When an in-ground pool has reached the end of its life, there are two ways to take it out — full removal and partial removal. They cost differently and, more importantly, they leave you with different options for the space afterward.
Here's how to think about which one fits your property.
Full removal
In a full removal, the entire pool shell — walls and floor — is broken out and hauled away, and the hole is backfilled with engineered fill and compacted in lifts. It's the more involved option, but it leaves you with ground that behaves like the rest of your yard.
- Best if you may build a structure or addition over the area.
- Cleanest outcome for resale — typically nothing to disclose about a buried pool.
- Properly compacted fill resists settling over time.
Partial removal
In a partial removal, the top portion of the shell is broken off below grade, the bottom is drilled or punched so water can drain through, and the cavity is filled and compacted. It's faster and less involved, which generally makes it the lower-cost option.
- Good when the space will become lawn or a garden, not a building site.
- Some material stays buried, which limits what can be built over it.
- Often must be disclosed to future buyers.
The deciding questions
Two questions usually settle it: what do you want to do with the space later, and how does each option affect resale? If a future patio, shop, or addition is even a possibility, full removal keeps that door open. If it's becoming yard and you want the simpler route, partial may be the better fit.
Backfill and compaction matter either way
Whichever route you choose, how the cavity is filled and compacted is what determines whether the ground holds up. Engineered fill placed and compacted in lifts is what prevents the slow settling and low spots that give pool removals a bad name.