Swimming Pool Fill In

The Story...

In Celina, Tx. a rural homeowner decided it was time to fill in a pool that had been retired and empty for an extended period of time, and gave us a call.

A few weeks earlier the homeowner sat down to consider his choices. He could upgrade all the pool equipment, resurface the pool, fill it with new water, and meet whatever pool fencing requirements were needed,  or come up with another plan entirely.

Simply putting a pool cover over it wasn't an option because the equipment wasn't in working order. This meant that the cover would be put over an empty pool. That's not good. If he filled it, the water under the cover wouldn't be circulating, so that was out as well.

The homeowner could have gone the pool removal route, but that would mean having to redo the cement patios and walking path that went along the house to the back door. That route was also prohibitively expensive, even before the concrete work was taken into account.

The Solution...

He finally decided that it was far easier and cheaper to get the pool filled in. The plan was to remove debris from the bottom of the pool so drainage holes could be set in the concrete pool bottom. From there, fill in the pool with dirt and pack it in. With a smooth surface back there, he would have no trip hazards or safety issues.

We put a number of holes in the bottom of the pool (after relocating three turtles that had called the pool home), backfilled it with course fill, topped it off with sandy loam, and packed it along the way to keep it nice and even with time.

The homeowner is turning the hot tub into a fire pit  so we added some gravel to get that started for him, and the main pool area will get some grass seed. Eventually he will be fencing in the exterior so the dogs can enjoy a nice enclosed yard during the day.

Can I Fill in an In-Ground Pool Myself?

All-in-all, filling in a pool in Texas is not something we would recommend a homeowner take on themselves. There are a lot of DIY projects a rural homeowner may encounter, but this one is tougher than most for the reasons mentioned next. 

Even if a homeowner were to have (or rent) the right equipment, working with heavy machinery near a deep hole can be very dangerous or expensive if something went wrong. On top of the issue of moving tons of dirt, properly packing that dirt is another matter entirely. If the soil is not rolled in, it will sink, leaving uneven soil at the surface. Lastly, the job needs to pass city inspections along the way, which could be an additional problem for a homeowner.

The Specifics (cost & timeframe)...

The cost of filling in a pool depends on the condition of the pool, the size and depth of the pool, its location, and the access to that pool. With so many variables, it's hard to estimate without looking at it.

As far as price range goes, If the pool hasn't been used in a long time, chances are it's more expensive to replace all the equipment and resurface, than it is to fill in with dirt. 

You can also assume that it will be more to remove it entirely than it is to fill it.

This means that filling in a pool with dirt is very likely the cheapest way to go.

Of course, these estimates are generalizations. If you have a pool that you can update inexpensively, keeping it in working order would probably be the best solution. This is really case-by-case based on what you're trying to accomplish, your situation, and your budget.

We are here to help you decide which route to go if it you want to talk it through. Having said that though, we only work in North Dallas in areas such as Frisco, Little Elm, McKinney, Sherman, Denton, Denison, Fairview, Anna, Melissa, Celina, Gunter, etc.

As far as timeframe, depending on the size of the pool and its location, a pool fill in would generally take anywhere from one to three days. From there, let the soil settle before planting grass on it for a few weeks.

Happily Relocated Turtle.