Lots of folks dream about having their own in-ground swimming pool. The freedom and luxury of cooling off in your own backyard, playing in the pool with the kids, or hosting a pool party for friends, are all good reasons to take the plunge (sorry, couldn’t resist!). Once you’ve decided to go ahead with the project, it’s natural to have questions, and one of the most common is about the process of pool construction itself. To satisfy your curiosity, let’s look at the steps required to turn a concept into a reality …
- Design – Deciding on the shape of the pool, the depth, lining, color, etc. is the first step in the process. In general, the more detailed the design, the higher the cost will be.
- Permits – Choose your pool contractor and apply to your city or town for a permit. A good contractor can take care of this step for you. (You may wonder why you need a permit. In some areas, adding a pool to your property raises its value, resulting in higher taxes, and if you build without a permit, it could be actually be seen as tax evasion!)
- Excavation – Once you’ve settled on a design and secured a permit, excavation can begin. (Your dream is beginning to take shape!)
- Grade and Frame – The excavated area is graded and the floor and walls are framed with wood and metal rebar.
- Plumbing – A plumber will install a supply and filtration system that meets local building code requirements.
- Electricity – An electrician will run power to your pool for the filtration system and any lights that your design calls for.
- Flooring and Walls – Time to pour the concrete floor which will then be graded and smoothed. The walls will be constructed of either poured concrete or cinder blocks, depending on which method you’ve chosen after discussing the pros and cons of each with your contractor.
- Lining – A lining keeps water from leeching out through the concrete, and will either be plastic, tile, plaster or sprayed plastic — whatever you chose.
- Finishing – The area outside the pools walls will then be filled in with the material of your choice (gravel, concrete, tile, etc.)
- Filling – Fill the finished (!!!) pool with water* and enjoy!
Alan Jackson Pools has been designing and building custom pools in Southern California for more than 35 years. Contact us if you’re considering adding a new pool in your backyard.
*Depending on how your pool was plumbed, you can fill it yourself with a hose, or you can hire a water supply company to do it for you.
