Partial pool removal, also called pool abandonment or partial pool demolition, closes an inground pool without hauling the whole shell away. Cicarelli Contractors breaks the walls down below grade, opens the floor so water can drain through, fills the basin and books every city inspection.
A partial pool removal leaves the bottom of the shell where it is and turns it into the base of the fill. After the pool is drained and its gas, water and power lines are capped, the crew breaks the bond beam and the upper walls down to the depth your city sets, then cuts openings through the floor.
Those openings are the whole point. A buried shell without them holds rainwater like a tub, and the yard above it turns soft. With the floor opened, broken concrete and soil go into the basin, the inspector checks the work before it is covered, and the top layers are compacted and graded for lawn, turf or planting.
How far down the walls come and how many openings go in is not a contractor's choice: each building department publishes its own minimums, and the inspector measures them in the open pit. Cicarelli Contractors reads that handout for your address before the estimate is written.
What Homeowners Said After Closing Their Pools
Six Google reviews about pools we broke out and filled, copied exactly as written. Swipe or use the arrows.
DDave "Davie"Fiberglass pool removal · Permit & compaction report
★★★★★
Apr 2026
Ciccarelli demoed and filled our fiberglass pool very quickly and efficiently. Highly recommend them if you are looking to fill in your pool. They handled the city permit process for demo and provided an engineering compaction report. The cost was very reasonable compared to other quotes I received.
AAdam FrostVinyl pool & deck demo · Artificial turf
★★★★★
Jun 2026
Bernardo from Cicarelli contractors was great to work with. We had our vinyl pool and deck demoed and synthetic grass put in. They took care of all our needs. Thank you Bernardo
DDeejConcrete pool removal & pavers
★★★★★
Dec 2025
Couldn’t be happier with how our yard turned out! We had Cicarelli remove an old concrete pool and install pavers around the new garden area. The whole process was smooth, and the crew was polite and professional.
BBay Cleaning CoPool removal
★★★★★
2024
We recently hired Cicarelli Contractors to remove our old, unused pool, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results! From the start, their team was professional, punctual, and extremely knowledgeable. They walked us through the entire process, providing clear explanations and a fair estimate.
AAndy LiPool demolition
★★★★★
2025
Cicarelli just completed our pool demolition job promptly and professionally. I was very pleased that he was able to start so quickly. And I would recommend him. It was very convenient for me that he was able to text me updates and send me photos along the way of the work done. Super for the great work completed!
TTim McGawPool demolition
★★★★★
2025
Did a great job of demolishing old pool! Would hire again.
We read your city handout for demolition depth, opening size and any landscaping-only limit.
Step 02
Permit and Utility Locate
The permit is filed, and 811 marks buried lines before the machine digs at the edge.
Step 03
Drain, Cap, Disconnect
The water goes to the sewer the approved way; gas, water and electrical are capped.
Step 04
Walls Down Below Grade
The bond beam and upper walls are broken to the required depth and the coping comes off.
Step 05
Floor Opened, Then Inspected
Openings are cut through the floor, and the city checks them before anything is covered.
Step 06
Fill, Compact, Grade
Rubble and soil go in, the top is compacted and graded, and the permit is finaled.
City rules
What Bay Area Cities Ask of a Partial Removal
Most Bay Area cities allow partial removal under a permit, but they set the demolition depth, the size and number of drainage openings and what may later sit on top. A few also record the buried shell on the site plan or in an owner acknowledgement, so it stays disclosed.
San Mateo accepts abandonment only for single-family homes and duplexes, wants an opening of 24 inches or more at the lowest point of the floor, and has the shell outline labeled "unbuildable space" on the site plan, per its pool and spa abandonment guide.
Millbrae has the upper 24 inches removed and at least four drainage openings made, and the owner of a partially removed pool signs its partial demolition acknowledgement.
Menlo Park calls for the bond beam and the top 3 feet of the walls to come out when the floor is punctured, according to its pool demolition submittal requirements.
Mountain View lists a $200 permit fee that includes inspection and a typical 5 to 8 business days to issue the permit, on its swimming pool abandonment page.
San Jose wants a building permit to abandon a pool or spa, plus a BAAQMD job number for the demolition even when no asbestos is found, on its pool demolition instructions.
