The type of pool you’re removing is one of the biggest factors in what pool removal costs. A concrete pool requires hydraulic breaking, generates significant rubble, and takes more time. A fibreglass pool can sometimes be lifted in one piece. An above-ground pool is largely a manual disassembly job. The differences are significant, both in process and in price.
This guide breaks down each pool type, what makes it different to remove, and what removal typically costs in the Southern Highlands.
Concrete Pools: Most Labour-Intensive, Most Common in the Highlands
Concrete pools, including gunite (pneumatically sprayed concrete) pools, are the most common type in the Southern Highlands’ older housing stock and the most labour-intensive to remove.
Why Concrete Takes Longer to Remove
Concrete pools have thick, reinforced shells, typically 150-250mm of structural concrete with steel reinforcing bar (rebar) throughout. The only way to remove this material is to break it up using a hydraulic rock-breaker on an excavator. This is noisy, vibration-intensive work that proceeds at a certain rate regardless of how much effort is applied.
The concrete is broken into pieces, the rebar is cut and pulled out, and the rubble is loaded into tipper trucks for transport to a concrete recycling facility. A standard 8m x 4m concrete pool generates approximately 15-25 tonnes of concrete rubble, requiring four to eight tipper truck loads.
Southern Highlands Concrete Pool Context
The Southern Highlands has a high proportion of 1970s, 80s concrete and gunite pools, particularly in Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale, from the era when the region was a popular Sydney weekender destination. These pools are typically 40-50 years old, often in poor structural condition, and regularly the most urgent removal candidates. A smaller number of properties have pools that predate 1980 entirely, where construction records are rarely available and the shell can throw up surprises not seen in the more standardised 1980s and 90s stock. Our very old pool demolition guide covers what’s different about removing these pools and how your contractor prices around the added uncertainty.
Concrete Pool Removal Costs, Southern Highlands
| Pool Size | Partial Fill-In | Full Removal |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 7m x 3.5m) | $5,500 to $8,000 | $10,000 to $14,000 |
| Standard (7m, 9m x 4m) | $7,000 to $10,500 | $12,000 to $18,000 |
| Large (9m, 12m x 4.5m+) | $9,000 to $14,000 | $16,000 to $25,000 |
| Lap pool (12m+) | $12,000 to $18,000 | $20,000 to $32,000+ |
What drives concrete pool removal cost higher:
- Thick walls (older gunite pools can be 200-250mm thick)
- Heavy steel reinforcing
- Large pool size
- Limited access for excavator or trucks
- Additional structures (pump shed, spa, extensive surrounds)
- Asbestos in adjacent structures (pre-1985)
If your property also has an adjoining pool house or cabana you’re planning to remove at the same time, that structure is generally assessed separately from the pool for approval purposes, and pricing is added on top of the pool removal cost. Our pool and pool house demolition guide explains when one approval covers both structures and when they need to be handled separately.
Fibreglass Pools: Fastest Removal Option When Conditions Are Right
Fibreglass pools offer the most efficient removal scenario when the geometry and access allow: a large excavator can lift the shell out of the ground in a single operation, load it onto a truck, and the job moves directly to backfill and compaction. This can turn a standard pool removal into a one-day job.
Why Fibreglass Can Be Lifted Whole
Fibreglass shells are one-piece moulded structures, unlike concrete, which is monolithic but thick and heavy, fibreglass is thinner (typically 8-14mm) and relatively light for its size. A 7m x 3.5m fibreglass shell weighs perhaps 300-600kg, well within the lift capacity of a standard 8-10 tonne excavator.
If the shell can be carefully worked free of the surrounding gravel backfill and then lifted cleanly, the entire pool comes out in one piece. Not all fibreglass pools can be lifted whole, very large pools, pools with unusual geometry, or pools in tight access situations may need to be broken up in place.
Fibreglass Pool Disposal
Fibreglass waste goes to landfill. Unlike concrete (which is recyclable), fibreglass is not currently recyclable through standard construction waste streams in NSW. This is factored into the disposal cost.
Fibreglass Pool Removal Costs, Southern Highlands
| Pool Size | Partial Fill-In | Full Removal (Extraction) | Full Removal (Break-Up) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 6m) | $4,500 to $6,500 | $7,000 to $10,000 | $8,000 to $12,000 |
| Standard (6m, 8m) | $5,500 to $8,500 | $8,500 to $12,000 | $10,000 to $14,000 |
| Large (8m, 10m) | $7,000 to $10,000 | $11,000 to $15,000 | $12,000 to $16,000 |
| Very large (10m+) | $9,000 to $13,000 | $14,000 to $19,000 | $15,000 to $21,000 |
Note: Whole-shell extraction is marginally faster (and sometimes cheaper) than break-up removal. Your contractor assesses which method is feasible at the site inspection.
