how much does it cost to fill in a pool
Filling in a pool (as in, permanently removing or burying it) typically costs between about $3,000 and $19,000 , with many homeowners landing in the $5,000–$10,000 range depending on size, type, and how “complete” you want the job to be.
Quick Scoop: Typical Price Range
For a standard residential inground pool:
- Overall average : around $6,000–$7,500 is a common national midpoint.
- Low end (small, easy access, partial fill) : about $3,000–$4,000.
- High end (large, deep, complex, full removal) : can reach $15,000–$19,000+.
Above‑ground pools are usually much cheaper to remove, often a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars because there’s no concrete shell to demolish.
What “Fill In a Pool” Actually Means
When people ask “how much does it cost to fill in a pool?” , they usually mean decommissioning the pool, not filling it with water. There are two main options:
- Partial fill-in (abandon in place)
- Break holes in the bottom for drainage, collapse or punch through some of the shell, then backfill with dirt and gravel and compact.
- Usually cheaper than full removal, but some cities restrict this method or require it to be disclosed at resale.
- Full removal
- Remove all concrete/fiberglass/vinyl structure and haul it away, then backfill and compact.
- More expensive but often considered the “cleanest” option for resale and future building plans.
Cost Breakdown by Pool Size and Type
These are ballpark ranges for inground pools, including demolition, backfill, and basic grading.
| Pool size / type | Typical cost range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small inground (around 12’ × 24’) | $2,100 – $10,000 | Lower end for partial fill, higher for full removal. | [9][7]
| Medium inground (14’ × 28’ or 15’ × 30’) | $2,500 – $15,000 | Most typical suburban pools sit here. | [7][9]
| Large inground (18’ × 36’+) | $5,000 – $16,000+ | More volume = more demo, more fill, more labor. | [9][7]
| Average all sizes (national) | ≈ $5,000 – $10,000 | Many projects cluster near $7,500. | [9]
| Above‑ground pool | $300 – $2,500 | Disassemble, haul away, optional deck and base removal. | [5]
What Drives the Price Up or Down?
Key factors:
- Pool size and depth
- Bigger and deeper = more concrete to demolish and more fill material to bring in, which raises both labor and disposal costs.
- Pool type and material
- Concrete/gunite : hardest to break, often most expensive.
- Fiberglass shell : must be cut and hauled away in sections.
* **Vinyl‑liner** : structure underneath (steel, concrete, or wood) determines the heavy work.
- Fill material choice
- Clean fill dirt is usually cheapest; gravel, engineered fill, or imported soil blends cost more but can compact better and drain more reliably.
- Site access and difficulty
- Narrow side yards, slopes, or obstacles can require smaller machines or more manual labor, which adds time and cost.
- Local permits and codes
- Many municipalities require:
- Demolition permit
- Drainage plan
- Compaction verification or engineer’s letter
- Permit and inspection fees vary by area and can add a few hundred dollars or more.
- Many municipalities require:
- What you want done with the yard afterward
- Simple: backfill, rough grade, and seed.
- More involved: patios, lawns with irrigation, garden beds, or even building foundations add substantial cost beyond basic “fill in.”
Cost to Fill With Dirt vs. With Water
There’s also confusion between:
- Filling a pool with water (keeping it as a pool)
- Municipal water: roughly $4–$10 per 1,000 gallons , so a 20,000‑gallon pool can be $80–$200 on your water bill.
* Trucked‑in water: often **$500–$1,500** depending on gallons and whether it’s pre‑treated.
- Filling a pool with dirt (permanent closure)
- This is where the $3,000–$19,000 ranges come from, since you’re paying for demolition, debris removal, dirt, compaction, and grading.
So if you just mean “top up” or refill an empty swimming pool you’re keeping, you’re probably budgeting in the low hundreds to about $1,500 for water, not tens of thousands.
Today’s Trend: Why So Many People Are Filling Pools In
In the last few years (especially post‑2020), there’s been a noticeable wave of:
- People installing pools during lockdowns and hot summers.
- Then later deciding to remove them as kids grow up, insurance and maintenance costs rise, or drought and water restrictions tighten.
Recent cost guides from 2024–2025 show that as material and labor prices climbed, national averages for pool removal/infilling also nudged upward, which is why you see ranges stretching toward $15k+ on the upper end. Many homeowners treat pool removal as part of a bigger yard “reset” or landscaping overhaul.
How to Get a More Precise Estimate
If you want a realistic quote for your specific pool, here’s a quick way to approach it:
- Gather basics
- Pool type (concrete, vinyl, fiberglass).
- Dimensions (length, width, average depth).
- Access details (can an excavator reach it?).
- Decide on scope
- Partial fill vs. full removal.
- Simple backfill and grass vs. full landscaping.
- Get 2–3 local quotes
- Ask if their estimate includes:
- Permits and inspections
- Debris hauling and disposal
- Fill material and compaction
- Final grading and basic seeding or sod
- Ask if their estimate includes:
- Ask about resale and code
- Some areas require full removal for future building, while others allow partial fill with disclosure; this can affect your long‑term costs and what a buyer’s inspector may flag.
As a rule of thumb, many homeowners end up spending about the price of a small used car to fully and cleanly remove an inground pool and reclaim the yard, but simple partial fills in straightforward situations can land closer to the low end of the national ranges.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.