How Much Does Pool Removal Cost in 2025?

Pool Removal Cost Factors

Several factors influence the cost of removing a pool. The type of pool, size, material, accessibility, and local labor costs can all cause your total cost to stray from the national average.

Type of Demolition

The cost of removing or filling a swimming pool depends on the method used. You can completely demolish the pool or partially break it up before filling it in.

Pool Size

Like many projects, the bigger a pool, the more expensive the removal tends to be. However, a smaller pool with a more complex design may be more expensive to demo than a larger pool with a simple shape and fewer features. Built-in steps or spas, waterfalls, and large decks and patios all add to removal costs.

Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around $13.50 per square foot for pool removal. The table below includes average removal costs based on your pool dimensions.

Pool Draining or Emptying

Before the removal process, close your pool and drain the water. This takes about 24 hours and costs as much as $175, depending on the pool's size. You can save by DIY draining your pool with a small pump rental from a home improvement store for $40 to $70.

Check with a local pool removal company or your municipality for instructions on draining your pool in accordance with local regulations. Many municipalities allow drainage to the ground or street without permits. For areas requiring a permit, it’s best to leave the work to a pro to ensure you don’t violate local laws.

Accessibility

Pool removal requires the use of heavy machinery such as excavators, which are large and need plenty of space to maneuver. If your pool or property is hard to access, removal time and costs can increase. To save, minimize obstacles like fencing, pool enclosures, and outdoor playsets. 

Location

Like many services, pool removal costs can vary based on where you live. Generally, you can expect removal labor to be more expensive in areas with a higher cost of living and vice versa.

Type of Fill Material

Whether you're doing a full or partial fill, the cost to fill in your pool will depend on the material you’re using to fill the space. To ensure your fill area settles and has proper drainage, have a structural engineer oversee the filling process.

• Gravel is the least expensive fill at $5 to $8 per cubic yard. However, it doesn’t compact easily and can form sinkholes. It also isn’t usually good for support, so you won’t be able to build over it. Some homeowners use it as a base material to cut the cost of dirt.

• Dirt costs $8 to $12 per cubic yard. You can opt to fill your pool with dirt alone, but it’s often mixed with a gravel base. Leave space on top of a dirt fill for landscaping topsoil.

• Concrete is not a common fill material due to its high cost. However, you can use broken-up concrete from a partial pool removal to help fill the space along with dirt.

Permits

You may need permits or inspections before starting your pool removal project, which can cost about $200. Pool removal contractors usually handle this and bundle the fees into a flat rate for the project. However, it's still good to contact your local building department so that you know which permits you’ll need. This way, you'll have peace of mind that your pro hasn’t missed any legal steps.

Deck Removal

Many in-ground pools have a pool deck that you’ll also need to remove with the pool. Expect to pay $2 to $5 per square foot for deck removal. Prices can vary based on the material, with concrete and pavers tending to be more expensive than a wooden deck.

Fence or Enclosure Removal

In some places, a pool fence or other type of pool enclosure is required by law. If you have one installed around your pool, removal costs range from $800 to $2,000, with larger enclosures and harder materials, like steel or structural aluminum, falling on the higher end of the range.

You can expect to pay $5,000 or more if you’re removing a large pool enclosure, like a pool cage or a full glass enclosure.

Disposal Fees

Disposal fees for a pool removal project can cost $150 to $500. Check your project quote to see if they are included. Costs depend on the size and weight of the debris, dumping costs, and the number of trips required. You may be able to reduce this cost if you volunteer to pay the cost of a dumpster rental yourself.

Labor

Pool removal labor averages $1,000 to $3,000. Pros calculate labor rates based on the time it takes to complete the project, the complexity of the removal, and the cost of materials in the area.

Expect labor costs to be higher for heavy materials like concrete and a full demolition. A vinyl pool removal costs toward the end of the range. 

The cost to hire a structural engineer is $100 to $200 per hour. Your local building codes may require an engineer to oversee the pool removal and filling process. An engineer can ensure that your pool area has proper drainage, won't sink or swell, and will be buildable after pool removal.

