Does it feel like a dream come true to have a private swimming pool in your backyard? In the beginning, it feels like a fun feature to have a place for hosting family and friends on a hot summer day during the swimming season. While there are many benefits to residential swimming pool ownership, you might eventually reach the point where you feel that removing a pool is your best option. At this point, you are probably wondering: does removing my pool affect home value?
The swimming pool can affect the price when it’s time to sell your home. Talk to a real estate agent and you will likely find that an inground pool doesn’t add value to your home. In fact, removing the pool can add value, resulting in more equity when it’s time to sell.
Not only do you need to consider the cost, but also look at the longer-term financial benefits that are available when you invest in swimming pool removal.
Type of Pool Removal Affects Home Value
As you are asking “does removing my pool affect home value,” it’s important to understand the differences between available types of pool removal. A full pool removal takes out all remnants of the swimming pool. When the remaining hole is filled in with engineered backfill and professional compaction, there are fewer risks of issues in the future. This method preserves your home value because the ground is more secure, and future owners can build in that area if they desire.
Does Removing My Pool Affect Home Value?
The simple answer to your question is: yes! Pool removal could increase the value of your home. Your property value is more likely to go up when the pool you’re removing has these factors:
- The pool takes up a lot of the backyard
- The swimming pool is older than 30 years
- Major repairs and renovations are needed on the swimming pool
- There is no safety gate around the swimming pool
- You only have a few months of swimming weather
- It is a vinyl lined swimming pool
- You are the only one in the neighborhood with a backyard pool
In comparison, certain types of swimming pools and circumstances could potentially increase the value of your home. These are swimming pool factors that could have a positive effect on home value:
- The pool was installed less than 15 years ago
- Less than 10% of the backyard is taken up by the swimming pool
- Many of the neighbors have swimming pools
- The pool equipment is energy efficient and relatively new
- You live in a luxury home
- A safety gate surrounds the swimming pool
The actual value of the home depends on the area and many other real estate factors. It’s also important to consider supply and demand, and how the current real estate industry trends are impacting the types of homes that people are buying. You’ll want to talk to an industry expert to learn how much pool removal will affect your property.
Swimming Pool Installation and Removal Can be Expensive
Putting in a swimming pool requires a bit of an investment. Often, these upfront costs are added onto the mortgage or a home equity line of credit, resulting in interest accrual over the course of the loan (most people pay their mortgages for 15 years or 30 years).
Because you invested so much money into the swimming pool installation, you are probably feeling the obligation to keep the pool in place. But if this backyard feature is no longer serving the needs of your family, then it might be time to remove the pool. Even though it will cost money for proper pool removal, you can recover some of these costs by saving money on other related expenses.
Other Money-Saving Benefits of Pool Removal
Homeowners underestimate the maintenance costs when adding a pool in the backyard. If you live in a warmer climate, it might seem like a great addition to your home to enjoy many months of swimming weather without a need to go to a public pool.
But the ongoing time and money investment can be cutting into your budget. Calculate the higher water and electric bills, as well as other additional pool costs for:
- Maintenance equipment
- Water treatment chemicals
- Pool toys
- Patio furniture
- Professional maintenance and repair services
- Accessories
- And more
Additionally, the costs of homeowners insurance go up when you have a backyard pool. If you are thinking about pool removal, talk to your insurance company to see how much money you are going to save in the coming years.
More Benefits of Swimming Pool Removal
As you are asking “does removing my pool affect home value,” also learn about the other benefits you might experience after swimming pool removal. Here are some of the reasons why homeowners are motivated to take out their backyard swimming pool:
- More green space and usable yard
- Reduced yard maintenance
- Avoiding liability issues
- Lower utility costs, saving over a thousand dollars a year
- Cheaper insurance costs
The benefits add up. Even if you aren’t planning to move for a while, you might be ready to remove a swimming pool for your own family’s needs.
Call Experienced Pool Removal Contractors
What information do you need about swimming pool removal? If you are asking “does removing my pool affect home value,” then Mikula Contracting is the team to call. Reach out to us to book a free consultation so you can learn about the best course of action. We’ll provide an estimate for the work and help you choose the ideal services for your home.