Vinyl-Lined Pools: Uncommon in the Southern Highlands, Priced Like Concrete
Vinyl-lined pools have a vinyl liner stretched over a steel, aluminium or polymer wall structure that sits in an excavated void. They’re less common in the Southern Highlands than fibreglass or concrete, but they do exist, particularly on properties that were renovated or built in the 1990s, 2000s.
Vinyl Pool Removal Process
- The vinyl liner is removed and disposed of (not recyclable)
- The wall structure (steel, aluminium or polymer panels) is disassembled or cut out
- The base (typically a concrete pad or compacted sand) is excavated
- The void is backfilled and compacted
Vinyl pool removal is generally less expensive than concrete but more involved than fibreglass extraction. The structural panels can often be cut and removed without hydraulic breaking.
Vinyl Pool Removal Costs, Southern Highlands
| Pool Size | Partial Fill-In | Full Removal |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (7m, 9m) | $5,500 to $9,000 | $9,000 to $14,000 |
| Large (9m+) | $7,500 to $11,000 | $12,000 to $18,000 |
Above-Ground Pools: Cheapest, Fastest, No Excavation Required
Above-ground pools are categorically different from inground pools, there’s no excavation required. The pool is drained, disassembled manually, and the materials are removed. Most jobs are complete in half a day to a day.
Above-Ground Pool Types
- Steel frame and steel wall: Traditional round/oval above-ground pools. The frame and walls are steel; the liner is vinyl. Steel is recycled, vinyl goes to landfill
- Resin/polymer frame: Lighter and more corrosion-resistant than steel. Similar removal process
- Hybrid pools: Some above-ground pools are “semi-inground”, set into an excavated depression. These require more work than a fully above-ground pool
Above-Ground Pool Removal Costs, Southern Highlands
| Pool Type | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard steel frame round (3.5m, 5m) | $2,500 to $3,800 |
| Large oval steel frame | $3,200 to $4,500 |
| Polymer frame pool | $2,500 to $4,000 |
| Semi-inground hybrid pool | $4,000 to $7,000 |
| Adding concrete pad removal | Add $800 to $1,500 |
For the full answer on how much it costs to remove an above-ground pool, including what changes the figure and what the day looks like on site, see our above-ground pool removal cost and process page.
Pool Type Comparison Summary
| Pool Type | Typical Full Removal Cost | Time to Remove | Recyclability of Waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete/gunite (standard) | $12,000 to $18,000 | 2-3 days | Good (concrete recycled) |
| Fibreglass (whole extraction) | $8,500 to $14,000 | 1 day | Poor (landfill) |
| Fibreglass (break-up) | $10,000 to $16,000 | 1-2 days | Poor (landfill) |
| Vinyl-lined | $9,000 to $14,000 | 1-2 days | Partial (steel recycled) |
| Above-ground steel | $2,500 to $4,200 | Half day, 1 day | Good (steel recycled) |
Frequently Asked Questions, Pool Removal by Type
Is fibreglass always cheaper to remove than concrete? Generally yes, for equivalent sizes, because fibreglass removal is faster. However, if a fibreglass pool can’t be lifted whole (due to size or access) and needs to be broken up, the cost advantage narrows. At the largest sizes, the difference between fibreglass break-up and concrete demolition is smaller.
Which pool type is most common in the Southern Highlands? Concrete and gunite pools are the most common type in the older housing stock (1970s, 90s properties). Fibreglass pools are prevalent in properties built or renovated from the late 1980s onward.
Does pool size affect cost proportionally? Roughly, yes. But there are step-changes, going from a 7m to an 8m pool doesn’t double the cost, but going from a standard pool to a lap pool does represent a significant increase because of the volume of material involved.
I don’t know what type of pool I have. How do I find out? The main indicators: concrete pools feel rough and solid when tapped; fibreglass pools have a smooth, gel-coated surface that’s slightly flexible; vinyl-lined pools have a visible liner pattern. It’s often possible to tell from photos before the site inspection.
Does an indoor or enclosed pool cost more to remove than the same pool outdoors? Yes, generally. The pool type itself (concrete, fibreglass, vinyl) still drives the base removal method, but working inside a building envelope adds access, containment and hand-labour requirements that increase both time and cost. Our indoor and enclosed pool removal guide covers what’s different about these jobs.
Does having solar heating on my pool add to the removal cost? Yes, modestly. The base removal cost for your pool type (concrete, fibreglass, vinyl or above-ground) is unaffected, but roof-mounted collector panels, dedicated plumbing and roof reinstatement are priced as an addition on top. Our solar-heated pool removal guide covers what’s involved and typical additional costs.
My pool sits on a sloped block and its wall looks like it’s holding back the yard above it. Does that change the price? Potentially, significantly. Where a pool’s wall is integrated with, or doubles as, a retaining structure for higher ground behind it, removal needs a staged demolition approach and often an engineer’s assessment before work starts, which adds materially to both cost and timeline compared with a standard flat-site pool. See our guide to retaining wall-integrated pools on sloped gardens for how this is assessed and priced.
Ready to get a quote for your specific pool type? Book a free on-site inspection in the Southern Highlands.