Have you ever wondered what exactly we do during the swimming pool removal process? Take a look at a video of one of our Full Engineered Pool Demolitions to get an idea of what goes into removing that unwanted swimming pool.
If you have any questions or would like us to bid on your project; feel free to
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get a free estimate for swimming pool removal in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.
So, you have finally decided to take the plunge and dive-in head first into your swimming pool removal. Suddenly, you are faced with a whole new set of questions. How will your pool removal be handled? Most cities allow a partial collapse and fill, where others require a full removal of all concrete and rebar and then backfilled under the supervision of a licensed Geotechnical soils engineer. There are many options that fall between these two ends of the spectrum and I will do my best to describe each techniques and the pros and cons of each.
The Partial Removal and Non-Engineered Fill (Sides Broken down)
The process:
This is the most common type of removal that we see. This technique involves punching holes in the bottom of the swimming pool, breaking the sides (bond beam) down 18"-36" from grade and then backfilling and compacting with no engineering oversight.
Suitable future use:
Most cities will consider the area of the former pool non-buildable (no additions or dwellings) but the area will be perfectly acceptable for landscaping, sheds, concrete, plants or trees.
Advantages:
The main advantage to this type of pool removal is cost savings and the speed at which it can be removed (2-5 days)
Disadvantages:
There are a few disadvantages to this technique. The main disadvantage is that it will be something you will have to disclose to future buyers of the property and could affect the value of your home becasue it is considered non-buildable. On the other hand, you should check with the city building depatment and see what the property setbacks are to see whether it is a buildable area in the first place.
Another disadvantage is that if someday someone wanted to install a new swimming pool the old one would have to be dug up, broken out, recompacted and re-dug to the shape of the new pool. Also, if this technique is performed incorrectly you may have an increased chance of sinkage, swelling, or a lack of proper seepage. Refer to How to hire a contractor blog to make sure your contractor measures up.
Partial Removal and Engineered Fill
The Process:
This technique is the same as above except that the backfill would be monitored by an engineer technician who would perform density testing during backfill and then submit a senior engineer letter. This technique is typically only used when required by the city but if you are unsure of your contractors abilities it might be a good idea.
Suitable future use:
Most cities will consider the area of the former pool non-buildable (no additions or dwellings) but the area will be perfectly acceptable for landscaping, sheds, concrete, plants or trees.
Advantages:
The advantages to this type of pool removal is cost savings and the speed at which it can be removed (4-5 days). Another advantage would be that you have verification that the area has been properly compacted.
Disadvantages:
There are a few disadvantages to this technique. The main disadvantage is that it will be something you will have to disclose to future buyers of the property and could affect the value of your home becasue it is considered non-buildable. On the other hand, you should check with the city building depatment and see what the property setbacks are to see whether it is a buildable area in the first place.
Another disadvantage is that if someday someone wanted to install a new swimming pool the old one would have to be dug up, broken out, recompacted and re-dug to the shape of the new pool.
Full Removal with Non-Engineered backfill
The Process:
All concrete (Gunnite), fiberglass, liner, re-bar, etc. is removed from pool cavity and hauled off-site. The area is filled and compacted.
Suitable future use:
Most cities will consider the area of the former pool non-buildable (no additions or dwellings) but the area will be perfectly acceptable for landscaping, sheds, concrete, plants, trees or new swimming pool.
Advantages:
When you sell your home your disclosure will state that the entire pool was removed which may have less impact than if you had performed a partial removal. If your property setbacks would not allow building in the area regardless of the former pool there should be little or no impact on home value. Another advantage of removing the entire pool is that with no concrete burried in the pool it leaves less room for error in the backfill process. If a contractor doesn't know how to properly layer the concrete chunks during backfill it can leave air spaces that over time can cause sinkage in the former pool area. This process also eliminates any concerns of seepage as with the partial removal. In my opinion, if you are going to go through the expense and effort of a full removal it is usually worth it the spend the extra money to have it engineered. The cost is typically about 10% more.
