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Key Points
- Pools are expensive and require a lot of maintenance, especially when it comes to older pools.
- Filling in a pool can open up more outdoor space for playing or entertaining.
- If you sell your home you have to disclose the filled in pool.
In-ground pools take up a lot of outdoor space, and they cost a lot to maintain—not to mention the physical labor involved in cleaning them. For all these reasons and more, the growing trend among homeowners has been to fill in the pool.
Ahead, contractors and builders break down why dumping the pool might be the best decision you make all summer.
Key Features
- Danny Niemela is a licensed contractor, professional remodeler, and Vice President and CFO at ArDan Construction.
- Eric Thomason is a contractor and the owner of Blue Nail Roofing & Construction.
Why Homeowners Are Ditching Their Pools
Pools don’t get used enough to justify the amount of work that goes into them. Unless you live in an arid region of the country, you likely only use your in-ground pool around 30 or 40 days a year, but it requires maintenance all 365.
“That ratio gets frustrating,” says licensed contractor Danny Niemela. “When your kids stare out the window in October, you don’t want to see a hole in your yard that you’ve been paying to heat, chemically treat, and skim leaves out of for 9 months of the year.”
But pool care goes well beyond basic cleaning and chemical treatments to treat cloudy pools.
“Pools require constant maintenance, equipment repairs, resurfacing, higher insurance premiums, and large amounts of water to fill,” says construction pro Eric Thomason.
Not to mention, pools add to your home’s overall water bill.
How Much Does It Cost to Fill in a Pool?
Filling in a pool costs between $5,000 and $20,000. This figure depends on a couple of factors, says Niemela. Crews charge more for full removal versus partial demolition.
Partial fills, where they drill drainage holes in the bottom, fall on the lower price range, whereas complete removal work—including hauling away all the concrete and rebar—pushes your backyard reno closer to $15,000-$20,000, he says.
The size of the pool, site accessibility, swimming pool type, and local permitting requirements can also increase costs, Thomason adds.
Is It Worth It to Fill in Your Pool?
There are many benefits and disadvantages to filling in your pool. And, really, it all depends on what is replacing it.
“In my opinion, if the new space is used daily then the financials work out,” Niemela says.
But ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your outdoor living space fits your lifestyle and long-term property goals.
Pros of Removing
- Removing a pool allows you to use your outdoor space more strategically.
- You can turn that space into outdoor living spaces, guest suites, gardens, or play areas.
- An aging pool is more likely to have pool filtration problems and can become a liability if leaks develop beneath its structure, says Thomason.
- Repair bills can easily run into the tens of thousands before anyone ever touches a cosmetic renovation.
Cons of Removing
- In many states, you are required to disclose a filled pool when you sell your house, Niemela says.
- A filled-in pool is usually considered a material change that could alter the property’s condition or pose a potential problem if the new owner decides to build on this newly filled space.
- It usually makes more sense to opt for a complete removal, which is more work and money, says Thomason.
Read the original article on The Spruce
