DIY IG LINER POOL part 1 - know the code and your yard

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W

waste

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Mar 29, 2007
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Coastalish 'down easter'
Casey want's to build her own IG liner pool - let's help her, and anyone else, do this project right!

The absolute first thing you need to do is find out what the town, county and state requires for pools! Around here there are rules governing what % of the yard the pool can take up. We also have wetland issues often - the pool cannot impede the wetlands. Some localities restrict the use of sand or DE filters. Before you can begin any other planning, you need to know that what you'll build will pass inspections and be to code.

Then you need to decide how large a pool you want/ can afford. Is a diving pool 8' deep a necessity? or do you just want to play volleyball and swim laps? You also need to take your yard into account - how much room do you have, how much deck will you want and where will the filter system go (the system usually needs to be kept away from the property line). Do you have a septic system in the yard or a well, are there any buried phone, power or cable lines in the yard or do any of those pass over the proposed pool site? If you live in an area with bedrock or ledge - that may dictate how deep a pool you have or where it will go (having to dynamite out ledge can ruin your budget). How's the water table in your area? If it's high you may need to install well points or if everything slopes towards your yard, you may need to install curtain drains to keep the liner from floating every year.

Decide how much you can afford to put into the project and anticipate that it will cost at least 10% more than you think :shock: If this means getting a smaller pool than you wanted, you might want to wait another year to do it, not many folks say "I wish I had built a smaller pool". Also, think about what features you want, a waterfall, slide, sundeck, SWCG, heater, etc. and budget that in.

There are some computer programs out there that can help you design the yard - using 1 of them would probably be a good idea! Before you start have a good idea of what you want to end up with.

As I've never installed my own pool, this is an area where I'm a little 'weak' in the knowledge - but I know that the kind folks here who have done their own pools will help by sharing their experience with the initial planning :goodjob:

I realize that without the rest of the info on DIY pools, budgeting is neigh impossible :( but I'm thinking we'll start at step 1 and then progress :)

The way I see this going is for this to be the first part and then make other threads on:
Style and depth of pool/ ordering liner
Digging/ site prep
Putting up the panels/ squaring the pool, leveling and pouring the collar (& plumbing)
Shaping the pool walls and floor and applying the vermiculite - or whatever base you want.
Dropping the liner, filling with water and cutting it in
Starting the pool and maintaining it (Casey already knows this - but we'll just throw it in to 'round out' the threads :wink: )

I welcome any input on this project - let's do this right and make a comprehensive DIY pool directory!



RELATED THREADS:

part2 site prep and digging

part3 - style and liner

part 4 - putting up steel and squaring

part 5 - plumbing and lighting

part 6 leveling and pouring the collar *edited 12/09/08*

part 7 electrical
 
Re: DYI IG LINER POOL part 1

First question. :mrgreen:

(the system usually needs to be kept away from the property line)

Is there a reason why? I was wanting to put the system behind my garage (close to property line) and use the box in the garage to wire it up because it's pretty empty. The pool would be beside the garage kinda where my above ground is. Adding pic:



Can you see the room behind the garage? There are post marking the line the whole way down.

Here is where I'd like it to go...
 
Re: DYI IG LINER POOL part 1

Casey, this is where the local codes come into play :wink: You have to follow the local rules every step! That's why I started this with the planning and codes following :) See what your locality requires for the pool :goodjob: I'm sure others will chime in with their codes, etc. to give you an idea of what might be required.

As I've said, let's do this right without any unexpected trouble 8)
 
Re: DIY IG LINER POOL part 1

Gotcha! I'd like to do it right the first time around. 8)
 
Re: DIY IG LINER POOL part 1

Waste- I don't know where this thought fits into the process since you alluded to it, but did not address it specifically. As you pointed out, there are MANY stages to DIY and IG Vinyl pool. And as you know, I am considering just this process. But I think it's important early on to think about and HONESTLY assess your own abilities when it comes to the different stages. I've built my own house, so assembling the walls, bonding the electrical, hanging the liner, etc would be no issue for me.

But I would still have to sub the site work and probably the bottom (though that one is negotiable). Knowing which parts you will TRULY DIY and which parts you will supervise but pay someone else to do is important in the beginning since the budget ramifications could be large.

I guess, this is important info to know in the beginning, but it is the kind of info that cannot be explained all at once. It's the kind of info I'm looking for as the thread unfolds.

Watching intently from MD ~ It's cold and windy here, but spring WILL return.
 
Re: DIY IG LINER POOL part 1

Wmshay, I hear what you're saying - it's a 'catch 22' you need to budget to figure out what you can afford, but you need to have an idea of materials and labor costs in order to budget :? As it's so important to the budgeting to know the rest of the process- I'll start in on some of the other stuff today (I have no illusions that what I write will be 100% complete - right now all I want to do is start the discussions by hitting the highlights, what needs to be done and some of the cavats, as others chime in they will fill out and become complete and I can always go back and edit, if I miss something major :) ) I'll follow the format I suggested in the original post (though I'm gonna bump the style and liner part down some) and link them back here (to the first post so folks can more easily find the specific parts they want)

Eggman and Henry Porter the confusion is my fault :oops: I spelled DIY "DYI" throughout my thread. Butterfly was kind enough to PM me to fix it, but of course I only fixed the subject line :hammer: Sorry for the confusion!

Ted
 
Anybody who's considering putting in a pool should first go down (or call) the office of their municipality, whether a city, township, village, etc. The city I live in for instance, has zoning laws that specify setbacks, fence requirements, etc. But since the city is small (6,500 residents) we don't have a building department. I had to apply for the building permits through the county building department. Your city may have their own building department. I first had to get the zoning permit (from the city), which required a site plan that included the dimension of my lot, the exact location of the pool relative to the property lines, etc. The building department wouln't issue the building permit until a zoning permit had been obtained.

Our county health department did not require a permit for the pool. I've heard that some health departments are very interested in what you are doing. A phone call will confirm or deny their involvement.

So...at a minimum, I would at least call:

1. Your municipal offices. Ask if they have a handout detailing permit, design, and zoning requirements for inground pools.
2. The local building department. Ask what phases of construction they will need a permit for and what they will inspect. Most certainly an electrical inspection will be required.
3. The health department. They may have requirements limiting how close to a septic system or well the pool can be located, how you can dispose of the filter's D.E. if you go that route, etc...
4. I'd also call one of the local utilities and get the "Call Before You Dig" number. The placement of underground utilities may play a part in the location and size of the pool.

Get copies of the pertinent laws and code requirements, as well as the application forms. Keep them in a file folder for easy reference. You'll need to take this information into account as you plan your pool project.
 

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As an aside, when you call the various offices and "departments of... ", make a note on paper with the date, the time, the number that you called, and the name of the person you speak with. You should ask for their name up front, before they feel that they have any reason not to give it to you.

Write down both the questions you ask them and well as their responses. If you get an answer that doesn't "feel" right, ask them to confirm it - specifically ask something like "so when I tell the folks at the power company that I don't need a permit, I should tell them that YOU said it was not necessary, right?", and write down that you had them confirm it.

Make a point of doing this every time you have a phone conversation about your project, and keep these notes in your project file. You WILL be glad you did.
 
Ohm_Boy,

I do that work and I am so glad I do half the time. :rant: It takes alot of pressure off of me and puts it onto the person that should be under the flame. :mrgreen:

It's really good, sound advice! Thanks! 8)
 
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