Full Removal with Engineered Backfill
The Process:
All concrete (Gunnite), fiberglass, liner, re-bar, etc. is removed from pool cavity and hauled off-site. The area is filled and compacted. Provide a demolition and compaction plan wet stamped by a state licensed Engineer, perform density testing and oversight during backfill, and submit a final engineer review declaring the area "buildable"
Advantages:
Although this is the most expensive option, it is the absolute best process. In the eyes of real estate and building departments it is as if the pool never existed.
Disadvantage:
Cost
This should give you an overall idea of your options. Keep in mind that there are some variations in between these that may fit your special situation. I tried to simplify "the process" just to give you an idea of what would be done in each scenario but I would be happy to talk to you in more depth about our specialized process for removing swimming pools. I hope you find this helpful and I wish you the best on your upcoming project!
Ryan Crownholm
925-933-4448
http://www.ihatemyswimmingpool.com/
This is one of the most common questions I get from clients that are undecided on whether or not to remove their pool. I am by no means a real estate professional but I have read several articles on this topic and have seen the effects that removing a pool can have on selling a property first hand. Here is my attempt to answer that question... Most people would like to have a definitive answer regarding this question. Unfortunately, like many other factors in real estate, it depends. Below are some of the issues I have seen that affected property value in relation to swimming pools.
This is a list of factors that may have a flat or negative effect on your home's value.
- If the pool takes up 30% or more of the backyard.
- If the pool is over 30 years old and is in need of repair
- If the pool does not have a safety gate around it.
- If the pool is made from a vinyl liner.
- If the geographic area the pool is in has less than 3 months of "swimming weather"
- If the pool is the only one in the neighborhood.
- If your area is currently experiencing a drought
This is a list of factors that may have a positive effect on your homes value.
- The pool is less than 15 years old.
- The pool takes up less than 10% of your backyard.
- Most of your neighbors have pools.
- The pool equipment is relatively new and energy efficient.
- The geographic area the pool is in has more than 6 months of "swimming weather"
- The pool is completely enclosed by a safety gate.
- If your home is considered a "luxury home"
Supply and Demand:
The current economic downturn has reduced the pool of buyers substatially over the past couple of years. According to real estate professionals the best way to get offers on your home is to appeal to as many possible buyers as possible. In general, most families that do not want a swimming pool are less likely to look at a home that has one due to the cost of removal. Whereas, a family that does want a swimming pool will likely look at homes that have existing swimming pools or enough space to install one. Another factor to keep in mind is that if you have a swimming pool and are selling your house, it may benefit you to sell during the summer time when swimming pools are the most attractive to buyers.
Repair or Removal:
If your pool is in need of repair and you are selling your house these are some suggestions that may be helpful.
- Talk to your real estate agent and ask their professional opinion on the effect of having a swimming pool on your property.
- Review the above list of positives and negatives and see which you fall into.
- Get 3 estimates on repairing your pool.
- Get 3 estimates on removing your pool.
- Compare the middle 2 estimates of removing compared to repairing and figure the difference.
Example where repair would be the appropriate action:
Base home value: $500,000 Value added for pool: 3%= $15,000
Cost of Removal: $10,000
Cost of Repair: $12,000
If Repaired the total value would be $503,000 (500,000+15,000-12,000)
If Removed the total value would be $490,000 (500,000-10,000)
Example where removal would be the appropriate action.
Base home value: $500,000 Value added for pool: -2%= (-$10,000)
Cost of Removal: $9,000
Cost of Repair: $7,000
If repaired the total value would be $483,000 (500,000-10,000-7,000)
If removed the total value would be $491,000 (500,000-9,000)
Other factors such as landscaping and time factors such as maintenance and mortgage should also be taken into account.
Personal Experience
A large portion of pools that I have removed are related to real estate transactions. Here are a couple of examples that I have experienced after removing swimming pools.
- A home in Moraga was on the market for 6 months, prospective buyers generally felt the same about the pool, that it was poorly placed and undesireable. I removed the pool and the house was in escrow within 2 weeks.
