Concrete Pool Demolition
Full removal of concrete and gunite pool shells, with the excavation backfilled and compacted so the space is ready to landscape.
Learn more →The hole is the real job
Every pool removal ends the same way: a hole the size of a room, two to three metres deep at one end, that has to become ground again. Whether you chose full pool removal or partial pool removal, the backfill method decides what that ground is worth — a stable base for lawn, paving or a future build, or a slow-motion subsidence problem.
How engineered backfill works
1. Drainage first. With a partial removal, the shell floor is punctured — multiple holes, biggest in the deep end — so water moving through the ground drains through the old shell instead of ponding inside it. Perth's free-draining Bassendean and Spearwood sands make this work well; the punctured shell simply stops being a bathtub.
2. Clean fill only. The hole is filled with clean sand — the standard fill material across the Perth metro area — not builder's rubble, green waste or mystery soil. In a partial removal, the pool's own broken concrete is placed in the deep end as base material before sand goes over it; in a full removal, everything going into the hole arrives on a truck as certifiable clean fill.
3. Layers, not one big push. Fill goes in at roughly 200 to 300 mm at a time, and each layer is compacted — plate compactors for the edges and shallow lifts, larger rollers or wheel-rolling for the bulk — before the next layer goes on. A 2.5 m deep end means ten or more compacted layers. This is slower and costs more than end-tipping the lot, and it is the entire difference between fill and ground.
4. Test if you'll build. Density tests during the backfill let a geotechnical engineer issue a certificate of compaction — the document councils typically want before approving footings over a former pool site.
5. Finish to level. The top is graded flush with the surrounding yard, falls set so stormwater runs away rather than into the old footprint, ready for turf, paving or garden beds.
What the finished surface can carry
| Finish over the fill | Standard layered compaction | Certified compaction (tested) |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn and garden beds | Yes | Yes |
| Paving, paths, a shed slab | Yes | Yes |
| Granny flat, garage, extension footings | Not without testing | Generally yes — full removal sites only |
Over a buried shell from a partial removal, building is usually off the table regardless of compaction — one of the trade-offs covered honestly on the partial pool removal page.
Perth sand is on your side
The same sandy profile that made pool installation easy across Duncraig, Willetton, Bull Creek and Thornlie in the 1970s–90s makes reinstatement reliable now: clean sand compacts predictably, drains freely and doesn't shrink and swell the way clay soils do. It still has to be compacted in layers — sand poured loose settles like anything else — but done properly, a filled pool in Perth sand is as stable as the rest of the block.
Backfill and compaction are quoted as part of every removal referred through this site, with the method in the written scope — see the Cost Guide for what fill and compaction contribute to the total. We ask the contractors we work with to hold the relevant WorkSafe WA licences and public liability cover — ask to see them. Call (08) 6171 3458.
More services
Explore our other services
Fibreglass Pool Removal
Fibreglass shells lifted or broken out and hauled away, leaving a clean, level base for your new backyard.
Learn more →Full Pool Removal
Complete removal of the pool shell, plumbing and surrounds down to clean fill, so no structure is left underground.
Learn more →Partial Pool Removal
The shell is punctured, sections removed and the hole backfilled in engineered layers — a lower-cost, council-compliant option.
Learn more →Spa Removal
In-ground spas taken out and the recess backfilled and compacted to match the surrounding yard.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How much sand does it take to fill a swimming pool?
A typical 8 m x 4 m backyard pool holds 50 to 80 cubic metres once the shell is out — roughly 80 to 130 tonnes of sand, arriving as multiple truck-and-trailer loads. Fill volume is one of the biggest lines in any removal quote, which is why access for trucks affects price so much. Typical Perth costs, including fill supply, are set out in our Cost Guide.
What is a certificate of compaction and do I need one?
It's a geotechnical engineer's document certifying that the fill was placed and compacted to a tested standard — usually based on density tests taken during the backfill. Councils commonly require one before approving any building over a former pool site, and buyers' inspectors like seeing it too. You only get the chance to test cheaply while the fill is going in, so if a future build is even possible, arrange certification during the job, not years later.
Why do some filled-in pools sink in the middle?
Because the hole was loaded in one push — fill dumped in bulk, maybe watered down, never properly compacted in layers. Loose fill settles under its own weight for years, and the deepest fill settles most, which is why the dip forms over the deep end. Layered compaction removes that air space up front. Done properly in Perth sand, settlement is minimal and the surface stays level under lawn or paving.
Free, no-obligation