Your Swimming Pool Removal Guide

There are roughly 10.4 million residential swimming pools in the United States, according to the Association of Pools and Spas. But not everybody who has a swimming pool in their backyard actually wants one. Whether you purchased a home specifically because it had a swimming pool or had one installed, over time, it can lose its appeal. Maintenance and repairs cost money, and circumstances change. That pool the kids swam in every day five years ago may sit unused now that they’ve moved out.

Additionally, it can make more sense sometimes to get rid of an existing pool. It can cost $10,000 or more to resurface and makeover a swimming pool in need of TLC. Compare that to an average of $5,000 to $7,000 to remove an in-ground pool.

Regardless the reason you want to remove your pool, it is not an easy undertaking. Usually, you’ll need to hire a professional pool removal company to get rid of it, and depending on the size of your pool, it could take up to a week to complete the project. Here’s what you need to know about removing a swimming pool from your backyard.

Above-ground vs. in-ground removal

If you have an above-ground swimming pool, it will cost less to remove and take less time. You’ll still want to hire a professional, but removing an above-ground pool involves only draining the pool, tearing it down and removing the debris. Expect to pay roughly $2,000 to have an above-ground pool removed.

On the other hand, an in-ground pool is much more complicated. The process starts the same way, by draining the pool but then requires heavy equipment to finish the job. This could involve a bobcat or even a wrecking ball to demolish the concrete and a backhoe to fill dirt in the hole. It will cost more and may require permits.

Three ways to remove a pool

With an in-ground swimming pool, though, you have three levels of removal: dirt fill-in, partial removal and complete removal. The first option doesn’t actually remove the pool. It just fills the cement shell with dirt cement and leaves the deck intact. While some people try to garden or add landscape here, it doesn’t work well unless holes are added for proper drainage.

The second option is partial removal. Just like before, work begins with the pool’s draining. Then, the crew removes the pool’s deck and breaks apart the sides of the pool at least 18 inches below ground. Although the bottom of the pool remains under the soil, once it is filled in and covered with dirt, you can add irrigation lines and landscape. Most homeowners opt for this solution since it is the most cost efficient.

Finally, the third option is to completely remove the pool. This involves draining the pool, breaking apart the entire pool and hauling the debris away. Next, gravel and dirt are added, and the entire space compacted. Even though most cities consider the site of a former pool to be unsuitable for building a livable structure, you can usually add a shed, trees and landscaping.

Complete vs. partial removal

Because only part of the swimming pool is being removed, a partial removal costs less money. However, the broken chunks of concrete and other rubble from the pool serve as the base that fills its bottom. The hole is then topped with dirt and a final layer of top soil. Usually, this works well enough, but if not performed correctly, the process can result in sinkage, swelling or a lack of proper seepage.

With a complete removal, everything comes out—all the concrete, the rebar, everything. Once the pool is gone, the hole is filled with gravel and dirt, compacted, graded and finished with a layer of top soil. This method decreases the chance of anything going wrong in the future, especially if the backfill is performed by an engineering technician.

Either way, you’ll need to disclose the pool’s partial or complete removal when you sell the property. Keep all documentation regarding its removal, and take photographs to show the state of the pool—either partially or completely removed—before it is covered up. The fact that you removed the pool should have little impact on your home’s value.

Permits for swimming pool removal

Depending on where you live, you may need a permit to remove your pool. If you hire a pool removal company or contactor to do the work for you, they will typically take care of the permitting process. Permits can cost next to nothing or hundreds of dollars, again depending on where you live.

In addition to a permit, you will need to be aware of any regulations regarding how you handle the utilities connected to your swimming pool. These can include rules on how to cap the water lines, deal with electrical wires and grade the property.

Cost to remove a pool

How much you’ll pay to have your pool removed depends on a number of factors. Obviously, the larger your pool, the more you’ll pay, but there’s more to it than that. These additional factors contribute to the cost of removing a pool:

• Type of pool (above ground or in ground)
• Accessibility of the pool area
• Method of pool removal (partial or complete)
• How much debris there is to remove
• The type of debris (concrete is heavier than vinyl and fiberglass)
• Machinery required
• The company you hire

Since pool removals can be so expensive, you’ll want to get multiple estimates to make sure you are going with the best removal method and getting the best price. Estimates should be in writing and include the following details:

• Start and completion date
• Payment schedule (what you need to pay and when)
• Responsible party for obtaining and paying for permits
• Charges pertaining to the permits, if the company is obtaining
• Specifically what work will be done
• Equipment that will be used
• Process for change orders
• Company contact information

Other things you can do with a pool

You don’t have to partially or completely remove your pool to reclaim your yard. These options repurpose the pool for significantly less than removing it.

Cement pond: If you don’t swim in your pool but want to keep the possibility of restoring it in the future, turn it into koi or wildlife pond. You may have to fill it partially with gravel, install a new liner and purchase special equipment to make the conversion, but it can make a unique and spectacular addition to your backyard. Note that you will probably still have to insure it and pay for its professional upkeep.

Deck: You don’t have to remove your pool to use it for outdoor living space. Instead, hire a company specializing in pool-to-deck conversions to cover your pool. Some will even install pumps to keep water from seeping into the empty pool below. With the addition of outdoor furniture and potted plants, you can camouflage the space, making it difficult to tell there’s a pool underneath. Expect to pay about a few thousand dollars less than you would on a pool removal to have your pool converted into a deck.

Garden: Some people turn their swimming pools into a garden. As straightforward as it seems, this is not a do-it-yourself project. Holes must be drilled in the bottom of the pool to allow for proper drainage, and the soil must be compacted to prevent the soil from sinking. You’ll want to hire a contractor, especially if you want to remove the decking and a few feet of the pool to get rid of any evidence of it. However, just like a partial or complete pool removal, you will need to disclose the buried pool when selling your home.