How to Move or Remove a Hot Tub (Toronto Cost Guide)

A hot tub weighs 500 to 900 pounds dry and over 4,000 pounds full. Even the dry weight, distributed across an awkward shape with a fragile fiberglass shell, makes it one of the harder items to move yourself. This guide covers the steps to do it right, the dangers of doing it wrong, what hiring movers in Toronto costs, and what to do when the tub isn’t moving with you but needs to go for good.

Moving Co. moves hot tubs and removes old ones. We move tubs across Toronto and the GTA, and we take old hot tubs away anywhere in Ontario, along with the cover, the steps and the surround if you want them gone too. Hot tub jobs are quoted on the call. Call 905-752-7787 or request a quote.

Pre-move checklist (do this 1 to 2 days before)

1. Drain the tub completely. 2 to 4 hours via spigot at the bottom; use a submersible pump for the last few inches. Open the unions on the pump to drain the plumbing too.
2. Remove residual water from the cabinet. Wet/dry shop vacuum for footwell water and pump cavity.
3. Disconnect the electrical. Turn off the breaker first. A plug-and-play 120V tub just unplugs. A hard-wired 240V tub has to have its wiring disconnected before it can go anywhere, and in Ontario that’s a job for a licensed electrical contractor (more on that below).
4. Remove the cover. Wrap separately in moving blankets.
5. Measure your pathways. Hot tubs are wider than they look (88 inches is common). Measure every doorway, gate, and turn.

Equipment you need

• Two 4-wheeled appliance dollies OR one industrial moving dolly rated for 1,000 lb
• 2×4 boards (4 to 6, each 4 to 6 feet long) for tipping and lifting
• Plywood ramps (3/4 inch, 8 feet)
• Ratchet straps (4, rated 1,500 lb)
• Moving blankets (6 to 8)
• A pickup truck or trailer with a 6+ foot bed

Rentals: U-Haul or any equipment-rental shop, ~$50 to $80 for the day.

Step-by-step move

You need a minimum of 4 strong people. 6 is better. Plan on 2 to 4 hours including setup.

1. Position 2×4 boards along the path the tub will slide.
2. Tip the tub on its side. Two people lift one edge, two slide 2x4s underneath. Never lay a hot tub on its bottom for transport, the weight cracks the floor.
3. Slide the tub onto a plywood platform on top of the dollies. The heaviest moment of the move. Coordinate the lift.
4. Strap the tub to the dollies. Two ratchet straps minimum, going completely around the tub.
5. Roll the tub to the truck. Slow and steady. Have one person scout the path.
6. Load via plywood ramp. Two push from the bottom, two guide from the top.
7. Secure in the truck. Tub stays on its side during transit. Strap to the truck walls using all four ratchet straps.
8. Unload by reversing. This is where most DIY damage happens, fatigue at the end. Take a 10-minute break between loading and unloading.

Dangers of DIY hot tub moves

• Cracked acrylic shell. Generally not repairable for less than the cost of a new tub.
• Crushed fingers. A 600-lb tub falling 6 inches onto a hand is a hospital trip.
• Strained backs. Hot tubs are heavy and have no good handholds.
• Damaged floors. Wood floors and porcelain tile do not survive a hot tub being slid across them.
• Broken plumbing. If not fully drained, water freezes (winter) or sloshes during transit, snapping unions.

When to call the professionals

• Pathway has stairs (even one step changes the math)
• Pathway is over 50 feet of uneven ground
• Tub is over 700 lb dry (most 8-person tubs are)
• You can’t get 4 strong, willing people for the day
• The tub is worth more than $3,000

What hot tub moves cost in Toronto (2026)

Hot tub removal in Toronto

Sometimes the tub isn’t moving with you. It stopped heating years ago, the new owners don’t want it, or the yard is getting a new deck and the old spa has to go. Getting rid of a hot tub in Toronto is harder than most people expect, because the City won’t take it.

The City of Toronto’s Waste Wizard lists hot tubs as not accepted. A hot tub isn’t collected at the curb and can’t be dropped off at a City Drop-Off Depot or a Community Environment Day, and the City’s advice is to make arrangements with a private company. The cover is handled separately: the Waste Wizard says hot tub covers aren’t collected at the curb and go to a Drop-Off Depot, where disposal fees may apply.

That’s where we come in. We take the whole thing: the tub, the cover, the steps and any loose surround panels, out of the yard and onto the truck. If you’re moving house at the same time, we can take the old tub away as part of the move, so it isn’t left behind for the buyers to deal with.

Hot tub disposal outside Toronto

The rules change at the city line, and in most places they assume you’ll cut the tub up yourself first.

