How to lower the costs on pool removal

Swimming pool removals are no easy feat. With this in mind, these jobs usually come with a high price tag. Here are some ways on how you can save up on those costs.

Identify your pool type

The cheapest pool to remove is ​an above-ground pool. If you have the tools in your shed, you can actually complete the task by yourself in about 3-5 days. Mind you, a professional removalist can take care of it in a day. The process is simple but hard to do : 1. Drain water2. Remove pump/filters3. Cut the liner4. Disconnect/remove the panels5. Dispose or store any of the parts removed. 

How to save:

1. You can ask for someone to drain the water out. The starting price is usually about $250+GST. 2. Keep/store parts that are still useable for future use instead of dumping them. Better yet, give them away or re-sell them.

Actual cost for Pool Removal Perth to remove above-ground pools start at $1,000 +GST.

How to save:

1. Check if your local council allows burying the pool only. If they do you, will save up paying for the fill sand and the disposal of pool shell to a disposal site. 2. If the pumps and filters are still in good condition, you can either sell them or give them away.

Actual cost for Pool Removal Perth to remove Fibreglass pools start at $3,000 +GST and Liner and Concrete pools, start at $3,500 +GST

For the other pool types like fibreglass, concrete and liner pools, the process is a bit different from above-ground pools. Not in terms of the actual removal but because with these, you will need to get in touch with the council and notify them of the procedure. Once you do, they will let you know if you can just bury the pool or you’ll need a complete pool removal. Pool removals of this type usually involve hand saws and drills which are a bit expensive to rent if you don’t already have them. Let’s add that to the fact that this is really hard labour…

Check machine access

Most quotes for pool removals are based on the machine that is going to be used to do the job.

A general bobcat (1.9m wide and 2.0m tall) is the standard machine that we use for our pool removals and sometimes, the access our clients have won’t be able to fit this great machine towards the job site. Then comes the narrower or smaller machines (can fit up to 800mm of width) that we use. Now since these are smaller ones, the load that they can carry, will be smaller. Smaller loads mean a longer time. Hence, higher labour costs.

How to save:

1. Most properties will only have a garage door or a small gate as access towards the job site. If there’s a very small difference with the height clearance, e.g. garage door, it will be cheaper to have the garage door taken down and put back up. Costs start around $350 +GST and up compared to having to pay an additional $1,000 +GST to your removalist for using a smaller machine.

2. In cases wherein fence and panels are surrounding the pool, it will be cheaper to take them down by yourself as to having them remove it to acquire machine access. Costs usually start at around $150 +GST, depending on how much there is.

Need for a certificate

A compaction certificate is needed after a pool removal because it is a requirement before you can apply for a building permit. However, not everyone knows that there is an expiration for this document. 

A few things to consider:1. Do you have plans on building a structure on top of the old pool?2. Do you have an immediate need for a building certificate?

You have to ask these questions because a compaction certificate only has a validity of 4-8 weeks based on possible weather conditions changing the compaction. Another thing is that, depending on your machine access, prices for such certificate may start from $350 up to $1,000. For a narrow machine access job, for example, the compactor that will be used is a 90-kg plate compactor. A smaller and lighter plate means the job will take longer to complete hence the higher labour costs.

If you want to know more about how to possibly save up for your next pool removal project, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 08 6461 6464.