Hot tub removal in Hollywood, cut down and hauled from the backyard

01

Why a hot tub is a problem for Hollywood's bulk pickup

Hollywood defines bulk as furniture, mattresses, appliances, bicycles and similar goods. A spa is not named. The city's refused list does name machinery or equipment, liquid wastes, and construction and demolition material, and a hot tub with its pumps, heater, standing water and tile or paver surround touches all three.

Size is the other limit. The city says bulk waste material shall be no more than 6 cubic yards, collected once a month, and it may not go out more than 24 hours early. A cut-up hardshell tub on the swale, mixed with deck boards, is the kind of pile that draws a 24-hour notice and then a disposal fee plus a $200 administration fee.

Rapid Haul takes the tub, the cabinet, the cover, the steps and the equipment inside in one visit, and nothing goes to the curb.

02

If a deck or surround comes out with the tub

A tub sitting on its own pad is a removal and haul. A tub set into a wood deck, or ringed with tile and pavers, is different, because the deck boards and masonry are construction and demolition material under Hollywood's code.

City code section 50.05 says no one may collect, convey or dispose of construction and demolition material, rocks or soil accumulated in the city without a permit from the Director of Public Works, and that permit acts as a franchise. If your job includes tearing out a deck or surround, especially under a permit, that debris may have to go through the city's permitted franchise hauler. Rapid Haul does not claim to be one. Dany looks at the job and tells you what applies before you book.

Deck tear-out starts at $550 where it applies, and Dany can price the tub and deck together.

or call (754) 249-1015

03

Power, water and the permit desk

Most hot tubs are hardwired. An electrician has to shut off and disconnect the tub before the crew arrives, because Rapid Haul does no electrical work. If the electrician says the work needs a permit, Hollywood's Building staff at City Hall, 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, handle permits Monday to Thursday, 7 AM to 6 PM, with new applications through the Accela Citizen Access portal.

Drain the tub the day before. The crew cannot cut or carry a full spa, and the city refuses liquid wastes at the curb anyway.

04

Small lots, side yards and alleys

Hollywood is an older city, founded in 1921, with more than 12,170 single-family homes by 1960, according to Wikipedia. Older lots can mean tight side yards and a fence close to the property line. In Hollywood Lakes, the city's oldest neighborhood, alleys run behind homes, which can give a better route to the truck than the front.

Photograph the tub, the gate, and the route to the street or alley. If the tub will not fit through in one piece, the crew cuts it into sections where it sits and carries them out.

• Spa shell, cabinet, frame, cover and steps
• Pumps, heaters and other equipment inside
• Cutting into sections when the gate is narrow
• Sweep-up of the pad or patio

or call (754) 249-1015

05

How Dany prices a hot tub in Hollywood

Hot tubs have no fixed starting price, because every yard is different. Dany gives a flat price after photos, covering labor, cutting, carrying, hauling and disposal. Size, a sunken install, a deck, a narrow side yard and a long carry raise it. Hot tub removal is paid after the job; if a deck tear-out brings the total to $1,000 or more, Dany asks for a 50% deposit and says so with the quote.

Rapid Haul is based in Hollywood. Once your electrician has been out and the tub is drained, a slot is usually easy to find, Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to 7 PM.