dry conditions turn the ground rock-hard. Wet soil grips the concrete and doesn't want to let go. We use extraction tools that make quick work of posts that would otherwise take hours to dig out by hand.
We always pull the concrete out completely. Leaving old footings underground causes problems later. They get in the way of planting, running lines, or putting in a new fence. Once everything's out, we fill the holes and level things off.
Once the fence is down, we sort everything for proper fence disposal and get your yard back to normal.
Wood goes in one pile, metal in another, and concrete separate. Different materials have different disposal requirements, and some can actually be recycled. Metal posts and hardware go to scrap recyclers. Concrete footings can be crushed into road base. Wood is trickier. Fences built before 2004 were often treated with chemicals that include arsenic. That wood can't be burned or mulched. It has to go to a landfill.
We rake the old fence line, check the grass for any stray nails or hardware, and haul everything away. You won't end up with a pile of boards in your driveway or a dumpster sitting there for a week.
One thing to keep in mind: Columbus bulk pickup doesn't accept fence materials. If you take down a fence yourself, you're on your own figuring out where to haul it.
It depends on the fence, but here's a general idea.
| Fence Size | Typical Removal Time |
|---|---|
| Under 100 linear feet | 0.5–1 day |
| 100–200 linear feet | 1–2 days |
| Large or concrete-heavy | 2–3 days |
A few things can stretch the timeline. Concrete footings take longer than posts set directly in the ground. Dry or compacted soil takes longer to dig through than loose ground. Fences with a lot of attachments or gates with buried hardware add extra steps.
We schedule removal right before installation so your property isn't sitting wide open any longer than necessary.
You can absolutely remove a fence yourself. But it helps to know what you're getting into.
The posts go deeper than most people expect, and each concrete footing weighs 80 to 150 pounds. A 100-foot fence might take a crew half a day but could take you a couple of weekends. DIY costs add up quickly. Tool rentals, dumpster fees, and disposal logistics are all on you, and Columbus bulk pickup won't take fence materials.
If it's a smaller fence without concrete footings, DIY can make sense. For anything bigger, bringing in a pro often costs about the same and saves you a lot of time and sore muscles.
No. We can assess the existing fence when we come out for an estimate and talk through removal options then. It actually helps us see what we're working with so we can give you an accurate picture of the project.
Yes. We deal with rotted posts, leaning sections, and fences that are barely holding together all the time. We just adjust our approach to make sure nothing comes down in a way we don't want it to. Damaged fences require a bit more care during removal, but we're used to it.
Metal gets recycled at scrap facilities. Concrete goes to places that crush it into reusable aggregate for road base. Wood goes to a landfill if it was treated, or can sometimes be recycled if it wasn't. Everything gets sorted, hauled away, and disposed of properly.
If we're handling both, we coordinate so installation starts right after removal. Your yard won't be sitting open for long. We plan the schedule to make the transition from old to new as smooth as possible.
We take care of the 811 call. Ohio law requires it before any digging, and we make sure public utilities are marked before we start pulling posts. One thing to keep in mind: 811 only covers public utilities. If you have irrigation lines, an invisible dog fence, or landscape lighting near the fence line, it's a good idea to let us know ahead of time. Your neighbors or HOA may also have insight on shared utility lines in the area.
If you're replacing an old fence, the most common mistake is underestimating what's underground. Posts set correctly in Ohio go nearly three feet deep, anchored in concrete that doesn't come out easily. Getting that concrete out fully matters. Leftover footings cause problems later when you're planting, running irrigation, or setting new posts.
Before we arrive, let us know about any private utility lines near the fence. Irrigation systems, invisible dog fences, and landscape lighting won't show up on the 811 markings, and knowing where they are ahead of time keeps the job on schedule.
Fence Boys offers fence removal services so you don't have to deal with the heavy lifting, buried concrete, and disposal logistics on your own.
We've removed a lot of fences across Columbus and the surrounding suburbs. We know what Ohio soil does to a concrete footing, and we come prepared for it. We show up with extraction equipment that makes quick work of posts that would otherwise take hours to dig out by hand.
We also handle all the disposal. Metal goes to recyclers, concrete goes to facilities that crush it into reusable material, and wood goes to a landfill if it was chemically treated, or to a recycling facility if it wasn't. You don't have to sort anything, rent a dumpster, or make trips to the landfill.
When we're finished, your yard is clean and level. If you're also getting a new fence installed, having the same crew handle both keeps things simple and avoids any gaps in the timeline.
Ready to Clear Out That Old Fence?
We'll handle the teardown, haul everything away, and have your yard ready for a fresh installation.
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