In short
In Ojén we fill in or remove pools, demolish terraces, outbuildings and garden walls, and clear the plot when the work is done. Ojén is a small white village at about 309 m beside the Sierra de las Nieves, bordering Marbella, and its residential developments lie on mountain ground, so access, slope and nearby forest land shape every job. Owners living abroad can arrange it all in English.
A mountain village a few minutes above Marbella
Ojén lies next to the Sierra de las Nieves and borders Marbella to the south. The village itself is at about 309 m, among the Sierra Blanca, Sierra de Canucha and Sierra Alpujata, and is described as a small white village surrounded by orchards and hills. Higher up and around it are residential developments such as La Mairena, El Vicario and Palo Alto, where many villas belong to owners who live abroad for much of the year.
That gives Ojén two distinct kinds of pool job:
- Village and orchard plots near the old centre, where a small pool or an irrigation tank turned pool sits among fruit trees and terraces, and access is through narrow streets or farm tracks.
- Villas on the developments, with larger pools on terraced slopes, views towards the coast and estate roads with tight bends.
Access first: estate roads, bends and loading points
In Ojén, the question we ask before anything else is how material leaves the plot. On La Mairena or El Vicario, estate roads climb with sharp bends, and a large lorry may not get round them; in the village, streets can be too narrow for anything bigger than a small truck. We therefore plan the job around the largest vehicle that can actually reach the house, and adjust the number of trips.
Where a compact excavator can reach the pool, the walls and floor are broken mechanically. Where it cannot, the concrete is cut and broken by hand and taken to a loading point. If a skip or lorry has to wait on the public road, an occupation permit is needed; your técnico confirms with the Ayuntamiento de Ojén which procedure applies to the demolition and what documents the town hall asks for. We work with that documentation and do not file it ourselves.
Pools on slopes: remove or fill?
On a mountain plot, a pool is often built partly above ground on its downhill side, with a wall that also retains the terrace. If the pool stands on its own structure, filling it adds weight to whatever holds it up, so a full pool demolition is the usual answer. Where the pool is fully dug into the hillside, an infill can work, provided the floor is opened for drainage and the backfill is compacted in layers.
Either way, the space left behind has to be shaped so that rain runs off safely. That basic grading and compaction is part of our groundworks and levelling after demolition. Retaining walls are left in place until a técnico has assessed them, for the reasons explained in the guide on retaining wall removal risks.
Next to the sierra: clearing the plot and the fire band
With hills and forest on almost every side, many plots in Ojén are within 400 m of forest areas, which places them in the Zona de Influencia Forestal, where Andalusian law gives owners fire-prevention duties. After a demolition we remove rubble, broken concrete, old pool equipment and timber from pergolas, and leave the ground clean through our plot clearance service. Scrub clearing on its own is not a standard service; ask us first.
Pool houses, storerooms and covered terraces can come down in the same job through terrace and outbuilding demolition. Material is sorted on site and delivered to an authorised facility, and the receipts are passed to you. Our sister site has no separate Ojén page; for whole-house demolition in this area see demolition in the Sierra de las Nieves.
Services
Pool removal and pool demolition on the Costa del Sol
Full or partial removal of concrete and block pools, including coping, pool beach and plant room, with sorted rubble and compacted backfill.
Terrace demolition, pergola removal and outbuilding demolition
Tiled terraces, porches, pergolas, pool houses, sheds and single garages removed and sorted, so the garden can start again.
Groundworks and basic levelling after a demolition
Backfilling, compaction and basic levelling of the ground left by a demolished pool, terrace or outbuilding.
Plot clearance and site clearance after demolition
Clearing the plot after a demolition: rubble, footings and debris removed, waste sorted with receipts, ground left clean and safe.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work on La Mairena, El Vicario and Palo Alto?
Yes, as well as in Ojén village and on the orchard plots around it. On each development we check the estate road and the loading point before planning the job.
Can a lorry reach a villa on a steep estate road in Ojén?
Usually a compact one can. Where bends or gradients are too tight, we use smaller vehicles and more trips, or move material by hand to a loading point.
My pool overhangs the slope. Can it be filled in?
Generally not. A pool standing on its own structure should be demolished, because backfill would add weight to whatever supports it.
Is my plot in the forest fire zone?
If it lies within 400 m of forest areas, it is in the Zona de Influencia Forestal and has fire-prevention duties. Your técnico or the town hall can confirm it.
Can you take down an old irrigation tank that was used as a pool?
Yes. It is handled like a small pool: emptied, broken down or filled, and the material removed or reused as backfill.
Do I need to travel to Ojén for the work?
No. A key holder or property manager gives access, and you receive photos and updates in English throughout.
How is access handled when I am not there?
We arrange it with your key holder, gardener, property manager or community administrator, and confirm each visit in writing.
Can an old pool be turned into garden?
Yes. Once the shell is broken out or filled in and compacted, topsoil goes on top and the area can be planted or laid to lawn.
Can you remove a pool that is still full of water?
No. The pool has to be empty before demolition begins; we agree with you beforehand who drains it and when.
Can you demolish a pool in a protected area?
In protected buildings, protected settings or archaeological zones the demolition needs a licencia urbanística rather than a declaración responsable. Your técnico handles the application.