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 →Why bother removing a spa?
Because a spa is a pool in miniature everywhere it costs you money. Under WA rules, anything capable of holding more than 300 mm of water needs a compliant safety barrier, sits on the council's pool and spa register, and attracts periodic barrier inspections. Add pump power and chemicals for a tub nobody has used since the kids left home, and a small structure carries a surprisingly grown-up running cost — the same maths that drives whole-pool removals in Perth's 1980s spa-and-pergola suburbs like Dianella, Padbury and Bibra Lake.
Remove the spa properly and all of it stops: no barrier, no inspections, no register entry, no standing water.
How an in-ground spa comes out
- Drain and disconnect. Water disposed of under local rules; your electrician isolates the heater, blower and pump circuits; plumbing is capped.
- Remove the shell. Fibreglass spa shells are cut into panels or lifted whole; concrete spas are broken out with a small hydraulic breaker. Machines are compact — a spa job usually fits through a standard side gate.
- Strip the extras. Coping, surrounding slab and the equipment pad go too, where quoted.
- Backfill and compact. The recess is filled with clean sand in compacted layers and finished level with the surrounding yard — the same layered method used for full-size pools, described on the pool backfill and compaction page.
Because spas are shallow and small, full removal is almost always the sensible option — the partial approach used on big concrete pools saves little at spa scale. Typical prices sit well below pool removal; see the Cost Guide for current ranges.
Spa vs pool removal at a glance
| In-ground spa | Backyard pool | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical duration | 1–2 days | 2–7 days |
| Material out | ~1–8 tonnes | 20–40 tonnes (concrete) |
| Machine access | Standard side gate usually fine | Often needs wider access |
| Sensible method | Full removal | Full or partial |
Got both a pool and a spa — the classic combined shell? They come out as one job, one permit, one backfill. The pool side is covered under concrete pool demolition or fibreglass pool removal depending on the shell.
Getting a quote
Your enquiry is referred to independent local contractors who quote in writing after seeing the spa and the access. 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, and check Council Approvals for what your LGA requires before work starts.
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 →Pool Backfill & Compaction
Engineered backfill placed and compacted in layers so the reclaimed area stays stable for lawn, paving or a future build.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Does removing a spa need council approval like a pool does?
Often, yes. An in-ground spa is treated much like a pool: many Perth councils require a demolition permit (BA5 under the Building Act 2011 (WA)) or at least formal notification of decommissioning, and the spa stays on the council's inspection register until they're told it's gone. The safety barrier must remain compliant while the spa can still hold more than 300 mm of water. Check your LGA — our Council Approvals page covers the common cases.
How long does spa removal take?
Usually 1 to 2 days. A fibreglass spa shell can often be cut out or lifted in a morning; a concrete spa takes longer under the breaker but is still a fraction of a pool's tonnage. Most of the second day is backfilling the recess in compacted layers and levelling off, so the patch is ready for paving or lawn rather than left as a soft dip.
Can a portable or above-ground spa just be taken away instead?
Yes — a self-contained portable spa isn't demolition, it's disconnection and cartage, and once it's gone the barrier requirements go with it. This page is about in-ground spas: shells set in concrete or sand that have to be broken out or cut out and the hole reinstated. If you're not sure which you own, a spa you could theoretically drain and truck away intact is portable; one that's part of the ground isn't.
Free, no-obligation