By HomeGuide's 2026 national figures, digging a pool costs $1,500 to $5,000 in soft soil. In New Orleans, the soil is soft enough; the challenge is groundwater that seeps into the hole and soft walls that want to cave.
Prices here are HomeGuide's published national ranges, not quotes from our company. In New Orleans, groundwater, soft soil, narrow streets, buried debris and the trip to the dump site move the real cost. Checked October 2026.
What does it cost to dig an inground pool in New Orleans?
Pool excavation runs $1,500 to $5,000 in soft soil without obstructions on HomeGuide's pool section, and $1,000 to $5,000 in its project table. The high end of $15,000 to $20,000 is for rock or hard access. A finished inground pool costs $25,000 to $100,000. Here, pumping and shoring are the extra costs to plan for.
Who digs the pool, the pool builder or an excavator?
Most pool builders schedule the dig, often with an excavating contractor doing the work. If you hire the excavator directly, the hole must match the pool builder's layout and depths, so the two talk before digging. In New Orleans, the builder also plans for groundwater and buoyancy, since a pool here can float if it is emptied.
How long does it take to dig a pool?
Plan on one to three days for the dig itself, which matches HomeGuide's time for small excavation jobs. In New Orleans, rain and seeping groundwater are the usual delays, so the pool crew tries to set the shell or steel soon after the hole is dug.
Does pool excavation include hauling the dirt away?
Sometimes, so check the bid. HomeGuide lists hauling at $140 to $230 per cubic yard, or $1,400 to $2,300 per truck load. On small city lots, there is no room for the spoil, and wet clay is heavy to move, so most of it is hauled.
How much does it cost to fill in an old pool?
No HomeGuide figure covers filling in a pool. The job is breaking up the shell, opening the floor so water drains, filling in compacted layers with fill dirt at $5 to $25 per cubic yard, and grading. The city or parish may require a permit, and compaction matters if anything will be built over it later.
What if the soil is soft or there is water where the pool goes?
Soft soil and water are the normal case in New Orleans. The builder may over-dig and place a compacted or stone base, and the crew pumps water out as they go. Rock is not a concern here, though HomeGuide notes it can add $15,000 to $20,000 elsewhere. A clear contract says how pumping and soft ground are handled.
How much does ground prep for a home addition cost?
HomeGuide has no addition-only figure, but lists grading for new construction or an addition at $1,000 to $5,000 and foundation excavation at $1,500 to $10,000. A New Orleans addition usually has to match the existing house: raised on piers to the same floor height, or on a slab tied to the old one as the engineer shows.
What does a pad for a garage or shed cost?
Excavating and compacting a pad for a garage or shed costs about $1,000 to $2,500 by HomeGuide's driveway, patio and pad figures. On settled lots, the pad often needs fill to raise it above the yard so it stays dry, and the slab may need a thicker edge or piles, as the plans show.
Want a number for your own lot? We come by, look at the ground and the drainage, and send a written quote. Call or text (504) 608-4795.