A Brand-New Deck and a Pile of Old Boards
Shannon had just had her deck redone in Floris, here in Herndon. The new boards looked great. The old ones, though, were still there — dozens of long, weathered deck boards stacked in a big tangled pile right in the middle of the backyard lawn. Her contractor had torn them off and moved on to the next job. Hauling them away wasn't part of the quote.
She texted me a photo of the pile. Within a few minutes she had a firm price, and we picked the earliest time that worked for her schedule.
The pile the contractor left behind — and the same lawn an hour and fifteen minutes later.
A Long Carry to the Trailer
The deck was at the back of the house, so the trailer was a good walk away. Every board had to be carried by hand across the yard and out to the driveway. Some were over 12 feet long, some were split, and plenty still had nails sticking out. It's not complicated work, but it takes care — you don't want to drag a nail-studded board across someone's lawn or bang it into their siding.
All told, the pile filled about half of our 12-cubic-yard trailer.
The Herndon lumber removal on video.
Combing the Grass
Once the last board was loaded, the job wasn't done. Old deck boards leave things behind: nails, screws, chunks of wood, and splinters hidden in the grass. That's exactly the kind of thing a kid steps on or a lawn mower throws. So I walked the whole area where the pile had been and combed through the grass by hand until nothing was left.
💡 Before You Hire a Deck Contractor
Ask whether removing and hauling the old boards is included in the quote. If it isn't, you'll have a lumber pile on your lawn when they finish. If that happens, one photo by text is all it takes.
Shannon's Review
Later that day, Shannon left this on Google:
"So grateful for Matt and DMV Go Junk! It was so easy to text a photo of the decking materials I needed hauled away, and within minutes I had a quote that was better than any I'd seen. DMV Go Junk worked with me to get a time that met my needs and was ASAP. Communication was so easy and straightforward. He showed up on time and got the work done in a flash! Matt took extreme care to be respectful of the property, combing through the grass to make sure nothing was left behind. I would book with DMV Go Junk again in a heartbeat! Solid local company, excellent service, incredible pricing, fantastic scheduling, extreme care and attention to detail. I cannot recommend them enough."
— Shannon · Herndon, VA · Google ReviewThe part about combing through the grass meant a lot to me. Nobody would have noticed if I'd skipped it — until someone found a nail the hard way. That's the difference between hauling junk and actually taking care of someone's property.
💰 What a Job Like This Costs
A half trailer starts at $400.
Priced by trailer load — 1/4 from $200, full from $750. Long carries and stairs can add. See Herndon lumber removal pricing →
Lumber Pile in Your Herndon Yard?
Text us one photo of the pile. You'll get a firm price in minutes — and a clean lawn when we leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually within minutes. Shannon texted us a photo of her pile and had a firm quote almost right away. One clear photo of the whole pile, plus your address, is all we need.
Many deck builders price the new deck only. Hauling the old wood takes extra labor, trailer space, and dump fees, so it's often left out of the quote. Ask your contractor before the job — and if haul-away isn't included, we can handle that part.
It can. Long carries, stairs, and very heavy material can add to the starting price. We look at your photo and include it in the firm price up front, so nothing changes when we arrive. This job was a half trailer, which starts at $400.
It goes to a licensed disposal facility. Old deck boards are usually pressure-treated, so they can't be burned or composted like clean yard waste — they need proper disposal.
A half-trailer pile like this one takes about an hour, a little longer with a long carry. This job took about an hour and fifteen minutes, including combing the lawn for nails and splinters.