What to do when your pool’s a drain
They’re nice to have, but how hard are they to get rid of when their better days have gone?
Having a beautiful cool blue pool to splash around in in the backyard is considered the pinnacle of property ownership by some. But for others, it can be an unwanted drain on time and money, or a lethal safety hazard for young children or pets.
So if you have an unused pool, or are looking at buying a property that has one that you don’t want, how easy is it to remove?
Relatively easy, if it’s an above-ground pool. That will simply require draining, dismantling, disposal and repairing the site.
But with an in-ground pool things can get tricky – and costs can spiral.
Mark Watt, owner of Tite Site Works Ltd in Wellington, specialises in tricky earthworks and demolitions. He gets about one call each week about in-ground pool demolition, often from as far afield as Auckland.
His first piece of advice to anyone looking to demolish an in-ground pool is to get an engineer’s report.
‘‘You never know what’s under the ground, and you want to be really careful,’’ he said.
‘‘Removing a pool can have ramifications in the future, like earth slipping or drainage issues, and can be tricky if it’s near a boundary or near foundations.
‘‘It might not be a problem for you straight away, but it could be an issue for your neighbour, or a future owner. It’s best to get solid, realistic advice from the start.’’
This geo-tech report will identify any possible problems with the land such as subsidence or flooding, and also recommend what type of fill is required.
‘‘They’ll generally say whether you can use other material from the property or whether you need a particular sort of fill from the quarry before the soil goes on top and you can lay your nice new lawn or build your deck or whatever,’’ Watt said.
And only once the engineer’s report is in, can the job be priced.
‘‘It’s all speculation until that point,’’ Watt said, as size, condition and position of the pool all have an impact on the cost of removal.
You should be prepared to pay in excess of $10,000 however, and that’s before the remedial landscaping work has started.
Or, as Watt put it: ‘‘Take what you think it’s going to cost and double it.’’
Usually, the cheapest and easiest solution is to remove just the top layer of the pool and any tiled or decked surrounds and fill it in with the appropriate compacted material and soil. Holes will need to be punched into the remaining pool floor to prevent it refilling and flooding the area.
This method still requires expert assessment as it can be more likely to cause problems, such as sinkage or swelling, particularly if excess groundwater isn’t dealt with properly.
The alternative is a full demolition and removal of the pool, which can be more expensive and timeconsuming, but might be a better long-term solution. The land is more likely to be problem-free with this method, but the fact that a pool has been removed should still be disclosed to any future buyers. Watt also recommended checking with your local council about whether there are other measures that need to be taken, as every site will be different.
Victoria Barton-chapple from Wellington City Council said: ‘‘Each pool needs to be treated as an
‘‘I’ve seen people lose their properties or marriages because of bad building practices or earthworks.’’ Mark Watt
individual case. There are different variables that need to be considered.
‘‘However, it is up to the owner to engage suitably qualified professionals to help them investigate options as there are many variables, such as location to building foundations and boundaries.’’
And under the Building Act 2004, councils are responsible for auditing pools every three years for fencing compliance, so should be advised when it’s gone so they can remove it from the register.
There are no figures collated for how many pools are removed around the country, but with an increase of pool building, there’s likely a corresponding increase of pool removal.
‘‘I’d just say to people to use their common decency and jobs like these properly,’’ Watt said. ‘‘It’s much easier to get the advice at the start rather than remedy a slip or a drainage issue once it’s been created.
‘‘I’ve seen people lose their properties or marriages because of bad building practices or earthworks. It’s just not worth cutting corners.’’