Having a pool installed is a major investment in your property, and a great deal of care should be taken at each step of the process. No one should rush out and have a pool installed without solid planning, and before you even begin the process, there are certain things you will need to do. We have assembled a list of 10 things you should do before you install your pool to prepare you to get started.
Pool Construction 101: 9 Things to Do Before You Start
If you have made the decision to construct a pool on your property, it’s time to do some solid planning to make sure it all goes off smoothly. Preparations for pool construction begin with solid steps that anyone who is planning to install a pool needs to take prior to the installation process.
Decide on the Shape of Your Pool
You will need to understand the different types of shapes that your pool could be designed with, and you may want to measure your yard to see what shapes your particular landscape could accommodate. Planning is all part of the fun, and you can be as creative as the dimensions of your lawn will allow you to be.
Contact Your Insurance Company
In many cases, having a pool will impact your homeowner’s insurance policy, so you need to know what their terms are before you get a pool installation underway. Installing a pool will increase the value of your property, and when you sell your home, you will be able to get more for it as a result. However, insurance policies have different terms, and you will need to be aware of how pool installation will affect your policy.
Adhere to Safety Codes
Depending on the area you live in, you may have to get a locked fence around your property if you own a pool, to protect children and small animals. In any case, there are going to be safety codes that are going to have to be understood and then adhered to, so make sure you find out what those safety codes are before you begin installing.
Make Sure You Have Proper Building Permits
You will need to get proper building permits for pool installation in almost every single construction scenario. Before you begin building, you’re going to have to work with your contractor to make sure that you provide them with the necessary building permits to legally and safely install a pool on your property.
Check With Your Homeowners Association
Most neighborhoods have a homeowner’s association, and there have been countless instances where people have begun installing pools only to find out that the homeowner’s association in their area forbids them. You will want to make sure that your homeowner’s association in your area allows the building and construction of new pools in your zone. Don’t forget to contact your local homeowner’s association before you take any steps to actually install a pool on your property.
Make Sure Your Contractor Is Licensed and Insured
Finding a reputable contractor is more than half the battle when constructing a new pool, and you will have to also make sure to find out if they are licensed and insured to make sure that you are covered if anything goes wrong and that the pool installation is completely legal.
Prepare the Pool Construction Site
Before the construction crews arrive you will want to make sure that your yard is completely cleared of any debris or items that would get in the way of pool construction. Items such as swing sets, lawn sprinklers, etc all have to be removed from the area that is going to be worked on.
Spending the time to clean the area and get it ready for construction is critical to any pool installation project. Don’t wait until the last minute either: make sure to get the construction area clean and free of obstacles well before the construction crews arrive.
Make Sure the Worksite Is Accessible
Construction crews are going to need access to your backyard or wherever you construct your pool, so you will make need to make sure to have backyard gates unlocked or other measures are taken to provide access to construction personnel at all times. Also, there may be inspectors that come in to take a look at the work and make sure everything is up to spec, and they, too, are going to need to be able to get unfettered access to your worksite on demand.
Keep Your Kids and Pets Safe at All Times
You will want to make sure that your kids and the neighborhood kids are kept away from the construction site during all phases of the building of your pool. You also want to keep your dog or cat out of the area as well to keep them safe. Anything can happen during construction, and there are accidents that can occur. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that is especially true when a pool installation is being undertaken. There’ll be plenty of time for kids to see the new pool once it is fully constructed.
Figure Out Utilities
During any pool installation, you are going to need a good supply of electricity and running water for various purposes. You will want to work with your contractor closely and understand their needs. Most likely you will need to provide some form of running water to the worksite, as well as access to electrical outlets to provide power for the tools used during the construction. It’s also going to be your job to make sure that this running water and electricity is safely provided at all times.
Preparing for a Pool Installation
We’ve given you some of the tips you will need to prepare for a pool on your property. Please keep in mind that the most important factors to consider here are legality and safety. You will want to spend the time understand what is going to be required if you both by the law and safety regulators. Pools are a wonderful source of pleasure and can be enjoyed by the entire family and neighborhood. You will want to make sure that you take all of the steps necessary to make installation an uneventful process so you can eventually reap the rewards of pool ownership.
If you have questions about what to do when installing a pool or you have decided you want a pool installed and are ready to move forward with selecting a contractor, it’s time to contact some real experts with years of experience. Visit Pleasure Pools to get answers to your questions and start your dream pool installation project moving forward.
