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Swimming Pool - In-Ground

Pool Placement

Think about Design or Landscaping Ideas

Where Should We Put Our New Pool?  and How Big  A Pool Can We Have?

Where Should We Put Our New Pool?

The first consideration is the zoning rules. 

Typically the pool will need to be set back from your property line by a certain distance. In my township the requirement is 25 feet. And you will need to be a specific distance from  any structure, like your house or garage.

 

Stop by your township or county zoning office.  Ask for the requirements to build an in-ground swimming pool. And ask for a building permit, if it is required. File the permit as soon as possible after the contracts have been signed.

 

Note the permit fee costs - you will want to add this to your budget.

Most pool construction companies make the home owner get the construction permit. It is an easy process and one you should do as soon as possible after signing the construction contract. The pool company will usually not put you on the schedule until you have the permit in hand. Permits usually last for 12 months, but be sure to ask.

Once you have the zoning rules, you can make a rough draft of your yard, with all relevant measurements. But sure you include any restrictions of the zoning board. Here is a sample. In my township pools must be 25 feet from the property line and 15 feet from any building. If there are any right-of-ways, like a public drainage right of way, you need to be sure you pool is not encroaching on the area.

1 - Property layout draft with zoning constraints

2 - The area in blue is available for pool construction

The second consideration is the esthetics of the pool as part of the yard. 

Consider how the pool will look in various locations. And think about the layout. If you are considering a rectangular pool, will it look better long-ways (horizontal) or top-to-bottom (vertical) or even at an angle? Think about how you will use the pool - parties, cook-outs, and so on, to determine what will surround the pool. That will help you determine the layout.

This site is supported by the advertisers on the right. If one of the ads shows pool design or layout, you can click on it and it will open a new window. This is a good way to consider a lot of different examples of pool shapes, designs and even the surrounding landscaping.

The third consideration is the contours of the ground.

You have to plan for rain, and its effect on the pool. We found out the hard way just recently. In one day we had 9 inches of rain (leftover from one of the hurricanes), which caused the dirt under the cement walk way to settle from 1 to 5 inches. Fortunately, because of the design and quality of the construction it did not hurt the pool or the walk way. While I don't expect to see that much rain in one day ever again, I will be changing the contours of the land near the pool so that there is proper drainage. 

You should consider how the water flows on your property and the impact of the pool. The pool will typically be slightly higher then the surrounding ground and will change how the water flows.

How Big  A Pool Can We Have?

There are only three constraints to the size of the pool; your property size, zoning rules, and your budget. 

On the positive side, you can have a liner pool of virtually any shape. Be creative. 

Look at the maximum dimensions possible based on your property and zoning constraints.

Then think about how big a pool you might really want. Come up with a few alternative design choices and dimensions (sizes). Long, round, l-shaped, there are lots of possibilities.

To give you an idea, in the North East, a rectangular 18' by 36' pool will cost about $20,000. However, you should get an estimate, on a per foot basis from several pool companies. This will help you narrow you choices, making the final design choice and size easy to decide. We will talk more about this in the Pool Shopping section.

In the next section, we show you the first step in the construction process, digging the hole for the pool.

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