Building an inground pool can be very exciting. After all, you’ve probably dreamed of being able to enjoy your backyard properly for years. Many people wait for a while after they get the idea that they might like a pool to plan and determine which kind of pool they want to build. By the time the inground pool build has begun, you are probably very eager for it to be done.
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Inground pool builders will always give you a specific timeline to expect when they are working on building you a swimming pool. However, there are some general guidelines that you can have in mind when you are thinking about what to expect for your inground pool build process.
How Long Will Building an Inground Pool Take?
There are phases to a pool build. Each phase will take a specific amount of time. As mentioned above, your pool builder should be able to tell you what to expect from your pool build. However, these simple guidelines can give you a rough idea of what to expect as far as the timeline for your inground pool build.
1. Planning and Design
The planning and design processes are both essential to any pool build. This phase of the process is actually quite complex, which means that it can take three to six months to be completed. During the planning and design phase of the pool build, you will have consultations with pool designers and subcontractors to ensure that everyone is on the same page about your pool build.
You will also need to have a design approval meeting that looks at all the details of the finalized pool plan, from added items like waterfalls, spas, and lighting, to shape and placement within your yard. The permitting process is also handled at this time, which can take quite a while if the local government is behind on their approvals for items like this. This last stage of the process might also involve approvals from your HOA or neighborhood committee and other local entities that control buildings in your area.
2. Excavation and Setup
This stage of the work takes about one to two weeks. The site preparation is done during this phase. Demo teams will remove old structures and landscaping and prep your yard or space for the pool to be placed. Excavation is then begun, which means digging the hole that your pool will be placed in. Obviously, smaller pools will take less time than larger pools when it comes to the excavation stage.
The initial plumbing and electrical work will also be installed at this time. All the components that support your pool system will be placed and set up so that your pool can start being used as soon as the rest of the work is done.
This stage is critical so that there are no setbacks or problems later on that require excavating the pool or surrounding area a second time.
3. Pool Shell Installation
The type of pool that you want to install will impact the duration of time that is needed for the pool shell to be placed. Bigger pools and concrete pools will take longer to place during this stage than pools made of other materials. Fiberglass pools will typically be placed and ready for final installation steps within one to two weeks. Vinyl pools take a little longer because the vinyl is placed over a frame and everything has to be smoothed and prepped.
4. Plumbing, Electrical, and Features
During this stage of the install process, the plumbing, electrical system, and all the additional features that you want to have in your pool area need to be placed. Plumbing can take some time if the plumbing team is busy with other jobs. Electrical work is also handled by a specialty team in most cases, so waiting for them to be free can take some time during some jobs.
Custom features can be quite simple or very complex. If the custom items that you are adding to your pool area are very complicated, it could take much longer to get this stage completed. You will need to add some weeks to your plans if you are doing a lot of custom design options that require that other contractors and teams come onsite to handle installation work.
5. Decking and Landscaping
Decks and landscaping can take anywhere from one to four weeks to be completed. This is often an area that requires outside contractors and workers, which can add time to your project. Landscaping itself takes about one to two weeks to complete and decks and patios can also take a couple of weeks to be completed.
6. Filling and Final Inspection
The pool is finally filled with water and inspected at this stage. The water filling process can take up to two days depending on the size of your pool. Chemical balancing will need to be done and then an inspection needs to take place so that a government official can sign off on your pool stating that it is compliant with building codes and safety requirements.
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Total Time for Pool Builds Can be Weeks or Months
Overall, expect to need four to eight weeks for a fiberglass pool installation hob. You can expect eight to twelve weeks for a concrete pool. A vinyl liner pool will take about six to ten weeks. The weather can impact your job as well and so can challenges with your site. Poor soil, problems with instability and places that need extra prep can all add time to a pool installation.
Make sure to ask lots of questions if you aren’t sure how long your pool build will take. Your pool contractor should be able to explain all of the stages of the build and how long they can take with ease. Be sure that you are in communication with everyone involved in the pool build from start to finish so that you don’t run into costly and frustrating delays and other issues.
