Partial vs Full Pool Removal: Fill-In, Demolition or Abandon
Taking out an inground pool is not one job. People describe at least three ways, and each leaves something different in your yard.
Short answer: Full removal takes the old structure out and fills the hole. Partial removal opens the floor for drainage, removes the top of the structure and fills the rest in place. Abandoning in place leaves the most behind. No Mid-Atlantic code page we found sets one method for every pool, so your local permit office decides.
What are the three ways to get rid of an inground pool?
The labels are not used the same way everywhere. Ask any contractor to describe the work: what comes out, what is opened, what fills the space and what stays buried. Prince George’s County, Maryland, for example, recognizes only two categories in its published bulletin: full removal and “abandoned in place.”
Full removal (demolition)
The shell or concrete, the equipment and the plumbing come out, and the debris is hauled away. Prince George’s County’s bulletin requires a licensed disposal or recycling facility. The hole is then filled. Of the three approaches, this leaves the least of the old pool in the ground.
Partial removal (fill-in)
The upper part of the structure is broken out, the floor is opened or broken so water does not collect, and the cavity is filled. The lower walls and floor remnants stay below the fill.
Abandon in place
Most of the structure stays. Where an office allows this, it can still require the floor to be opened or broken, drains to be capped, an inspection before filling, and a building restriction on the property. That is what Prince George’s County’s bulletin describes.
How do the three approaches compare?
| Approach | What remains in the ground | Typical fit | What to ask the permit office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full removal | Little or none of the old structure. Fill material only. | A building, addition or new pool is planned on or near the site. | Is a soil or compaction report required? Which inspections apply before and after filling? |
| Partial removal (fill-in) | Lower walls and a broken or opened floor, under fill. | The area will stay lawn or garden, and the office allows it. | How much must come out? Is the floor inspected before fill goes in? |
| Abandon in place | Most of the shell, with the floor opened and the void filled. | Nothing will be built over it now or later, and the office allows it. | Is a restriction recorded against the property? Could full removal be required later? |
Who decides which method is allowed?
Your local permit office does. We found no Maryland, Virginia, D.C. or West Virginia code page that picks one method for every pool. What we did find is a permit trail, and it is not uniform.
- Virginia. The Code of Virginia’s building code definition of a “structure” lists swimming pools. Prince William County‘s building official has written that the code requires a permit before demolishing a structure. That interpretation refers to the 2018 code edition, so confirm what applies now.
- Fairfax County. Its Land Development Services page says a residential demolition permit covers demolition of a residential pool. It also says a plumbing permit is needed for sewer cap-off when the home is on public sewer.
- Arlington County and D.C. The demolition permit pages we read do not mention pools. Ask the office which permit your project needs.
- Prince George’s County, Maryland. One of the few offices we found that publishes a method. It offers two paths and ties them to whether anything will be built nearby.
For Loudoun County, D.C. and Jefferson and Berkeley counties in West Virginia, call the permit office before any work starts. Do not assume the rules match the county next door.
What about drainage and settling?
The published requirements we read focus on two things: the floor and the fill. Prince George’s County requires the pool bottom to be opened or broken and inspected before backfill.
On fill, the same county draws a line. Where a building is planned over or within five feet of the pool, it calls for full removal, fill placed under a soil engineer’s supervision, a compaction standard of 95 percent (ASTM D-698) and a certified report. Where nothing will be built, it requires no soil engineer or compaction testing, and no construction debris in the fill.
Practice, not code: fill that was not engineered can settle. Latham’s installation guide warns that excavated soil used as backfill around a shell will settle. That sentence is about a shell’s hole, but it shows why fill quality matters to anything built on top.
The pool’s water has to go somewhere first. Our guide to draining a pool covers discharge rules for Fairfax County and D.C.
Will it affect building, landscaping or resale later?
It can. Prince George’s County places a building restriction on a property with an abandoned pool. No structure is allowed within five feet of it unless permits cover full excavation and removal of all debris. Other offices may handle this differently, so ask whether full removal could be required if you build later.
On resale, we checked two state forms. Virginia’s disclosure statement (Code of Virginia § 55.1-703) lists no pool or filled-pool item. Maryland’s (Real Property § 10-702) lists none either, but it includes “any other material defects” the seller knows about. These are the forms’ contents, not legal advice. Ask your agent or a real estate attorney what to say. Keep the permit, the final inspection record and a written description of what remains in the ground.
Which approach does an owner who wants a new fiberglass pool need?
Latham says the old pool may need to come out completely before the ground is prepared for a new pool, depending on its condition. It also says you will likely need a building permit to install, remove or renovate a pool. Latham’s installation guide for the Corinthian 12 describes a different site condition from a simple fill:
- The excavation is dug close to the shell’s size, with minimal disturbance to the soil that supports it.
- The base is sand or clean ½-inch gravel, compacted. Excavated material is not used as fill.
- A permanent sump pipe or a daylight drain is installed to check and manage groundwater.
- A hole that is too large needs extra backfill and can lead to settling or bulging.
The Latham documents we reviewed do not describe setting a shell into a filled or abandoned pool. A shell cannot sit in or on an intact concrete pool, as we explain in can you put a fiberglass pool over a concrete pool. For a new pool in the old footprint, expect your installer to ask for the old structure to come out. That is our reading of the sources, not a Latham statement. Your installer and the permit office decide, following the pool maker’s written method. Calm Water Pools coordinates removal and replacement, and our full installation page explains how a new pool project is managed.
Questions to ask any contractor
- Which approach are you proposing, and what exactly will remain in the ground? Can I have that in writing?
- Will the pool floor be opened or removed, and will the building office inspect it before fill goes in?
- What material fills the space, and is a compaction report required here?
- Where will the pool water and the debris go?
- Who applies for the permits and schedules the inspections?
- How will the water, sewer, gas and electric connections be handled?
- What paperwork will I receive at the end?
- If I build or install a new pool later, what will the office require?
- May I see your license number so I can check it with the licensing authority?
Last reviewed October 2026 by Calm Water Pools.
Related guides
- Backfill and compaction after pool removal
- Pool draining rules before removal
- What affects the cost of removing an inground pool
- Replacing a concrete, gunite or vinyl pool with fiberglass
- Fiberglass vs concrete pools
- Fiberglass pools FAQ
- Areas we serve
Thinking about removing or replacing an old pool in Maryland, D.C., Northern Virginia or West Virginia? See how Calm Water Pools coordinates removal and replacement or call 240-372-4440.