Every city we know of is compared in our pool demolition permit guide, including where partial removal is limited.
Partial removal answers
Partial Pool Removal: Cost, Drainage and Resale
Partial pool removal is the most common way Bay Area homeowners close a pool they no longer use, and most questions about it come down to money, water and paperwork. The answers below cite published cost data and city handouts.
How much does a partial pool removal cost?
Angi's guide, updated October 12, 2026, lists $2,500 to $10,000 for a partial pool fill-in, against $4,000 to $16,000 for a full removal. Size, access, hauling and city requirements move a Bay Area job within or above that range, so treat the figures as a national reference, not a quote.
Ask every bidder to price the same demolition depth and the same number of floor openings your city requires. A quote that skips the openings or the inspection is cheaper only on paper. Our pool demolition cost guide breaks down each line.
Why does the pool floor need holes after a partial removal?
Because a buried shell with an intact floor traps water. Rain and irrigation soak through the fill, sit in the old basin and leave soft, sinking ground on top. Openings through the floor let that water drain into the soil below, which is why cities set a minimum number or size before any fill.
Danville's handout, for example, spaces 2-inch holes about 2 feet apart, while San Mateo asks for one large opening at the lowest point. The open-pit inspection exists to confirm them before they disappear under fill.
Can I put a patio over a partially removed pool?
Sometimes, but check first. Many Bay Area cities limit a partially removed pool to landscaping, and Millbrae names patios, driveways and decks among the uses that require complete removal. Where a city does allow hardscape over a buried shell, get that answer from the building department in writing before the estimate.
If a covered patio, an outdoor kitchen or anything on footings is in the plan, full pool removal is the path cities accept most readily.
Does a partial pool removal follow the house when I sell?
Yes. The buried shell becomes part of the property's permit history, so plan on a buyer learning about it. Millbrae has owners sign an acknowledgement, and San Mateo marks the shell outline as unbuildable on the site plan. A finaled permit and the inspection records are what answer a buyer's questions.
Keep photos of the broken floor and the openings with those records. They cost nothing to save and show exactly how the pool was closed.
Partial and full removal, national cost ranges (Angi, updated October 12, 2026)
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors · CSLB #1109419
FAQ
Partial Pool Removal FAQ
Want to Know if Your City Allows It?
Send your address and a few photos of the pool; we check the local handout and reply with a written estimate. Phones are answered Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, and the general FAQ covers the rest.
What is the difference between partial pool removal and pool abandonment?
They are usually the same job. Pool abandonment is the term many building departments use, while contractors say partial removal or fill-in. In each case the upper walls are broken down, the floor is opened for drainage and the lower shell stays buried under compacted fill, with the city inspecting before it is covered.
How deep do the walls have to be broken in a partial removal?
It is set locally. Mountain View's minimum is 12 inches under finish grade, Millbrae takes off the top 24 inches, and Menlo Park removes the bond beam along with 3 feet of wall when the bottom is punctured. Other cities publish their own number, and we quote to the one at your address.
Can a fiberglass or vinyl pool be partially removed?
Usually not in the same way. Concrete and gunite shells can be broken down and opened to drain, but a fiberglass shell or a vinyl liner and its wall panels are normally pulled out before the hole is filled. One of our Google reviewers had a fiberglass pool demolished and filled, with the permit and compaction report handled.
Does partial removal cost less than taking the whole pool out?
Usually, yes. Less concrete is broken and hauled, and the lower shell takes up room that would otherwise need imported fill. Angi lists $2,500 to $10,000 for a partial fill-in and $4,000 to $16,000 for full removal nationally. Your city's rules and the access to your yard decide the real gap.
Can a partially removed pool be fully removed later?
Yes, but it costs more then. The crew has to dig out the fill and the new lawn or turf, break out the remaining shell and backfill again with engineered, tested soil. If an ADU or addition is a real possibility within a few years, full removal now is usually the cheaper path overall.
How do I get a partial pool removal estimate?
Call or text (650) 404-7049, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or use the free estimate form with photos of the pool, the deck and the way into the yard. We check your city's partial removal rules and send a written, itemized estimate within 24 hours of the photos or site visit.
