Pool excavation and pool removal in San Bernardino
Verdemont Excavation refers pool digs and pool removals across San Bernardino to one licensed excavation contractor. Here is what the work involves and what it costs.
Digging a new pool in a tract backyard
Most pool builders in the Inland Empire sub out the dig, and most San Bernardino pools go into tract backyards with one side gate. That gate width decides the machine. A 4 or 5 foot gate means a mini excavator and a skid steer carrying every bucket of dirt to a truck at the curb. A 10 foot gate or an alley lets a bigger machine in and the dig goes much faster.
A typical 15 by 30 foot pool with a 6 to 8 foot deep end moves 80 to 120 cubic yards of dirt once it swells out of the ground, which is 8 to 12 truckloads. On sandy ground in Fontana or south San Bernardino the dig itself is often a day. On the cobble north of the 210 it can be two or three days with a breaker.
What a pool dig or removal costs
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Mobilization, equipment in and out | $300 to $850 | Distance from the yard, mountain roads, trailer moves |
| New pool excavation, dig only | $3,000 to $8,500 | Access, cobble or boulders, where the dirt goes |
| Pool removal, partial fill in | $7,000 to $14,000 | Pool size, deck removal, compaction of the fill |
| Pool removal, full with engineered backfill | $14,000 to $30,000 | Shell haul-off, imported fill, compaction reports for a future build |
| Spoil export, per truckload | $175 to $400 | Haul distance, clean fill or mixed, loading access |
Every row comes from the full cost guide.
Filling in or removing an old pool
Older pools from the 1960s and 70s are reaching the end of their life all over Rialto, San Bernardino and Highland. There are two ways to take one out. A partial fill in breaks holes in the bottom, knocks the top of the shell down and buries the rest under compacted fill. It is cheaper, but the lot usually carries a disclosure and the ground is hard to build on later.
A full removal breaks out and hauls the whole shell, then brings in fill compacted in lifts with a soils engineer testing as it goes. That leaves buildable ground, which matters if an ADU or room addition might go there someday. Either way the city wants a permit and an inspection.
- 1
Permit and DigAlert
The contractor pulls the demolition or grading permit and files DigAlert so pool lines, gas and electric get marked.
- 2
Drain and break out
The water is pumped out legally, then the deck and shell are broken up with an excavator and breaker.
- 3
Haul or bury
Partial fill in buries broken shell below a set depth. Full removal hauls it all away.
- 4
Fill and compact
Clean fill goes in lifts, compacted and tested, with a report for a full removal.
- 5
Final inspection
The city signs off and the yard is graded to drain.
What changes the price
Access, rock and dirt. Access sets the machine size and the number of trips. Rock sets the hours and whether a breaker is needed. Dirt is the line most people forget: unless there is room on the lot to spread it, every truckload leaves at $175 to $400. Pool builders often quote the dig separately from the shell, so ask whether haul off is included before comparing numbers.
For pool permits and what the city wants on the plans, start with the permits page, and check any contractor at the CSLB license lookup.
Pool questions we hear
How much does it cost to dig a pool in San Bernardino?
Usually $3,000 to $8,500 for the excavation alone. A narrow side gate, cobble or boulders and haul off push it toward the top. Open access on sandy ground keeps it near the bottom.
How much does it cost to fill in a pool?
A partial fill in runs $7,000 to $14,000. A full removal with engineered backfill and compaction reports runs $14,000 to $30,000. Both need a city permit.
Can I build on the spot where a pool was filled in?
Only safely after a full removal with engineered, tested backfill. A partial fill in leaves broken shell in the ground and usually has to be disclosed when you sell.
Do pool builders hire their own excavator?
Many sub the dig to an excavation contractor. If you are getting pool bids, an independent dig quote helps you check that line.
How long does a pool dig take?
One to three days for most residential pools. Rock and a small gate are what stretch it.
Towns where this comes up most: Highland, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Rialto.
Get a pool dig or removal quoted
The address, the job and a photo or two. One licensed contractor calls within one business day.