The Pool Nobody Uses Anymore
It made sense when you bought it. The kids were young, summers were hot, and a 15-foot Intex pool seemed cheaper than a membership to the community pool. Fast forward five years: the liner is cracked, the filter hasn't run since last August, and the "pool" is actually a 3,000-gallon mosquito breeding ground taking up half your backyard.
Getting rid of an above-ground pool is one of those jobs that looks simple from the outside and turns into a full weekend project once you start. The water alone in a 15-foot round pool weighs about 12,000 pounds. You can't just tip it over.
Step-by-Step: How Pool Removal Works
1. Drain the Water
This takes longer than you expect. A garden hose siphon drains about 500 gallons per hour. A submersible pump does 1,500 to 3,000 gallons per hour. For a standard 15-foot round pool holding roughly 5,000 gallons, you're looking at 2 to 10 hours depending on your method.
Where does the water go? In Oregon, you can drain pool water onto your own lawn if it hasn't been chemically treated in the last 7 to 10 days. If it's heavily chlorinated, you need to let it sit uncovered for a few days to let the chlorine dissipate, or direct it to a sanitary sewer drain (NOT a storm drain). Oregon DEQ has specific rules about discharging pool water — check their guidelines for your county.
2. Disassemble the Structure
Most above-ground pools are steel or resin frames with a vinyl liner. Disassembly involves:
- Removing the top rail and uprights (usually bolted together)
- Pulling out the liner (heavy when wet — a 15-foot liner can weigh 80 to 120 pounds)
- Collapsing the wall panels
- Disconnecting the pump, filter, and hoses
- Removing the ground pad or sand base
The steel frame is recyclable. The liner is not — vinyl liners go to the landfill. The sand base (usually 2 to 4 tons for a 15-foot pool) can stay in place and be leveled for new landscaping, or it needs to be hauled away.
3. Haul It Away
A disassembled above-ground pool takes up more space than you'd think. The wall panels alone are 8 to 15 feet long and awkward to handle. Most people don't have a vehicle that can carry this stuff. That's where a junk removal service comes in.
What It Costs in Oregon
Pool removal pricing depends on size and whether you want full-service (we drain, disassemble, and haul) or haul-only (you drain and take apart, we load and remove):
- Small pool (10-12 feet), haul-only: $150 to $300
- Small pool, full-service: $300 to $500
- Medium pool (15-18 feet), haul-only: $250 to $450
- Medium pool, full-service: $500 to $900
- Large pool (21-27 feet), haul-only: $400 to $700
- Large pool, full-service: $800 to $1,500
Sand removal adds $200 to $500 depending on volume. Most people leave the sand and landscape over it.
For comparison, a full deck demolition runs $500 to $2,000 — pool removal is usually less work than deck removal.
Can You DIY This?
Honestly? You can handle the draining and disassembly yourself with basic tools and a free Saturday. The hard part is hauling the debris. Steel pool walls don't fit in a truck bed, the liner weighs 100+ pounds wet, and the filter/pump assembly is bulky.
If you have access to a trailer and don't mind a trip to the transfer station, DIY saves $200 to $400. Metro South in Oregon City charges by weight — expect $30 to $60 for the disposal fees alone. The steel frame can go to a scrap metal recycler, which might even pay you a few dollars.
But if you want it gone in a day without renting a trailer and making dump runs, call a crew. Most above-ground pool removals take 2 to 4 hours for a two-person team.
After the Pool Is Gone
The ground under an above-ground pool is compacted, possibly sandy, and usually dead grass. It'll need:
- Raking and leveling
- Topsoil added (2 to 4 inches)
- Reseeding or sod
Give it a full growing season and you won't even be able to tell there was a pool there. In the meantime, it's a great spot for a fire pit, patio, or garden bed — all of which add more property value than a rusty above-ground pool.
If you're in the Portland metro, Salem, or Eugene area and want that pool gone, reach out for a quote. We've removed more pools than we can count — especially in September when everyone's done swimming and ready to reclaim their yard.