- A home in Walnut Creek where the owners needed to move for work purposes was unable to sell their house because of the decreased value due to the real estate slump. In order to rent the home the insurance company wanted to increase the premium drastically and install a gate that was going to cost $3,500. In addition, several renters expressed hesitation due to the pool and the homeowners would be responsible for maintenance and repair. They decided the best course of action was to remove the pool. The homeowners had far more interest from potential renters once the pool was removed. The majority of the applicants had children and wanted to be in the Walnut Creek school district but didn't want the hazards or liability of a pool.
- An elderly couple in Danville had lived in their home for 40 years. They enjoyed their swimming pool for years but the cost had gotten so high for maintenance that they were considering selling their house and buying one without a pool. The equipment was over 30 years old and very inefficient and they had to pay a maintenance company $120/month to clean it. The total cost monthly was $250. They had never even considered removing the pool until their real estate agent introduced me to them. I removed their pool and they were able to stay in the home that they loved so much.
If you ever have any real estate questions relating to you swimming pool please call me. I would be happy to refer you to a professional real estate agent in your area. The above article is based on my practical experience in the industry and I hope you find it helpful.
Ryan Crownholm
Dig & Demo
General Engineering Contractor
925-We-Dig-It
925-933-4448
www.IHateMySwimmingPool.com
At Dig & Demo we like to believe that we do a pretty good job of making sure our clients walk away happy; being Diamond Certified
tends to speak for itself. The great part about working hard for our customers is that we have hundreds of references not to mention testimonials. September was a month like any other; we removed pools and made people happy. So what is so special about September? For the first time one of our customers took it upon themselves to write the ultimate testimonial for us in the form of a blog post. They also have some great photos of the project we did for them. Thank You Troi & Steve for the great reference.
Excert from their Post:
"Ryan and his team were pros from beginning to end, and we couldn't be happier with the results! They were fast, neat, careful, efficient, friendly, professional, and competent. Really, they are what every homeowner wants when it comes to big home improvement projects."
Head on over to Don't Steal My Pen to read the entire post!
Somehow with it being Halloween one of my friends brought up the subject of unused or abandoned pools being weird or creepy; this was a concept I had never thought about before. So I decided to check it out and here is some stuff I found around the web.
Mosquitoes
Creepiness Factor: Vampire Bugs
Swarms of Mosquitoes Rise from abandoned pools at foreclosed homes
“Aside from their annoying bites, mosquitoes carry West Nile virus and other diseases. With the number of foreclosures rising, it's becoming a more-important challenge to track down abandoned homes with pools from suburban Washington, D.C., to California.”
Mold & Mildew
Creepiness Factor: Sludge & Grime
Abandoned Pools
“Obsolete pools are odd architectural spaces. Freshly drained, a kind of expectancy still hovers around the gleaming cavern. Then the mold sets in. Over time the space becomes a botanical experiment gone horribly wrong, a repository for the discarded, or a bleached canvas for local taggers.”
Colony Plaza Pool in Florida
Coffin Pool
Creepiness Factor: What is not creepy about a pool shaped like a coffin?
The Distant Sound of Dripping Water
“Here is a brief selection of shots from hotels, hospitals and jails. Don't forget your bathing suit.”
Decayed Pool
Creepiness Factor: Just look at the Pic
I have to say this is probably the creepiest picture I have seen so far.
Decayed School Pool in England
Pripyat Pool
Creepiness Factor: Pool from the abandoned city built around Chernobyl.
Pripyat Pool
So what do you think?
Remove Your Pool to Sell Your Home
If you’re selling your home in this tough real estate market, it’s likely you’re looking for any opportunity to improve your chances of getting an offer. One thing you may not have considered is removing your pool. After all, it adds value to your home, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are many situations where your pool may actually be hurting your chances of making a sale.
Your backyard is small. The general rule of thumb is that your pool should take up 30% or less of the space. If it’s more than that, buyers may be turned off by the fact that they have so little yard space.
