In-Ground Swimming Pool Advice

[joshsmom]

My friend just bought a house with a cement in-ground swimming pool. It hasn't been used in over 8 years, has a torn liner, and needs work on the pump, etc., to get it going.

My friend doesn't want the pool at all--she wants to get rid of it. However, she has gotten MANY different opinions as to the "proper" way to take it out. One contractor said break it up, put it all in the ground and cover it with dirt. The next contractor said no, if you do that, you will be forever fighting holes in the yard because the dirt will keep sinking in between the broken-up concrete. He suggested leaving it as is and filling the whole thing in with dirt and then adding a whole layer of top soil to the yard. The final contractor said it needs to be broken up, all the pieces removed and then the hole filled in with dirt.

The last contractor said that it would be VERY expensive to do this, but it's the "only" option. Has anyone had any experience with this? Will just filling it in without breaking it up work?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think most people fill it in as it would be astronomical $$$$ to remove the concrete and fill it in.

I would go with the second guy idea of just filling it in. I don't see a benefit to breaking up the concrete except that it will cost more time and money to the contractor. Plus if you ever decide to plant stuff or landscape or whatever, having huge broken pieces will be a mess.
Also large rocks will come to the surface eventually....Nope I would not break up the rocks!

 

[ilovepcot]

We've done this twice! Our own pool and my parent's pool. DH found the best way to do this is: 1) Knock holes in the bottom of pool for drainage 2) Fill hole with sand 10 inches from the top 3) Fill remaining 10 inches with top soil for grass to grow over

 

[joshsmom]

WOW, thanks for the replies. I told my friend that I thought it would probably be cost prohibitive to remove that concrete (and the contractor was up-front and said it would be terribly expensive), but she seems hell-bent on that. That contractor also told her it was the only thing that could be done--that wasn't so up-front. I think once they actually got "real" bids, they would realize they need another alternative.

Thanks for the info. I will pass it on and hopefully it will be useful to her.