Or maybe you have bought a house with an in-ground pool that is in need of repair, requires too much maintenance, or you can use the space for something else. Get estimates for a remodel vs. demo before making your decision. If you do decide to go this route, it’s not a DIY job. Hire a demolition contractor or a company that specializes in this service to demo the in-ground pool. And before you get rid of the pool, really think about it, do your research, and make sure that everyone in your household is on board. Here are reasons to demolish an in-ground pool.
1. You No Longer Use It
Reasons can vary for not using your swimming pool:
The kids have gotten older and no longer use the pool, or have gone off to college.Weather—it’s never quite warm enough.You don’t like to swim by yourself, or you don’t have good reasons to swim.The allure is over. It’s a big pit of water in the yard that’s eating away your finances and free time.There it sits—beautiful and alone.
2. Cost of Pool Maintenance Service
Are you paying $100 or so weekly for a pool service company (aka pool guy) to come by and clean out your pool, maybe check the filter and water levels? That’s $400 per month, which can be $5,200 per year if the pool water stays in the pool throughout the year. In three years, that’s $15,600 to keep the pool clean and maintain pH levels. Never mind repairs. Maybe you do the pool maintenance. Would you rather be doing something else?
3. Too Many Repairs
Ah, repairs, both minor and major, add up when you own a swimming pool. When you’re trying to make ends meet, who has extra money to buy a pool pump or other costly piece of replacement equipment?
4. It Needs to be Remodeled or Retrofitted
You want to be a good citizen and retrofit your pool with compliant drain covers and up-to-date equipment, but the cost of these components, plus keeping abreast of new codes, is more than you ever wanted to undertake. Or, your pool is hopelessly outdated and needs to be remodeled. By the time you add up the costs to repair the pool and add a few extras, you’re in over your head.
5. It’s Not an Asset for Selling the House
In many cases, a well-constructed and maintained swimming pool is still considered a perk when it comes to listing your house for sale. But not if you have let it fall apart. Would you want to buy a house with a dilapidated pool in the backyard? Check with local real estate agents and listings to see if pools in any condition really help or actually hinder the resale value of a home.
6. You’d Rather Use the Space for Something Else
If your home has a fairly small backyard and the pool takes up a great deal of it—as in fence-to-fence pool—then it might be a good idea to raze the pool, especially if you plan on residing in the house for several more years. What could you put in place of your pool? A patch of lawn, a garden, a patio—the choice is up to you.
7. There’s Liability
Having a pool in the backyard can increase homeowners’ insurance for some.
8. Cost of Heating
You’ve bought a cover for the pool and use it religiously, but it still does not keep the pool warm enough for a comfortable swim. The price of heating it, solely during the months when you use it, is still too high. Maybe fill it in and get a hot tub?
9. Pools Waste Water
A well-maintained swimming pool that does not have any leaks should not have to be drained or refilled every year—even every two or three years. But, if you find yourself unable to fight the algae or if there is a leak, you may want to get rid of that big pool of water—a valuable resource in drought-ridden California, the Western United States, Australia, and other regions affected by drought.
10. Safety Issues
You have young children or grandchildren, and despite the safety fencing and all of the other precautions you have taken, that pool is a constant source of anxiety and sleepless nights. What if a neighborhood child climbs the fence and drowns? Or a child wanders through the gate and into the pool somehow while you are on vacation? Maybe it’s time to stop worrying and transform that pool into a meditative garden.
