Filling an old swimming pool

jonnibgood

I wondered if anyone had any practical and cost effective but feasible ideas for filling an old outdoor swimming pool - we bought a house which had a pool at the back of the garden (and all the machinery in a shed), it was built 35 years ago and hasn't been used in about 10 years, all the machinery (pump, gas boiler etc is all completely shot / disconnected).
It would cost so much to bring back into use (as well as to run, esp with the cost of gas) and I don't think we would use it enough to make this worthwhile.
We would therefore like to fill it and cover it over but have had astronomical quotes for buying hard-core / MOT etc to fill it (or even filled with concrete) so far that we have just left it as a natural pit for a few years to accumulate water, leaves (and hopefully not too many dead animals).
We only have side access to the back of the garden (about a metre ish wide) so any suggestions need to be considered in this context....
All sensible suggestions gratefully received.

Niv

There are a number of options you could take here are a few I can think of:

If the pool could be an asset when selling the porperty maybe a solid cover to prevent things (people/animals) falling in, if constructed well enough it could be used as a patio (i.e make a wooden structure properly supported and get a decking effect finish)

Turn it into a pond (probably too big but worth a suggestion)

Leave it as it is but with a fabric cover over it to protect animals and prevent leaves etc falling in (cheap option)

If there are any building works in the area producing hard-core / excavations (clay), speak directly to them. They will have to pay to dispose of any excess hardcore/clay they have.


I do not knnow enough about your circumstances to give a more presise answer. For example, do you intend to sell in teh next 2 / 5 / 10years? What woudl you want to do with the pool area i.e do you want it to be usable garden / lawn. How big is the rest of the garden / does the pool get sunshine.

Niv

martinthebandit

Have you thought about turning it into a swimming pond?

http://www.pond-doctor-dave.com/swimming-ponds.html

drdaz123

try freecycle.org

there may be a group in your area and whenever i check the site there always seems to be someone trying to offload some hardcore.

personally i would go with the patio/decking idea above.

daz

jonnibgood

Thanks, very helpful.
Not looking to move in that timeframe and it would be good to have more of a garden to use so filling it is our best option I think.
When we bought the house, it was the level of disrepair that put off other buyers which is why we have left it for a few years.
Given the water table would mean there would always be a level of water in it, a cover would still cause debris to accumulate.
I think we just need to work out the best way of getting rubble from local builders / patio layers, etc.
I am concerned that the combination of clay and a lined pool (albeit with a broken up base would cause waterlogging so I think rubble is the best option, now its just the practicalities that need to be considered.
Out of interest what is the cost of disposal of a skip's worth of rubble? Trying to see how we would save builders money whilst compensating them for the added hassle that this would bring (ie wheelbarrowing it down the side of the house etc.)....

jonnibgood

If only the weather in the UK was better to make a natural swimming pond a viable option!

Niv

The cost of dispoal for rubble varies. It is often around £3 per tonne from my experiance. This is based on a waste management company taking it in for recycling rather than paying for landfilling (which should not happen these days tbh due to the recycling options). It varies due to demand of the final recycled hardcore.

Niv

ic

What about building decking over it as suggested above, but also putting a sump pump in there to clear out any water that gathers? There must be a low point in the pool to place it at. If decked well, no debris should get in.

jonnibgood

That certainly sounds like an interesting proposition

martinthebandit

jonnibgood wrote: »

If only the weather in the UK was better to make a natural swimming pond a viable option!

I think that the main advantages of a swimming pond are that the running costs are negligable, they look good, or can do, swimming in them in a blazing hot day, when we get one is just a bonus. Although it would be a very nice bonus.

I certainly would not dismiss the idea, after all you have the most expensive bit (the hole in the ground) already done.

irishjohn

jonnibgood wrote: »

Out of interest what is the cost of disposal of a skip's worth of rubble? Trying to see how we would save builders money whilst compensating them for the added hassle that this would bring (ie wheelbarrowing it down the side of the house etc.)....

I don't think this is worth thinking about - you are unlikely to find any builder willing to wheelbarrow rubble from the roadside down past your house to the pool - they may be willing to dump it on your drive and leave you to do the heavy work