Plastic, metal or timber: how each one comes down
Back gardens in Sandyford's estates, from the Leopardstown side up towards Stepaside, usually have one shed, and it could be almost anything. Timber sheds are common, but so are the green or grey metal sheds put up in the 1990s and 2000s, and the plastic resin sheds that have become popular since. Each comes apart differently.
| Shed type | How we take it down | What happens to it |
|---|---|---|
| Timber | Roof felt and boards off, then walls panel by panel, then the floor | Timber and felt to licensed facilities; metal fixings recycled |
| Metal | Unbolted sheet by sheet, edges handled carefully | All the metal recycled |
| Plastic or resin | Panels unclipped or unscrewed | Bulky but light; taken to licensed facilities |
Whatever it's made of, it's emptied first. If there's electricity to the shed, an electrician has to disconnect it before we start.
Clearing the way for the landscaper
A lot of Sandyford shed removals happen because the garden is about to change. New patio, new lawn, raised beds, a garden room, or a full redesign by a landscaper: the old shed is in the way, and so is everything around it.
The landscaper's start date is the deadline, so here's how we work back from it:
- Send photos early. The shed inside and out, the side gate, and anything else in the garden that's going.
- Ask the landscaper about the base. Some want the slab left as a foundation, others will dig it out themselves.
- Book the removal a day or two ahead of their start, so there's no overlap.
- Clear the extras on the same visit. Old pots, broken furniture, a rusted barbecue, bags of cuttings.
- Hand over a clear site. Shed gone, debris picked up, nothing left for the landscaper to move.
Bigger amounts of green waste are covered on our garden clearance page.
spotless.ieThrough the side gate
Most Sandyford estate houses have a side gate between the house and the boundary, which makes shed removal straightforward. The van parks on the driveway or outside, and we carry the contents and the panels down the side of the house without setting foot inside.
The side passage is sometimes where the bins, the bikes and the overflow from the shed live. Move what you can on the day, unlock the gate, and we'll do the rest. Townhouses and end-of-terrace homes without a side gate can usually be reached through the garage, or through the house with covers down.
What comes out of a D18 estate shed
Family gardens in Dublin 18 produce a familiar mix:
- children's bikes, scooters and helmets
- a broken trampoline frame, a swing set or a goal
- paddling pools, garden toys and outdoor games
- a lawnmower, a strimmer and hand tools
- garden furniture, cushions and a parasol
- a barbecue and, often, its gas bottle
Gas bottles go back to the supplier. We can't take petrol, paint or garden chemicals, so take those to a civic amenity site or a hazardous waste collection. Everything else is sorted: reusable items set aside for reuse where possible, metal recycled, and the rest taken to licensed facilities.
What's left when the shed is gone
Once the shed is down, you'll see the ground it stood on for the first time in years. Usually that's a concrete slab, a square of paving slabs, a timber frame on blocks, or plastic base tiles. We take the shed, its floor and any loose debris, and we pick up screws, bolts and broken glass. The base itself stays unless we've agreed otherwise, because many landscapers prefer to deal with it as part of their own groundwork.
Expect the area under and behind the shed to look rough. Paving that was hidden is often green with moss, and the strip behind the shed tends to collect leaves, old pots and the odd lost football. We clear the loose material, and if the paving is staying, a wash makes a big difference; see power washing in Sandyford.
If the base is being kept for a new shed, tell us the size of the new one. If it's bigger, there may be pots, edging or old slabs to move too, and we can take them on the same visit.
Want a price for a shed in Sandyford? Send a photo of the shed inside and out, the side gate and your landscaper's start date on WhatsApp. We'll reply with a fixed price, usually the same day.
Pricing your shed removal
The price comes from your photos and is fixed before you book. It's based on the contents, whether the shed is coming down, what it's made of, and how easy the route is to the van. We're an authorised waste carrier (check permit NWCPO-25-13287-01 on the NWCPO register if you like), and we're fully insured.
Once the shed is gone, paving that sat under or around it often looks tired; see patio cleaning. If the integral garage needs the same attention, see garage clear-outs in Sandyford, and for the attic, attic clearance in Sandyford. Whole homes are covered on our Sandyford house clearance page. Our main shed clearance page covers shed jobs anywhere in Leinster, and the shed clearance guide is useful if you're thinking of taking a small shed down yourself.