• Hamilton. The City of Hamilton takes hot tubs as a bulk item only once they’re cut into pieces under 4 feet by 2 feet, with the sharp edges covered. Each bulk item can weigh no more than 90 kg (200 lb) and be no longer than 1.2 m (4 ft), there’s a limit of four items per booking, and the pickup has to be booked ahead.
• Mississauga and Brampton. Peel Region’s waste sorter says a fibreglass or plastic hot tub can go out as garbage only once it’s cut into pieces that each weigh less than 20 kg and are no more than 1.2 m (4 ft) long and 60 cm (2 ft) across, or it can be taken to a Community Recycling Centre for a fee. A wooden hot tub has to be broken down to 4 feet or less, and the Region asks residents to call before setting one out.

Elsewhere in Ontario, check your own municipality’s waste rules. Or skip the whole question and call us. We do hot tub removal anywhere in Ontario.

Why cutting up a hot tub yourself is harder than it sounds

Turning a seven-foot spa into 4-foot pieces that weigh under 20 kg each is a long, dirty job. The acrylic shell sits on a fibreglass-reinforced base, wrapped in spray foam insulation, inside a wooden or synthetic cabinet, with a steel or wood frame, pumps, a heater and a control box hidden inside. Each layer cuts differently. The dust from cutting fibreglass is an irritant to skin, eyes and lungs, the foam goes everywhere, and the cut edges are sharp enough that Hamilton asks for them to be covered before pickup.

Then the pieces have to be carried out, bagged or bundled, and set out within the size and weight limits, sometimes across more than one collection day. For most people it’s a weekend of work, a rented saw and a yard full of foam, to save a disposal bill. Having the tub taken away whole, or broken down by someone else, is usually the better deal.

Getting a hot tub ready for removal

A few things need to happen before removal day, whichever way the tub is leaving.

• Drain it. Drain the tub completely a day or two ahead, including the water in the footwell and the pump cavity. A full tub weighs thousands of pounds, and even a few inches of water left in the bottom makes it heavier and messier to move.
• Get the power disconnected. Turn the breaker off. If the tub is plug-and-play, unplug it. If it’s hard-wired, the wiring has to be disconnected from the tub before it can be moved.
• Take the cover off. Leave it beside the tub if it’s going too.
• Clear the path. Move patio furniture, planters and anything else between the tub and the street.
• Measure the gate. Even on its side, a tub needs a gate at least as wide as the tub is tall. Measure the gate opening and the narrowest point along the side of the house, and compare them with the tub’s height.
• Look at the deck. If the deck or a privacy screen was built around the tub, part of it may have to come apart for the tub to come out. Tell us when you call, with photos if you can.

Electrical work: who’s allowed to do it

Ontario has clear rules here, and they’re worth knowing before anyone touches the wiring. According to the Electrical Safety Authority, if you hire someone to do electrical work in your home, by law it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Homeowners can do electrical work in their own home, but the ESA says they must file a notification first, and friends, family members or neighbours can’t do the work for you.

Electrical disconnection isn’t part of a moving or removal job. Book a licensed electrical contractor to disconnect the tub before removal day, and, if the tub is going to a new home, to connect it there. The ESA notes that hot tub installations usually need both a building and an electrical permit, so talk to your contractor about what your new setup needs.

What happens on removal day

When the crew arrives, they check that the tub is drained and that the power has been disconnected. Then they look at the route from the tub to the truck and lay down boards where the ground is soft or the deck needs protecting. The tub is tipped onto its side, set on dollies, strapped, and rolled out through the gate, the same way a tub is handled for a move. The cover, the steps and anything else going with it follow on a second trip. The spot where the tub sat is left clear, ready for the new tub, a new pad or a patch of new lawn.

If the tub still works, consider selling it

An old hot tub that still heats and holds water may be worth more to someone else than it costs you to get rid of. Used tubs do sell. The catch is that the buyer has to get it out of your yard and into theirs, which is exactly the job most private buyers can’t do themselves. If you sell it, we can move it from your yard to the buyer’s, and the moving price in the table above gives both of you a sense of what that costs. If it doesn’t sell, the removal option is still there.

Clearing the rest of the yard at the same time

A hot tub removal is often part of a bigger backyard project. While the crew is there, we can take the old patio set, broken planters, outdoor rugs and other yard junk on the same visit, which saves booking a second trip later. The one thing we can’t take is anything hazardous: propane tanks, gasoline, pool and spa chemicals, paint and similar products have to go to a household hazardous waste depot. Our junk removal page covers what else we take.