Your pool is in need of repair. Is your pool over 30 years old? Then it needs some work! Often, the cost of repairs is actually more than removal, so it’s in your best interest to do a cost comparison of your options.
Your pool has no safety gate. For families with kids, this can be a big issue, not to mention it’s a potential liability. Still, investing in the installation of a fence can be costly, so make sure the pool is an asset before you go through with it.
Your pool is made from a vinyl liner. The average lifespan for a vinyl liner is only 8 to 12 years, so if you’ve been in your home for a while already, it may already have some wear and tear. Also, many people just don’t find these types of pools very attractive.
You live in a very cold climate. How many months out of the year can you use your pool? Typically buyers feel it isn’t worth the time and effort to maintain the pool year-round if they can only use it for 3 months or less.
Your pool is the only one in the neighborhood. You may think it sets your house apart from the rest of the market, but that may be a bad thing. The market for homes with pools is smaller, so buyers who don’t want one have many other options right in your area.
You live in an area experiencing a drought. When water is being rationed, people look at the large amount of water and just see dollar signs and hassle.
The good news is you’re not stuck with your pool. Before you make the decision, I recommend consulting with a real estate professional who can help you determine exactly how much your pool is adding or detracting from the value of your home. Then you’ll be prepared to do the math and see if pool removal is the right option for you.
A swimming pool is a swimming pool right? Why the fluctuation in price? In fact, the end result is the same but the process varies depending upon several factors. Below is a list of a few of the most important factors influencing the price of removing your swimming pool.
- Access: Typically the bigger equipment and trucks that can access your pool the better the price for your swimming pool removal. The absolute best case scenario is to have access such that a large dump truck can backed right up to your pool to dump the fill material right in. This is rarely the case and swimming pools can be removed with much tighter access.
- Permit: Different cities have different fees for a swimming pool removal permit. The price typically ranges from $150-$1,600. Some of the higher priced permits include refundable recycling deposits that will be returned upon proof of recycling.
- Size of swimming pool: Larger pools typically require more demolition and more fill material and therefore increase the cost of removal. An average pool contains 25,000 gallons and we have removed swimming pools ranging from 5,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons.
- Type of Swimming Pool Construction: Liner, above ground, in gound gunnite, concrete etc. These are a few of the different types of swimming pools and each requires different techniques for demolition.
- Full, Partial, Engineered: These are the different types of swimming pool demolition. Depending on what your plans are for the site of your old swimming pool will influence which technique will suit you best.
These are only five of the major factors influencing your swimming pool removal cost and are very important to keep in mind when you are getting bids for the removal. If your favorite bush stands in the way of your access to your pool you may want to consider the cost of removal and replacement as opposed to the additional cost of your pool removal.
For a free, no obligation estimate please call me anytime:
925-933-4448
Ryan Crownholm
www.diganddemo.com
When you first bought your home, your pool might have been an attractive feature. You wanted the ability to teach your kids how to swim at home, throw pool parties for their birthdays, and keep them active during the summer. Those memories made the investment worthwhile.
But after your kids have moved out to go to college or start their careers, it might be time to consider whether or not you want to keep that pool. How often do you and your spouse go for a dip? Is the hassle of maintenance worth it? Where else can you spend all the money you’re now “sinking” into your pool? What about all that space it’s taking up in your backyard?
You may not have considered pool removal, but for many, it’s the right option. As you’ve regained your freedom, you may be looking for funds to go on that vacation you’ve been putting off or take up a new hobby. If you don’t use your pool often, visiting a community pool every now and then is much cheaper than spending $200 on maintenance, not to mention the added electricity and water costs.
Many people assume that they should keep their pool to maintain their home value, but the truth is that, as a pool ages, it can negatively affect the value of your home. And in neighborhoods where pools aren’t the norm, it can make selling your home harder. To find out how pool removal affects the value of your home, get a professional opinion from a real estate agent.
And consider how you could use the extra space in your backyard. Thinking about getting a dog to fill the empty nest? He’ll appreciate the room to run around. Or you could start that vegetable garden you’ve always dreamed of having. The possibilities are endless!
