In a region where land is limited and housing demand is rising, one Southern California contractor has found opportunity in a surprising place: the bottom of backyard swimming pools.
Frisch & Sons, a family-run operation based in Orange County, specializes in swimming pool demolition — a service that has become increasingly valuable as homeowners across California look to repurpose backyard space or avoid costly pool renovations. According to Bobby Frisch, the company expects to complete nearly 300 pool removals this year.
"It's a very California thing," Frisch said. "You've got small lots, a major housing crunch and now a big push from the state to encourage building Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). A lot of people are ripping out pools to make space for something livable."
Others are simply reacting to the skyrocketing cost of pool renovations, which Frisch said can easily top $60,000 — even for modest remodels.
"For that kind of money, homeowners can demo the pool and redo their entire backyard instead," he said.
Founded by their father, a former freeway concrete contractor, Frisch & Sons has evolved to match the changing needs of the Southern California residential market.
When the company began transitioning from masonry to demolition, it initially focused on concrete removal and small hardscape jobs. As his children became more involved, they realized that customers wanted a single contractor who could handle everything — from the pool tear-out to the turf and paver installations.
"People didn't want to coordinate five different contractors," said Frisch. "They wanted one person to give them a quote for everything and handle the job start to finish."
That realization led the company to establish specialized crews for both demolition and installation. Frisch & Sons now employs 16 full-time workers divided into separate teams — one for demolition and one for backyard rebuilds. Their services include pool removal, concrete and paver flatwork, artificial turf installation and general backyard hardscape construction. The only thing they don't do is install new pools.
"We'll rip it out and rebuild the entire yard," Frisch said. "Start to finish, permits, inspections — four weeks and it's done."
The company also has tailored its fleet specifically for California's notoriously tight residential access. With narrow side yards and limited entryways, standard equipment often won't fit.
Frisch & Sons runs 12 Bobcat skid steers — including six S70 units that are only 36 in. wide — and four Kubota mini-excavators, including the K008 and U35. The combination of Bobcat and Kubota was intentional, Frisch said, with Bobcat offering the tightest access machines and Kubota delivering reliable excavators.
"About 95 percent of our projects can be accessed with that combination," he said. "If we can fit something bigger, we will — but most times we can't."
The company primarily demolishes gunite pools, which account for about 95 percent of the jobs it handles. These are high-PSI concrete pools with thick walls — often 10 to 12 in. — and a density that's significantly tougher than typical flatwork. Breaking them up usually involves a breaker attachment on a skid steer or excavator.
But what to do with the debris became a growing challenge.
For years, Frisch & Sons paid third-party haulers to remove demolished pool material — a process that became increasingly expensive and restrictive. Many local recycling facilities in Southern California won't accept gunite debris, citing the tile, plaster, brick and coping, or pebble finishes, as contaminants that disqualify the loads from being considered "clean concrete."
"Some of these facilities would just reject the load," Frisch said. "Then we'd have to haul it 45 to 50 miles to a facility that would take it."
Those longer hauls also increased exposure to highway enforcement and weight restrictions. "CHP [California Highway Patrol] watches those roads closely. You're asking to get pulled over if you're overloaded," he said.
Looking for a better solution, Frisch proposed bringing the crushing in-house. He first reached out to Komplet, a manufacturer of compact crushers, in 2020 but didn't buy until 2024. After researching multiple options, including crusher bucket attachments, he opted for a Komplet model 503 jaw crusher powered by a Kubota Tier IV engine and features:
• a 9-in. by 12-in. jaw opening;
• complete remote-control operation, allowing control of the crusher while operating the loader;
• hydraulically controlled jaw adjustments;
• compact size (only 15-ft. long);
• ability to crush to ¾-in. minus; and
•small enough to transport behind a pickup.
"The Komplet has been a very reliable option, and the customer service is outstanding," said Frisch. "As we did research for our purchase, we talked to contractors in Florida, Texas, Illinois — everyone said the same thing: Komplet stands behind their machines."
Since acquiring the Komplet crusher in May 2024, Frisch & Sons has processed about 50 cu. yds. of material per week at its centralized equipment yard. Though the machine can crush large chunks of gunite down to ¾-in. minus in a single pass, the team chooses to run the material through twice — once to 3-in. and again to ¾-in. — to reduce stress on the machine and improve longevity.
"We know it could do it in one pass, but we'd rather take care of the machine and keep it running longer," Frisch said.
The decision to crush off site — rather than directly on job sites — was driven largely by California's strict regulations. Many cities require contractors to show that debris is being disposed of at certified recycling facilities. Frisch is concerned that onsite crushing could trigger permit issues or delays.
"Most cities want proof that 65 to 70 percent of the material is being diverted to their approved facilities," Frisch said. "Even though we're recycling responsibly, the paperwork and politics aren't worth it."
The company uses the crushed material primarily for pool backfills, depending on city regulations. In some cases, it's mixed with clean fill or used as base aggregate, but there isn't a large resale market for their specific type of crushed gunite.
"It's not pretty, and it's not Class II base. But for internal use, it works great," Frisch said.
The crushing process itself is handled by a two-person team — one operating the skid steer to load the hopper and another monitoring the machine with a remote. Though it can be done by one operator, Frisch said it's safer and more efficient with two people.
"I've done it solo, but having someone up top watching the hopper just keeps things running smoother and helps avoid jams," he said.
After a year of use, Frisch says the Komplet crusher has already saved the company more than $50,000 in hauling and tipping fees. The machine cost just under $100,000 — a figure they expect to recoup completely in less than two years. With disposal fees typically hitting $2,500 per project, the math worked out quickly.
"Just one project might generate 40 yards of material," Frisch said. "We can now crush that in four hours with minimal labor and fuel. It's a game-changer.
"Currently, we use about 90 percent of the material that we crush as approved backfill on future projects. While there could be a potential market to resell recycled materials, the gunite material we are producing is not considered a desirable Class II base because it contains fewer fines, unlike the cleaner material that comes from mass-scale recycling facilities."
"Thus far, Komplet has given us incredible customer service. We often work with the company's support team remotely. I have had their customer service rep spend eight hours with me resolving an issue that developed with the machine. Parts availability has been every bit as good as I would expect from our local Kubota or Bobcat dealer."
He praised the Komplet machine's durability and efficiency, saying it exceeded his expectations.
"I was skeptical at first, but it's the best piece of equipment we've ever bought," he said. "For what we do, this and the Bobcat S70 are our MVPs."
Looking ahead, Frisch said he'd consider adding a larger Komplet crusher if the business continues to scale but, for now, the system works.
"We've found a system that fits," he said. "It keeps us compliant, cuts costs and allows us to control our own recycling. I think more people in California are going to follow this path once they figure out the benefits."
From a freeway concrete background to a one-stop residential demolition and hardscape solution, Frisch & Sons has found its lane — and is driving demand one pool at a time. CEG
