The pool. Once a family fun place, now it is dilapidated and ugly, beginning to crumble and leak. Repairs are expensive and not worth it because no one uses it anymore. Not only is it costly to repair, but the risk of a terrible accident is also always in the back of your mind. You even thought about selling the house to get rid of the headache, but your real estate agent told you that homes with pools are harder to sell, especially pools that are old and ugly.
Reclaim Your Yard by Removing Your Inground Pool
All you really want is to make the pool go away and have more yard space. What can you do? You can consult with a professional inground pool removal contractor to discuss your removal options. There are two ways they can remove youe pool: partial removal and full removal.
Partial Removal
Partial removal is less expensive than full removal and is the most common method of removal. Sometimes, partial removal is described as filling in the pool. With partial removal, your contractor will first drain the pool of any water. The next step is to drill holes in the bottom of the pool to drain off any moisture that collects. Once the pool bottom is properly broken up, the contractor will demolish the top 18 inches of the pool wall and remove any unwanted decking. The debris will be placed into the remaining pool shell. It will then be backfilled with gravel and dirt, then compacted to prevent the surface from sinking over time.
Though partial removal is about half the cost of full removal, partial removal has a few disadvantages. When you sell the house, you will likely have to disclose the existence of the debris-filled pool. Also, with partial removal, you could experience some settling and sinking of the surface over time. The pool debris left in the ground can settle and create irregular spaces that cause unexpected sinking at the surface. For this reason, most building codes prohibit building a new structure on the site of a partially filled pool. If you plan to build a new structure on or near the site, you will have to fully remove the pool.
Full Removal
Full removal is normally the best option. A full removal means that the entire pool is demolished and removed.
In a full removal, the contractor first will first drain any water from the pool. Once drained, the contractor will demolish the pool shell to break it up into pieces. Removing those materials usually require special heavy equipment. Next, the contractor will backfill the now empty cavity with gravel and soil. The surface will be compacted. Once the full inground pool removal is completed, nothing of the pool will be left in the ground.
Full removal has advantages over partial removal. Once the pool is fully removed, the space can be used without restriction. It is safe enough to build a new structure on it. The ground will have fewer issues with sinking because the compacting process will be simpler. No buried chunks of debris will remain to create underground cavities.
Post-Pool Removal Ideas for Your New Yard Space
You will need a professional inground pool removal service to remove the pool, but some of the surface landscaping you may be able to do yourself. Now that your pool is gone, you will want to use your newly acquired space.
Establish a Sun-Loving Wildlife Garden
Most pools occupied a sunny part of the yard. It may be ideal for a sun-loving garden of wildlife-friendly shrubs and flowers. Your pool site has no grass growing in it, so a lot of the work of building a garden bed is already done! Depending on the site, your new garden could become the centerpiece for your yard.
Before you begin planting anything, however, realize that the pool fill material has been heavily compacted and may consist of poor quality soil. Further settling may occur, so you should let it sit for about two weeks. The space may even be contaminated with chlorine and various pool chemicals that may not support healthy plants. Take some samples and send them to a soil lab to determine if chemical contamination is a problem. If so, you will want replace that soil with a good layer of healthy topsoil and plenty of organic material such as compost.
You can find plenty of free landscape designs online with sun-loving wildlife-friendly plants suited for your planting zone. You can easily make gravel or stone walkways to allow you to wander through the plantings. Or, you can hire a reputable landscape contractor to handle it all for you.
Build a Beautiful Patio and Outdoor Kitchen
The soil used to fill the pool cavity is hard and poor. It may not support a healthy garden. You can use the space to install beautiful new hardscape. You may even have some pool decking remaining – why not incorporate that into your new hardscape? If you still have operational plumbing and power connections, you may be able to put those to use in an outdoor kitchen space. The site itself has already been prepared for it. You may just need a layer of sand on top of it if you plan to use pavers.
Note, however, that if your inground pool removal was a partial removal, your local building codes may limit your options for construction new structures on or near the site. Be sure to discuss this with your pool removal contractor at the outset of your project.
Install a Fire Pit
If a patio and outdoor kitchen are more elaborate than you want to take on, why not build a simple fire pit and place comfortable seating around it? You can install lawn or gravel and keep the whole thing simple yet inviting.
Work with a Professional Inground Pool Removal Contractor
Removing a pool is a big job, but well worth the effort when you use a qualified pool removal contractor. An experienced contractor will help you plan your project from start to finish and make it as hassle-free as possible. With the right contractor, you will be enjoying your new yard before you know it.
