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Swimming Pool - In-Ground

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In this section we will discuss the initial phase of construction. That includes digging the hole that will be used for the pool construction and the pool itself. As you can imagine, the construction hole needs to be bigger then the pool itself, which means about three feet larger on each side.

The typical pool consists of a shallow end and a deep end. If you want to have a diving board, the deep end will need to be at least 8' deep. As you consider your pool site, you need to think about the location of the shallow end and the stairs. What will be the most convenient way to access the pool? And you need to think about the location of a diving board or slide, if you plan on having either.

As you think about the depth of your pool, you can be creative here as well. Maybe you would like to have a water volley ball pool, so you only need a single depth. Or maybe you want an L-shaped pool with three different depths, a wading area, a standard depth, and a deep end. Or maybe you want two deep ends at either end of the pool, with the stairs in the middle. Anything is possible. Be creative.

Step 1 - Shape Staked Out

What ever the final shape of your pool is, the construction company (or you) will need to stake out the shape - if you do it, they will still send someone to check, and discuss with you the merits of the location you have selected.

The stakes will need to be 3' further outside the actual pool dimensions. So a rectangular pool that is 18' by 36' will be staked out at 24' by 42'. That is an additional 3' on either side. Also, depending on the type of stairs you have, there maybe an additional 2' or 3' needed at that end. Why the extra 3' of space? For the construction of the walls and the installation of all the filter system piping. Below is an example of the dig site from above.

The grey potion is the dig area,
extending 3' beyond the pool area (in blue).
The box on the right edge of the pool is the space for the steps.
The red line is the start of the deep end, on the left side.

At the completion of the construction company's stake out, you will probably need to make a partial payment. We had to make a 25% payment.

Step 2 - Level Dig

The construction of the hole starts with a level dig to the shallowest level of the pool. For instance, if your shallow end is to be 3', the whole pool area will be dug to a level 3'. This will ensure the pool frame is also level, even if the original ground is not. This is accomplished using a site laser level. Continuously during the dig, the level is checked and re-checked to ensure a level pool area. It takes a very skilled operator to do this correctly. The full dig (steps 2 and 3) can be expected to take a full day.

Below is a sample cross-section of the pool dig area. I your yard is flat, it will be a basic 3' whole.

Cross-section of the pool site.

The cross-section above shows the land is not level. But this is not a problem. As you will see in the next picture, the hole will be a uniform 3', based on the right-hand side.

After the pool is done, the ground will be filled back around the pool, and the left side will be raised to the same level as the right hand side. If you have slopping ground, then you will have some landscaping issues with the left hand side. If your ground is relatively flat, there will be no issues, since everything will be level with the existing ground.

Cross-section of pool side after the level dig

All of the digging up to this point has been in both the grey and blue areas of the picture above. That means the grey area has been dug to a uniform 3' level.

Step 3 - Deep-End Dig

Once the pool area, plus 3' (the grey section in the picture above) is dug to a 3' deep level, the next step is to dig out the deep end, which typical drops to 8'. This will happen in the blue section of the picture to the left of the red line.

That means the deep end will go down another 5'. The edge you see on the left is the grey area, which will be used to support the pool frame, remaining at the 3' level. The deeper part is the area that will be the actual floor of the pool.

Here you see the construction of the deep-end from the level surface

Here you see the completed dig.
All the dirt at the back will be used to fill in around the pool once the construction is done.

At the completion of the day's dig, you will owe some portion of the construction total. Probably somewhere between 10-25%.

If there are complications during the dig, like a large rock, that is too large to move, all the extra digging costs will be the responsibility of the homeowner.

Below is an overview of the times it will take to complete all the steps discussed on this page. Realistically, they will not happen one day after the next.

Section Duration: 2 days

1st Day - Hole Stake-Out Time: 30 minutes
2nd Day - Hole Construction Time: 1 Day

Constraints:
2nd Day
Ground needs to be firm, which means no rain for several days,
due to the weight of the construction equipment.

In the next section, now that the hole is complete, we will discuss the pool floor and frame construction.

Next Step - Pool Frame - Page 1

Pool Overview - Overview of this site and project
Pool Placement - Where to locate the pool and related issues
Pool Site - The start of your pool - digging
Pool Frame - Constructing the pool frame (the walls): 3 pages
F1 F2 F3
Pool Floor - Constructing the pool floor
Pool Liner - Installing the pool liner
Pool Start-Up - Getting the pool ready for use
Pool Shopping - Tips on how to shop for a pool, lowering your costs & frustrations.

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