Post Removal Services in Ontario: Everything You Need to Know
Welcome back to Digging Deeper with The Post Hole Company!
So the fence is coming down. Or the deck is getting replaced. Or a post rotted off at ground level and now you’ve got a concrete footing the size of a bowling ball buried in your yard with no post attached to it.
Whatever brought you here — we can help.
Post removal is one of our most requested services, and it’s more involved than most people expect. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what’s actually involved in removing fence posts and footings, why it’s harder than it looks, when you need a professional, and what our Re & Re (Remove & Replace) service means for your project.
Why Post Removal Is Harder Than It Looks
Why Post Removal Is Harder Than It Looks
A fence post set properly in concrete isn’t meant to come out. That’s the whole point. When we dig a post hole to 3½ feet and pour concrete around it, we’re creating an anchor that’s designed to hold against decades of frost heave, wind load, and soil movement. Getting that out is a different job entirely from putting it in.
Here’s what you’re actually dealing with when you try to remove a post:
The concrete bell. When concrete is poured into a post hole, it doesn’t just fill the hole — it forms a bell shape at the bottom as it spreads slightly under gravity. That bell acts like an anchor. You can’t just pull straight up. The soil has to be loosened around the entire mass first, and when it finally comes out, the hole left behind can be massive. This is not a neat or tidy process. Digging always is a messy job, and post removal even more so.
Broken-off posts. One of the trickiest removal scenarios is a post that has rotted and snapped off at or below grade. Now you have no leverage at all — just a buried concrete mass with no post sticking out. Digging that out by hand is exhausting. Our equipment handles it far more efficiently.
Root interference. In established yards, tree roots grow around and through old footings over time. Removing the footing means working around those roots carefully, or the job becomes a landscaping disaster on top of everything else.
Tight access. Lots of removal work happens in backyards where machine access is limited. Gates, sheds, gardens, and existing fences all get in the way. This is where our compact ride-on equipment makes a real difference — it fits through a standard fence gate.
What We Remove
We handle all of the following:
Fence posts — 4×4 and 6×6 wooden posts, aluminum posts, steel posts, chain link posts. Whether they’re still standing or broken off at ground level.
Deck footings and piers — Old concrete piers from decks being replaced or redesigned. These are often substantial — 10 to 16 inches in diameter and 4 feet deep — and require machinery to extract cleanly.
Rotted posts with concrete attached — The post is gone but the footing remains. This is very common and very frustrating to deal with by hand.
Gate posts — Gate posts are often set deeper and with more concrete than standard fence posts because of the extra load. They’re also among the hardest to remove without the right equipment.
Bollards — Both surface-mounted and buried bollards. Commercial and residential.
Hoarding and site fencing posts — We work with contractors and developers on large-scale commercial post removal as well.
The Re & Re: Remove and Replace in One Visit
One of the most common calls we get goes something like this: “One of my fence posts is rotting and leaning. Can you just swap it out?”
Yes. That’s exactly what our Re & Re service is.
Re & Re stands for Remove and Replace.
We take down the affected fence panels and set them aside, pull the old post and its concrete footing, dig the hole back to the correct depth, set a new post, pour fresh concrete, and then rehang the fence panels while the concrete is still wet. That last step matters — rehanging while the concrete is wet lets us get a tight, flush fit between the old panels and the new post, so the finished result looks clean rather than patched.
It’s a cleaner, faster solution than trying to patch around a failing post, and it’s far more cost-effective than replacing an entire fence section when only one or two posts have gone.
A few things worth knowing about Re & Re work:
It’s a messy extraction. When concrete has been in the ground for years and has belled out at the bottom, getting it out leaves a substantial hole — sometimes much larger than you’d expect. We backfill in most cases, but we want you to know upfront that post removal is a real dig, not a tidy pull.
The new hole may shift slightly. When we extract the old footing, the hole doesn’t come out perfectly clean. We’ll position the new post in the best location within that zone, and in most cases we can keep it right on the fence line. We’ll always talk through this with you before we start.
We still call for locates. Even on a Re & Re where we’re working in the same spot as an existing post, we call Ontario One Call before any digging. It’s the law every single time ground is broken — even in the same hole as before.
DIY Post Removal: When It Works and When It Doesn't
We’re going to be straight with you. There are situations where a handy homeowner can remove a fence post without hiring anyone.
When DIY might work:
– The post was never properly set in concrete (just packed earth)
– The post is 4×4 or smaller and you have a good post puller (not manually digging around the post with a shovel)
– The hole is relatively shallow
– You have all afternoon and don’t mind the workout
When to call us:
– The post is set in concrete — especially with a bell-bottom pour
– The post has snapped off below grade
– You’re dealing with 6×6 posts or larger
– You need multiple posts removed efficiently
– You’re on a timeline (new fence crew coming, building inspection pending)
– The access is tight and you can’t get a rental machine through the gate
– You need the concrete hauled away and the hole cleaned up for new posts
Trying to yank a concrete-set post with a truck and a chain is one of the more common ways people damage their vehicles, their neighbours’ fences, and their own backs. It also rarely works cleanly — you often get the post with a chunk of concrete attached, and the rest stays in the ground anyway.
Do You Need a Locate for Post Removal?
Yes. Every time. No exceptions.
Under Ontario law, any time the ground is broken — including removing an existing post from an existing hole — a locate must be called in. This applies even if you’re reusing the exact same hole a post has been in for 20 years. Utility lines can shift. Private lines may have been added since the post was originally installed. The locate protects you.
We call [Ontario One Call] on every single job. If you’re hiring us, we handle the locate process for you — that’s part of the service. Locates typically take 5 to 7 business days, so plan your project timeline accordingly.
Don’t forget: Ontario One Call only marks public utilities. If you have private lines — pool plumbing, irrigation, power to a shed, a BBQ gas line — you’ll need a private locate service as well. Read more about the difference in our post on [Private vs Public Locates].
How Much Does Post Removal Cost?
Post removal pricing depends on several factors: the number of posts, whether they’re set in concrete, the size of the footing, and the site conditions. We provide transparent, upfront quotes — no surprise charges at the end of the job.
Visit our [Pricing Page] for our most requested services, or call us directly and we’ll give you a number on the spot based on your specific situation.
Ready to Book?
Whether you have one leaning post that needs to come out or an entire fence line to clear before a new build, The Post Hole Company has the equipment, the experience, and the crew to get it done right.
We offer same-day and next-day service for projects with valid locates in place, and we serve residential and commercial clients across **Mississauga, Burlington, Hamilton, Brampton, Oakville, Scarborough, and the greater GTA**.
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