POOL LOCATION- Please Help

MermaidMama · Oct 28, 2013

Does anyone know if the IRC says you must have your pool a minimum of 10 feet from the house? The code and zoning company hired by my borough is saying that the IRC (international residential code) does not permit a swimming pool closer then 10 feet and no pool can be closer then that. Obviously it is ideal to have at least 10 feet, but I know of quite a few pools closer then 10 feet.

I was just wondering if anyone knows if this is true. I asked her to send me a copy of where it says that, cause I sure can't find it and they have yet to send it.

If anyone is familiar, please help.

Thanks!!!

jcowart · Oct 28, 2013

I did a quick scan over the IRC and can't find it. It may be a local zoning thing. City's adopt the IRC but can add and modify to suit the local needs. I know the city I am by says 3 ft setback from property line, minimum equal depth to distance from structures to leading edge. The only thing I did find is pools inside a structure with glazing material on the walls "glass panels" and the min setback shows 5 ft. If they do show you and it is from IRC, post the reference.

cramar · Oct 28, 2013

Where I live it's 6' and I can tell you that the inspector never get it a thought, in some locations inspectors only worry about the serious things and not the trivial, others are sticklers for details.
Ask your local planning dept, they'll let you know.

pooladdict · Nov 11, 2013

4' from property line where I live, fences required and the 4' ensures anyone who climbs the opposite side of the fence, can fall off it and hit deck, not water (Although I would rather fall into a pool then a concrete deck

)

MermaidMama · Apr 4, 2014

Just FYI, the IRC does NOT have a foundation setback for swimming pools. My borough also does not have one. They hired a company to take it over, they said they don't care and sent me a denied permit citing it MUST be ten feet or I need to provide a signed and sealed report from a structural engineer saying otherwise.

I'm just at my wits end. I know this is not a popular thread but if anyone has any articles, info from installers etc., please share. I'm going to go to a borough meeting in a May and talk to to them and see what they say.

Meanwhile my 18 round and paid for Doughboy sits.

Thanks!!

swimcmp · Apr 4, 2014

Personally for the liability of it I wouldn't want a pool that close to a house. Cost me 20,000 for lawyers to defend us in a lawsuit for someone jumping off a deck that was less than ten foot away.

Casey · Apr 4, 2014

My pool is very close to my garage and I was told it did not matter where I put it and how close to the house/garage I had it as long as I stayed out of the right a way. My step son mentioned that it would be sweet to jump off the garage roof into the pool. I told him I would take the pool down if anyone attempted it so don't even think about it!!!!!

Taken in Feb 14 to show how close to garage it is.

Taken after install. I needed to fix the cap on the roof and took the pic because I was already up there.

This was the only place I could put a pool in our yard. I went a large as I could and tried to keep it as far away from the garage and right a way as possible.