Removing an old tub before a new one arrives

The most common reason a hot tub has to go is that a new one is coming. The new tub can’t go in until the old one is out, the pad or deck may need work in between, and the dealer has its own delivery date. Book the removal for a few days before the new tub arrives, so there’s time to clean up the spot and check the base. Tell us the delivery date when you call, and we’ll plan the removal around it.

Before you hire anyone to remove a hot tub

Hot tub removal attracts a lot of one-truck operators, and most of the problems people run into come from not asking a few questions up front:

• Is disposal included in the price? A low quote that adds dump fees afterwards isn’t a low quote.
• Is the crew insured? A tub that slips on a deck or a gate post that gets taken out is somebody’s problem. Make sure it isn’t yours.
• What’s included? The cover, the steps and the surround panels are easy to forget until they’re the only things left in the yard.
• Who handles the electrical? If the answer is “we’ll just cut the wires,” keep looking. In Ontario, hired electrical work has to be done by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
• Will you get a price before you book? Photos of the tub and the route are enough for an honest quote.

Our crews are insured and in house, and we’ll give you a clear price before you book.

What hot tub removal costs

Hot tub removal is quoted on the call, once we know three things: the size of the tub, the access from where it sits to the truck, and what’s going with it, like the cover, steps or surround. Stairs, narrow gates, long carries across a lawn and a deck built around the tub all add time. Send photos of the tub and the route when you ask for a quote, and the price we give you will be based on the real job.

The moving prices in the table above are for moving a tub from one place to another. Removal is a different job, so it’s priced separately.

Moving a hot tub when you move house

If the tub is coming with you, plan it with the rest of the move rather than as an afterthought. The tub needs to be drained and disconnected a day or two before moving day, so it’s dry and light when the crew arrives. At the new home, the pad or deck has to be ready to take the weight of a full tub, and the electrical hookup has to be done by a licensed contractor before the tub can be filled and used.

Tell us about the tub when you book your house move, including its size, where it sits in the yard, and where it’s going at the new place. Hot tub moves are quoted on the call. If the tub isn’t coming, we can remove it on the same booking.

Hot tubs in winter

Winter moves and removals are possible, but water is the enemy. Any water left in the pipes, pump or heater can freeze and crack them, which matters a lot if the tub is going to a new home and not much if it’s going away for good. Drain the tub completely, blow out the lines if you can, and keep the cover on until moving day so snow doesn’t collect inside. Snow and ice on the path to the truck slow everything down, so clear and salt the route the day before.

Where we remove hot tubs

We remove hot tubs across Toronto, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke and East York, and across the GTA in Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Pickering, Ajax and Whitby. Beyond the GTA, we do hot tub removal anywhere in Ontario, from Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo to cottage country. For the local rules on everything else you might be clearing out, see our junk removal pages for Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Scarborough and Kitchener.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the City of Toronto pick up old hot tubs?

No. The City’s Waste Wizard says hot tubs aren’t collected at the curb and can’t be dropped off at a City Drop-Off Depot or Community Environment Day. The City’s advice is to arrange disposal with a private company. Hot tub covers can go to a Drop-Off Depot, where fees may apply.

Do you remove hot tubs outside Toronto?

Yes. We do hot tub removal anywhere in Ontario, including the GTA, Hamilton and beyond.

How much does hot tub removal cost?

It’s quoted on the call, based on the size of the tub, the access from the yard to the truck, and what’s going with it. Send photos of the tub and the route for an accurate price.

Do I need to drain the hot tub before it’s removed?

Yes. Drain it completely a day or two before, including the footwell and the pump cavity. The power also has to be off and, for a hard-wired tub, disconnected by a licensed electrical contractor.

Can the movers disconnect a hard-wired hot tub?

In Ontario, electrical work you hire someone to do has to be done by a Licensed Electrical Contractor. Book one to disconnect the tub before removal day.

Do you take the cover and steps too?

Yes. The cover, the steps and any loose surround panels can go out with the tub. Tell us when you call so we plan for them.

Can a hot tub be removed if there’s no side gate?

Often, yes, but it depends on the yard. Send photos and measurements of the tub and every possible route out, and we’ll tell you whether it can come out in one piece and what it would take.

Can I get rid of just the hot tub cover?

In Toronto, the City says hot tub covers go to a Drop-Off Depot, where disposal fees may apply. We can also take a cover along with other junk on a removal visit.

Can you remove the old hot tub and move the rest of my house on the same day?

Yes. If you’re moving and the tub isn’t coming with you, we can take it away as part of the move. Mention it when you book.

Need a hot tub moved in Toronto?

We move 5 to 10 hot tubs per month. Flat-rate pricing, full insurance on the tub, four-person crew standard. We bring all the equipment.

Get My Hot Tub Move Quote → 📞 Call: 905-752-7787