Inground Pool Removal Cost: What You'll Actually Pay [2026]

Inground pool removal pricing depends primarily on whether you choose partial or full demolition.

Partial pool removal costs $3,000 to $7,000 according to Royal Swimming Pools. The contractor drains the pool, punches drainage holes in the bottom, removes the top 2 to 3 feet of walls, collapses the remaining structure into the cavity, and fills everything with dirt and gravel. This method is faster (2 to 3 days) and cheaper but comes with a disclosure requirement when you sell the home.

Full pool removal costs $7,000 to $16,000 according to HomeGuide. Every piece of the pool shell — concrete, gunite, fiberglass, or vinyl liner — gets excavated, loaded into trucks, and hauled to a recycling center or landfill. The hole gets backfilled with clean structural fill dirt and compacted in layers. This takes 5 to 10 days but leaves no trace of the pool.

Fill-in only (no demolition) costs $2,000 to $8,000 according to Dirt Connections. This involves draining the pool, punching drainage holes, and filling the entire cavity with dirt. No structural demolition occurs. This is the cheapest option but may cause settling issues over time.

Angi reports the national average for inground pool removal at $6,000 across all methods. Reddit users consistently report real-world quotes between $8,000 and $15,000 for full removal.

Six factors drive the final price of removing an inground pool.

Pool size. A small plunge pool (10x20 feet) costs significantly less to remove than a full-size residential pool (20x40 feet). Larger pools require more equipment time, more fill dirt, and more debris hauling. Homewyse prices removal at $164 to $206 per cubic yard of material — a 20x40x8-foot pool contains roughly 240 cubic yards.

Pool material. Gunite and concrete pools are the most expensive to demolish because they require jackhammers and heavy equipment to break apart. Fiberglass shells can sometimes be lifted out whole with a crane ($3,000 to $5,000 for crane rental). Vinyl-liner pools with steel or polymer walls are the easiest and cheapest to remove.

Access. If the pool sits behind a house with no side-yard access for excavators, the contractor may need to remove fencing, cut through landscaping, or even temporarily remove a section of the home's exterior wall. Limited access can add $1,000 to $3,000.

Permits and inspections. Most cities require a demolition permit for pool removal. Permit costs range from $150 to $800 depending on location — Houston charges $200 to $500, Los Angeles $300 to $800, and Phoenix $150 to $400 according to TopPoolRemoval. Some jurisdictions also require soil compaction testing at $400 to $800.

Fill dirt. Structural fill dirt costs $8 to $12 per cubic yard according to Angi. Topsoil for the final layer runs $12 to $55 per cubic yard. A standard 16x32-foot pool needs 40 to 60 cubic yards of fill.

Debris disposal. Concrete and rebar hauling to a recycling facility costs $50 to $100 per ton. A full pool demolition generates 10 to 30 tons of debris depending on pool size and material.

Pool removal costs vary significantly by region due to labor rates, permit requirements, and disposal fees.

Whether pool removal makes financial sense depends on your situation.

Pool removal usually pays for itself at resale. An unwanted pool can reduce a home's value by $5,000 to $20,000 according to real estate agents on Reddit, especially in northern climates where pools are used only 3 to 4 months per year. Removing the pool eliminates annual maintenance costs of $3,000 to $6,000 (chemicals, equipment, electricity, insurance) and reclaims 300 to 800 square feet of usable yard.

Partial removal is the better value for most homeowners. At $3,000 to $7,000, partial removal costs 50% to 75% less than full removal. The main trade-off is a disclosure requirement when selling — you must tell buyers a pool was filled in on the property. For homeowners staying in the home long-term, partial removal makes strong financial sense.

Full removal is worth it if you plan to build. If you want to construct a patio, garage, addition, or other structure where the pool sits, full removal is required. Partial fill-ins can settle over time and won't pass structural inspections for new construction.

Inground pool removal is not a DIY project for most homeowners.

Partial removal requires draining the pool, renting a jackhammer or excavator ($300 to $800 per day), breaking up the top portion of the shell, punching drainage holes in the bottom, and ordering 40 to 60 cubic yards of fill dirt delivered and compacted. Most homeowners hire a demolition contractor.

Full removal requires a full-size excavator ($500 to $1,500 per day), dump trucks for debris hauling, a demolition permit, and knowledge of soil compaction requirements. This is strictly a professional job.

What you can DIY to save money: Drain the pool yourself (rent a submersible pump for $50 to $100 per day). Remove pool equipment (pump, filter, heater, plumbing) yourself. Remove the pool deck and coping yourself with a sledgehammer. Handle landscaping and final grading after the contractor finishes. These steps can save $500 to $2,000 off contractor quotes.

Dropcurb can haul away pool equipment, broken concrete pieces, old pool decking, and other debris you remove yourself — starting at $79 for curbside pickup.

Removal isn't the only option for an unwanted inground pool.

Convert to a sunken garden. Drill drainage holes in the bottom, add a layer of gravel, fill with soil, and plant. Costs $1,500 to $5,000 depending on plants and hardscaping. The pool walls create natural raised-bed boundaries.

Install a pool cover or deck. A structural deck over the pool costs $5,000 to $15,000 and adds usable outdoor living space without any demolition. Companies like Freedom Decks specialize in reversible pool-to-deck conversions starting at $12,000.

Convert to a pond. Line the pool, add aquatic plants and a filtration system, and create a backyard koi pond or natural swimming pond. Budget $3,000 to $10,000.

Renovate instead of removing. If the pool structure is sound, resurfacing costs $3,000 to $7,000 — potentially less than removal. New vinyl liner installation runs $1,500 to $4,000. Sometimes fixing the pool costs less than filling it in.

Five strategies to reduce your pool removal bill.

Get at least 3 quotes. Pool removal pricing varies wildly — Reddit users report quotes ranging from $8,000 to $25,000 for the same pool. Always get multiple bids.

Choose partial removal. Partial fill-in costs 50% to 75% less than full excavation. Unless you plan to build on the site, partial removal is the smart financial choice.

Do your own prep work. Drain the pool yourself, remove equipment, break up the pool deck, and remove fencing or landscaping that blocks equipment access. This saves contractors time and reduces your quote by $500 to $2,000.

Time it for off-season. Fall and winter are slow seasons for demolition contractors. You'll get better rates and faster scheduling from November through February.

Haul debris yourself with Dropcurb. If you break up concrete pool decking or remove equipment yourself, stack it at the curb and book a Dropcurb pickup from $79 instead of paying the contractor's disposal markup.