The hot tub nobody used in Tugun

A friend in Tugun gave me Clear Out's number, and I sat on it for a fortnight before ringing. The spa came with the house. We used it twice in five years. It had cracked, it smelled and it took up the best spot on the deck.

The spa had been plumbed and wired in. The electrician had already disconnected it, but it was still sitting on a concrete pad with a fence all around.

Tugun is a compact beach suburb near the airport with older units and duplexes, and getting things out isn't always simple. Narrow streets and shared drives suit our smaller vehicle.

I half expected to be put on hold, but it was the bloke who'd actually be doing the job. He asked about stairs and parking, which made me think he'd done this a few times.

Two of them turned up right on time in a tipper truck. Before they lifted anything, they walked the route from the pile to the truck and pointed out a couple of spots where they'd put down protection.

They cut it into sections on the deck and carried the pieces down the stairs. I'd been told by someone else it needed a crane, so I was very happy.

When they were done, they swept up and walked me around to check. I paid the price we'd agreed, and that was it. The whole thing took less time than I'd spent worrying about it.

My advice to anyone in the same situation is not to wait as long as I did. The relief was worth more than the cost.