Above Ground Pool Removal: What to Expect
Taking down an old above ground pool is usually a 1 to 4 hour job for an experienced crew. Most of the people we remove pools for are replacing them, and when we install the new one, the removal costs less. Here’s what happens, what’s included, and how to get your yard ready.
Step 1
Remove, reline or replace?
Before you take a pool down, make sure it really has to go. A liner is the part that wears out first, and a new one can give a solid pool many more years.
| What you see | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Faded, brittle or leaking liner, but the wall and frame are solid | Reline it. See 7 Signs Your Liner Needs Replacing. |
| Rusted-through wall, rotted uprights or top rails, a bowed or buckled wall | Replace the pool |
| Winter or ice damage to the frame | Usually replace. See How to Combat Pool Winter Damage. |
| You simply don’t use it anymore | Remove it and get your yard back |
Not sure? Send us a photo or book a free site visit and we’ll tell you honestly.
Step 2
Your two options
- Takedown only: we safely dismantle the pool, and you keep or dispose of the parts.
- Takedown and removal: we dismantle the pool and haul the debris away.
Either way, we work by hand. No heavy equipment tearing up your lawn.
Buy your new pool from us and the removal costs less. One crew handles the teardown, the re-leveling and the new install, so the old pool comes out and the new one goes in on the same project. See Pool Replacement.
Step 3
What happens on removal day
- Shut down and disconnect. We make sure the lines are shut off and disconnected safely before touching the structure. The filtration system stays in place.
- Dismantle in order. Top rails come off first, then the uprights, then the wall, taken apart carefully and methodically.
- Haul away (if you chose takedown and removal).
Most pools take 1 to 4 hours, depending on the size, the shape (ovals have more parts) and how much rust and corrosion we’re working through.
Step 4
What’s included, and what isn’t
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Shutting down and disconnecting the lines | The filtration system (left in place) |
| Taking down the top rails, uprights and wall | The old liner |
| Hauling away the debris (with takedown and removal) | Decks |
| Site cleanup and lawn repair |
Have a ladder or a fence around the pool? We can take those out too, for an added charge. Try the removal estimator for a starting range on your pool’s size.
Step 5
How to get ready
- Ask about the water. Check with Dave when you book how the water should be handled before we arrive.
- Clear a path from the street to the pool so the parts can come out easily.
- Move furniture, toys and planters away from the pool.
- Keep kids and pets inside while we work. Old walls have sharp edges.
- Plan the next step: a new pool, a patio or grass. It changes what we leave behind.
Step 6
What’s left afterward
Once the pool is gone, you’ll have a patch of bare ground, usually with the old sand or stone dust base and some dead grass. What happens next depends on your plans:
- Putting in a new pool: we re-level the site as part of the install. See How to Level an Above Ground Pool, and check your town’s rules in Do You Need a Permit for an Above Ground Pool in Massachusetts?
- Going back to lawn: rake out the base, add topsoil, and seed or sod.
- Patio or garden: the leveled base is often a good head start.
Takedowns and removals across Massachusetts, and in Rhode Island when we install your new pool. Removal costs less when you replace it with a new pool from us.