Getting rid of an above-ground pool is much harder than you might think. The resale value for most above-ground pools just isn’t there, and the dismantling and reinstalling of a pool with some age can be really painful. But, can you sell a used above ground pool or is it just a waste of time?
It is possible to resell an above-ground pool but often times used above-ground pools are scrapped or given away. This depends on their age and the condition of the pool on a case-to-case basis. The market demand for above-ground pools has increased over the last few years though due to high demand and newer models being unavailable or sold out.
If you are considering getting rid of your pool, I’ll go over some of that information below and if you are curious, you can read my article here about property value with an above-ground pool.
Do Above Ground Pools Have Resale Value?
Truth be told, above-ground pools have very little resale value. Especially metal-walled pool kits which can be very difficult to take down and move. Often times you’ll have pieces break and go missing during the removal process which can add more frustration to the entire project of selling the pool. This is just par for the course with these pool models and doesn’t say much about the condition of your pool. This is likely to happen even if it’s only a year old.
If your above-ground pool was well maintained, a nice model, and is only a few years old it is possible that you could resell the pool for perhaps $500 to $800 on average. If any of those conditions weren’t met then it’s possible you’ll be looking at giving away your pool.
Softwalled pools like Intex, Bestway, or Summerwaves are easier to resell in my opinion. These models aren’t as much work to put up and take down so there is more interest in someone being able to quickly buy and set up the pool. The issue here is that these soft-walled pools don’t cost very much so your resale of the pool might only be $50-$150.
How Much Can You Sell Your Above-Ground Pool For?
This is a case-by-case basis, but as I mentioned above, you aren’t going to get nearly what you paid for the above-ground pool when you resell it. If the pool is in excellent condition and from a high-demand manufacturer you could possibly get $500 – $800 for the pool. Soft wall pools will sell pretty easily for $50-$150 if they are in good condition and have a decent size pool. Smaller soft wall pools most likely won’t sell for much, perhaps $20 bucks given that they can buy a brand new one for a cheap price.
Problems with supply chains have been an issue and it could be possible that during the middle of the summer, many retailers are out of pools, if this does happen, you could look at selling your pool then and getting the most out of it during that time.
Where Can I Sell My Above Ground Pool?
You can of course go online to a few different websites and apps to sell your pool like Craigslist, Offerup, Letgo, Facebook groups, and local google groups.
For example, I just went to craigslist in my hometown to find pools for sale. There is someone selling an 18’x48″ Intex Steel Frame pool for $100 but it doesn’t include their saltwater filtration system. I could pick up that same pool at Walmart or Amazon for $428.05 brand new. If this used pool doesn’t come with the pump or filter, then I would most likely just buy a new one even though they are selling it for 1/4 of the price.
Another person is selling a 10 ft diameter Intex pool for $200 with a pump and Filter. I can buy a brand-new one for $256.00 on Amazon so I don’t know what this person is smoking.
I think your best bet if you are selling your above-ground pool is to be very realistic about the price, and remember when you bought yours, you didn’t consider buying a used one or at least didn’t pull the trigger on it. So you’ll need to put it at a price that will sell, especially if you are looking to get rid of the pool quickly.
Should You Give Away Your Above-Ground Pool?
You should probably give away your pool. That’s exactly what my mom did on her last above-ground pool before she moved. It was only 3 years old, a 24′ round pool model in great condition from Doughboy and she just had to give it away after trying to sell it for a while. This was pre-pandemic though so there were pools available from all retailers and many on the resell market available.
If your pool is older and someone is willing to come to take the pool off of your hands then that might very well be your best move forward. If they are saving you the time and effort of tearing down the pool yourself, that’s a bonus and you don’t have to pay to haul it away.
How Much is an Above-Ground Pool Worth in Scrap Metal?
When scrapping your pool you’ll have steel and aluminum that you can take to the scrap yard. You can call ahead of time to find out the prices if you don’t know what your pool is made of. You can take a magnet to the individual parts, if the magnet sticks to the part, then that part is steel. Aluminum is going to be the most valuable part that you can scrap.
Should I Buy a Used Above Ground Pool?
Yeah, you should buy a used above-ground pool if you are in the market. If you have read this article, then you have an understanding now of how little value an above-ground pool holds after it has been used. If you are patient and diligent in checking on the places online where sellers post you could find a nice model pool that isn’t very used for a great price or even free if you negotiate with the owner about dismantling the pool yourself and removing it from the property.
Download instructions for the pool that includes all of the pieces you will need before going to pick up the pool so that you don’t leave anything behind. This literally happened with the people that came and took my moms above ground pool. Oftentimes, you are going to have to buy and replace certain things like nuts and bolts or perhaps a piece of coping or two. If you are lucky, the liner will be in good condition and you won’t need to replace that until after you have the pool set up and you are happy with it.