An above ground pool that has sprung a leak, rusted out, or just stopped getting used is taking up a chunk of your yard, and getting it gone is more involved than it looks. Most above ground pool removals run somewhere between $300 and $2,500, but where you land depends on the size of the pool, what is built around it, and how easy the backyard is to reach. Knowing what moves the number keeps the project on budget.
We handle an above ground pool removal end to end: draining it, taking it apart, hauling it off, and leaving the spot clean and level.
What Drives Above Ground Pool Removal Cost
Size and type set the starting point. A small soft-sided pool comes apart fast, while a large steel or resin-walled pool with a full frame is more material to dismantle and haul. The bigger and sturdier the pool, the more labor it takes.
The water has to go somewhere first. A full pool holds thousands of gallons, and draining it safely and legally, without flooding your yard or a neighbor's, is part of the job and part of the timeline.
What is built around the pool often matters more than the pool itself. Many above ground pools have a surrounding deck, fencing, or a concrete pad, and removing those is added scope. A deck around the pool is its own teardown, and a concrete pad underneath is separate work again if you want the ground fully cleared.
Access shapes the labor. A pool reachable through a wide gate is quick to clear, while one fenced in or up a slope, common on backyards around the Atlanta metro, takes more hand work. Disposal closes out the estimate, though the metal frame is recyclable, which helps.
Above Ground vs Inground Pool Removal
The two are very different jobs. An above ground pool is drained, disassembled, and hauled, with no excavation involved. An inground pool means breaking out a concrete shell and backfilling the cavity, which is a bigger, costlier project.
Don't Forget the Bare Spot
Once the pool is gone, you are left with the footprint it covered, often a ring of compacted gravel or sand and a patch of dead grass. A complete removal includes clearing that base material and grading the area level so you can reseed, lay sod, or build on it. Folding that into the job means you get usable yard back, not a sunken circle where the pool used to be. It is worth confirming the leveling is part of any quote you compare.
Why Above Ground Pool Removal Is Not a DIY Job
It looks like a weekend project until the water and the steel get involved. Thousands of gallons have to be drained without damaging your property, sheet metal and frame parts have sharp edges, and a full pool's worth of material is heavy and awkward to load and haul. A professional residential demolition crew drains it, takes it down safely, hauls every piece away, and levels the ground, usually faster and cleaner than a DIY attempt once the dump runs add up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is above ground pool removal priced?
It starts with the size and type of pool, then factors in draining the water, any surrounding deck, fence, or concrete pad, access to the backyard, and hauling. A quick look is the only way to turn the range into a firm number.
Do you drain the pool, or do I have to?
We handle it. Draining thousands of gallons safely and legally is part of the removal, so you do not have to deal with the water before we arrive.
What about the deck and the ground afterward?
Both can be part of the job. We can remove a surrounding deck or fence along with the pool, and we clear the base material and level the spot so the area is ready to reseed or reuse.
Get a Firm Quote for Your Pool Removal
A range helps you plan, but the size of your pool and what surrounds it set the real figure, and that takes a quick look. BHH Demolition is veteran-owned and operated, led by U.S. Army veteran Grady Brain, with more than 23 years of demolition experience, a safety record we stand behind, and recycling built into every job. We serve the Atlanta metro and communities across Georgia from our base in Oxford.
Call us or get your free quote online, and we will drain it, take it down, haul it off, and level the spot, all in one quote.