How Much Does Pool Removal Cost in Florida?
Most inground pool removals in Florida run about $5,000 to $16,000. A partial fill-in sits at the low end of that. A full removal sits at the high end. National cost guides put a partial fill-in at roughly $2,500 to $10,000. They put a full removal at roughly $4,000 to $16,000, with a national average near $6,000.
Tampa Bay numbers land in the same place. A national cost guide’s Tampa page lists an average of about $6,054, with most jobs between $5,045 and $8,072. Those are market numbers, not our price list. We price pool removal and fill-in work after we look at the pool, and the estimate is free.
What is the difference between a partial fill-in and a full removal?
A partial fill-in is the common choice in Florida. The pool gets drained first. We break out the top two to three feet of the walls. We punch drainage holes through the floor so water can pass through. The broken concrete drops into the hole, then clean fill goes in over it in compacted layers.
A full removal takes the whole shell out. The concrete, rebar, steel walls and plumbing all leave the yard. The hole is then filled and compacted in lifts. Pick that version if a house, garage, addition or driveway is going where the pool is.
Full removal costs more for two reasons. It takes more machine time. It also makes far more debris. National cost guides say a full pool demolition produces 10 to 30 tons of concrete and rebar. All of that gets hauled to a construction and demolition recycling site.
What does pool removal cost in Florida?
Here is what the published market ranges look like. These are figures from national cost guides, not our prices.
| Job | Published market range |
|---|---|
| Partial fill-in, inground pool | $2,500 to $10,000 |
| Full removal, inground pool | $4,000 to $16,000 |
| Concrete or gunite pool, full removal | $7,000 to $16,000 |
| Fiberglass pool removal | $5,000 to $10,000 |
| Vinyl liner pool removal | $4,000 to $11,000 |
| Pool deck removal | $3 to $6 per square foot |
| Screen enclosure removal | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| Fill dirt, delivered | $5 to $15 per cubic yard |
Access is the wild card in every one of those numbers. A backyard behind a narrow gate costs more than an open lot. Cost guides put the penalty for tight access at $1,000 to $3,000.
Does the kind of pool change the price?
Yes. Concrete and gunite pools cost the most to take out. The shell is thick and packed with rebar. It has to be broken up with an excavator. Cost guides put a full gunite removal at $7,000 to $16,000.
Fiberglass shells are lighter. They come out in sections, so guides list them around $5,000 to $10,000. Vinyl liner pools land in the middle at about $4,000 to $11,000. The liner and the wall panels pull out fast, but the concrete footers still have to come up.
Most older Tampa Bay backyard pools are gunite. That is the gray shell under a cracked plaster surface, and it is the costliest kind to remove.
What about the pool deck and the screen enclosure?
Nearly every Florida pool has a deck. Many also have a screen cage over the top. Both add to the job. Cost guides put concrete deck removal at $3 to $6 per square foot and enclosure removal at $1,000 to $3,000.
A wide paver or concrete deck can cover more square footage than the pool itself. Screen cage aluminum is light but bulky, and the footers are set in concrete. Get both priced in the estimate so the yard ends up level and usable.
How much dirt does it take to fill a pool?
More than most people expect. A 16 by 32 foot pool takes roughly 110 to 120 cubic yards of fill. That count includes the settling you get during compaction. At $5 to $15 a cubic yard plus delivery, fill is a real line on the bill.
Fill quality matters more than fill price. Clean sand and structural fill, placed in lifts and compacted, is what keeps the yard from sinking. Tampa Bay soils are sandy and the water table is high. Drainage holes in the old shell and proper compaction do the real work here. That is the same fill dirt, grading and compaction work we do on site prep jobs.
Do you need a permit to fill in a pool in Florida?
Plan on one. Florida Statutes 553.79 makes it unlawful to “demolish any building within this state without first obtaining a permit.” Your local building department issues it.
Unincorporated Hillsborough County goes through county Development Services. The county’s residential demolition checklist asks for a recorded Notice of Commencement and a site plan drawn to scale. It also asks for sign-offs from the water, electric, gas and phone providers. The City of Tampa says its demolition permit covers “the demolition of any existing structure and the associated debris removal.” Fees come from the county’s published fee schedule, so confirm the current amount with the permit office. More detail sits in our guide to the Hillsborough County demolition permit.
One step comes before any digging. Florida Statutes 556.105 requires notice to the state one-call system at least 2 full business days before excavation or demolition. In Florida that system is Sunshine 811.
What do you have to tell a buyer after a fill-in?
This is the question Florida sellers ask most. Under Johnson v. Davis, 480 So. 2d 625 (Fla. 1985), a Florida home seller has a duty to disclose. It covers known facts that materially affect value and that a buyer cannot readily see. Florida courts have applied that duty to homes sold “as is” as well.
A filled-in pool is buried, so a buyer cannot see it. Most Florida sellers put it on the disclosure form for that reason. Keep the permit, the final inspection and any compaction records together and hand them to the buyer. Ask your own real estate professional how to word the disclosure.
How do you get a real number for your pool?
Every pool prices differently. Size, depth, shell type, deck square footage, cage, gate width and fill haul distance all move the number. A partial fill-in on an open Riverview lot is one job. A full removal behind a tight South Tampa fence is another.
We look at the pool, the deck, the gate and the yard, then give you a written number. Call or text (813) 239-4231 for a free estimate. You can also see how we handle pool removal across the Tampa Bay area.