Getting rid of that pool you rarely use? You may not realize just how much money you’ll be saving in the long run. With maintenance fees at around $200 a month, you’ll have an extra $2,400 every year to do with as you please! Here are just a few of the ways you could use that money.
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Work on your swing. Why not join a country club? After the one-time initiation costs, it’s likely your monthly fee will be less than your old pool maintenance charge. Perhaps you could invest your extra dough in a few drinks at the bar.
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Discover Hawaii. Start an annual tradition of a week-long trip to the Aloha state. Packages for your hotel and flight will run you between $800 and $2000, so you may even be able to bring along a friend. Visit the volcanoes, go hula dancing, enjoy a luau, catch a wave, or just relax by the ocean. Why not visit a different island every year?
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Plan a monthly spa day. Relieve your stress from the work week, or get a break from those screaming kids. A nice massage or body wrap will help you feel your best, and why not try a facial, so you look your best, too? With a budget of $200 a month, you can go to town!
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Learn to fly a plane. While costs vary depending on your region, flight school costs between $3,000 and $4,000 to complete, so throw that money you’re saving in an account and, in less than two years time, you’ll be ready to get in the cockpit, enjoying life among the clouds.
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Go on a second honeymoon. Didn’t have the budget to do what you wanted the first time? Now you do! Visit the Venice canals in Italy. Take a safari in Africa. Enjoy fine French dining in Paris. The world’s your oyster!
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See the Super Bowl live. In 2010, tickets for the big game went for anywhere from $1,350 to $315,401. Sure, you’ll be on the lower end of the range, but you’ll still get to see the action in person.
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Buy a home entertainment system. How great would a 60” screen look in your living room? What about a surround sound system to go along with it? Get the experience of the movie theater right in your own home.
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Learn to play the guitar. Who doesn’t secretly want to be a rock start? Now’s your chance. For a few hundred dollars, you can invest in a nice Martin or Fender, and then spend the rest of the money on lessons from a professional.
Okay, you might just save the extra cash in an emergency fund, pay down credit card debt, or invest it for your child’s college education, but now you have a sense of just how much money you are throwing away on a pool you rarely use. Let us help you take the leap!
Clients often ask me why we require that all pools be permitted with the city and/or county.
My typical answer is "Why not". That answer usually doesn't get me very far so I figured I would elaborate.
- Permit Costs are usually only a fraction of the cost of the job. They typically are over the counter permits that require a simple plot plan, job plan, description etc. An average permit only takes 3-4 hours of work for an experienced pool removal contractor.
- Property value. If there is a discrepency of County records (ie. records say pool but there is not) the potential buyer may see this as a liability. The cost of permitting the work, if required, would be a concern.
- Tax benefits. I have been told by clients that they have petitioned the county to lower their taxes based on the reduced "value" of their home without a pool. I have not verified the validity of this so check for yourself.
- Having another set of eyes "AKA Building Inspector" visit your jobsite verifies that the pool removal process is done to the satisfaction of local requirements and keeps your contractor on track as well.
- The cost of going back and permitting and unpermitted pool will far exceed the oringinal cost.
- Most cities will require a plot plan for the permit which will show the location of the former pool. This will be very important if you ever decide to build near or over the site.
- Neighbors! If anything will invoke the inner tattle tale of your friendly neighbors it will be the jackhammering, trucks, equipment, etc. used to accomplish your job. There is nothing worse than trying to obtain a permit after recieving a stop order from an angry building inspector.
The only advantage to not obtaining a permit is to save $100-$500 in permit cost . In terms of Risk / Reward I feel there is no question here. Hence my "Why not" statement.
If your contractor tries to talk you out of getting a permit or tells you to take care of the permit I would suggest finding another contractor. An experienced pool removal contractor can handle everything for you in far less time than if you do it yourself.
Ryan Crownholm
Owner
Dig & Demo
http://www.ihatemyswimmingpool.com/