Cost of Removing a Pool by Type

The type and material of a pool are major cost factors during removal. Materials like gunite and concrete require additional demolition and disposal steps, making the labor more expensive. Below are the most common pool materials and their removal costs. 

• Aboveground: Much like the cost to install an aboveground pool, removing an aboveground pool is less costly ($300 to $800) and faster (less than four hours) than removing an in-ground pool. Excavating base sand costs more, but you can get a discount if your metal pool frame is recyclable.

• In-ground: Expect to pay $2,500 to $8,100 for a partial fill-in of an in-ground pool or $4,100 to $13,400 for a full removal. Removing an in-ground pool requires heavy machinery, soil for backfilling, and engineering expertise to make the land safe. The table below shows the cost of removing an in-ground pool by method and size. 

• Vinyl: Removing a pool with a vinyl lining costs $3,000 to $10,000. Full removal is required because a partial fill-in won’t work in this scenario. Before demolition, an engineer needs to inspect the vinyl liner's backing and declare it safe for removal.

• Fiberglass: Fiberglass pools cost $5,000 to $15,000 to remove. They require full removal since fiberglass pieces cannot be left in the ground, unlike concrete. A fiberglass shell may come out in one piece, making removal less expensive. If the shell comes out in sections, the removal cost increases.

• Concrete: Concrete pools are the most expensive to remove in full, so they're typically partially removed for $3,000 to $15,000. The concrete is broken apart and used along with dirt to fill the pool cavity.

Common Pool Removal Add-Ons

Removing a pool is a big endeavor, and a lot of the time, homeowners will choose to have additional work done at the same time. Below are some pool removal add-ons that you might want to consider.

• Wooden deck removal: $1,000 to $2,000, depending on the size

• Electrical component removal: If you had light fixtures installed around your pool or in-ground pumps set up and wired, expect to pay between $75 and $150 per hour for a pool electrician to remove them.

• Paver/concrete patio removal: $1,000 to $2,000 or more, depending on the size

• Soil compaction: $250 to $1,000

• Seeding: $0.10 to $0.20 per square foot

• Sod installation: $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot

• Professional landscaping: $100 to $200 per hour on average

Cost to Remove a Pool Yourself

While it’s possible to remove an in-ground pool yourself, it’s not safe to do so without the necessary skills, equipment, and experience. In some areas, it’s illegal to remove a pool without oversight from a structural engineer. Professionals must be involved if you plan to use or build on top of the removal site.

Removing an aboveground pool is less dangerous but labor-intensive. You’ll need a heavy-duty metal cutter to dismantle the frame and a plan for disposing of the old pool.

If you decide to remove an aboveground pool yourself, you’re likely looking at $250 to $500 in dumping fees, meaning you could save between $50 and $300. However, you might not save if you need to buy or rent tools to cut the metal.

DIY Pool Removal vs. Hiring a Pro

The average cost to professionally remove a pool is $6,000. You could pay $250 to $1,000 or more to demolish the pool yourself, mostly for dumping fees.

We highly recommend hiring a pool contractor to gather quotes and leaving the work to a professional. Demoing an aboveground pool yourself is possible in most cases, but removing an in-ground pool is more involved and may not be legal as a DIY project.

Ways to Save on Pool Removal Costs

Removing a pool can get expensive, and while DIY removal might not be in the cards, there are some other ways you can save on your total.

• DIY as much of the project as you can. Removing any fences or lightweight enclosures ahead of time as a DIY project can save $1,000 or more, depending on the size and material of the enclosure you’re removing.

• Couple your project with add-ons. If you know you’re going to finish the space in the future, like converting your pool to a deck, consider coupling the work with your removal. Most companies will offer discounts on the job if you also hire them to do landscaping, add a fire pit, install a new deck, or otherwise complete the area to your specifications.

• Rent a dumpster. You might be able to save on dumping fees by renting your own dumpster rather than paying your pool removal company to haul away the material.

• Drain your pool yourself. If local laws allow, you could save around $100 or more by draining your pool yourself before your pool removal company comes to complete the job.

• Choose your fill material carefully. You’ll pay more to fill your excavated area with straight soil than a mix of concrete and soil or gravel and soil. If you don’t plan on building over the area, you could consider a less expensive fill option to save some money.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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