Types of spa
Portable spas. Freestanding hot tubs on a slab or deck. Drained, disconnected and lifted out — often the quickest job.
In-ground fibreglass spas. Shells set into the ground, often with paving or decking around them. Cut out or lifted.
In-ground concrete spas. Built like a small concrete pool. Broken out or broken and filled.
Attached spas. Built into a concrete pool, sharing a wall. Removed with the pool, or separated carefully.
The process
- Drain in line with local requirements.
- Disconnect electrical supply, pumps, blowers and gas heaters by licensed trades.
- Remove surrounds — paving, coping, decking.
- Remove the spa — lift, cut or break.
- Backfill and compact, or prepare a base for paving or decking.
- Finish to suit the space.
Decks and rooftops
Spas on timber decks or elevated areas need the deck structure checked — both for the removal and for what the deck carries afterwards. Rooftop or balcony spas in apartments are a different job involving strata and structural considerations.
Barriers
Spas that can hold more than 300mm of water are generally treated as pools under NSW pool safety rules. Removing the spa removes that obligation once it can no longer hold water.
With a pool
When a pool is being removed, an attached or nearby spa is best removed at the same time. See concrete pool removal and surrounds.
Costs
See the 2026 cost bands.
Call 02 6422 4202 or send your pool details through.
Two ways to get rid of a pool
Full removal
Shell out, compacted backfill. Costs more. Keeps building options open and leaves nothing buried.
Fill-in
Floor broken, walls cut down, shell filled. Costs less. Best for lawn and garden only.
Questions people ask before they commit
How much does spa removal cost in Sydney?
As a 2026 guide, removing a portable or above-ground spa commonly costs from about $800 to $2,500, and an in-ground concrete or fibreglass spa $3,500 to $9,000 depending on construction, access and backfill. Spas attached to a pool are usually priced with the pool.
Does a spa need a pool fence?
In NSW, spa pools capable of holding water deeper than 300mm are generally subject to pool barrier requirements, although compliant lockable covers can be an alternative for some spas. Once the spa is removed and can no longer hold water, those obligations no longer apply.
Can a spa be removed without removing the pool?
Yes, but where a spa is structurally part of a concrete pool, removing it without affecting the pool shell needs careful cutting. Sometimes it is simpler to convert the spa area or remove both.
What happens to the spa equipment?
Heaters, blowers, pumps and control units are isolated and disconnected by licensed trades before removal. Gas spa heaters need a licensed gas fitter.