Case Study: Building a Fibreglass Pool Close to a House or Dwelling
You can install a fibreglass pool in almost any backyard, but if you are limited in space, this may affect the options you have for your fibreglass pool shell design and shape, the cost and duration of installation, as well as engineering requirements.
The general rule for a standard installation is that the minimum depth of the pool shell (at the shallow end) is the distance required between the pool edge and existing dwellings. If you are restricted in terms of the space between your dwelling and pool edge, there are solutions available to maximise your options.
Please read our case study below where we did a pool installation close to the existing house by installing protection piers.
Ethereal Way, Sandhurst
We recently had an enquiry for a new fibreglass pool build not far from the prestigious Sandhurst Club. With such vast land available at the club, a lot of the surrounding blocks have been built with minimal backyard space, making it limited in terms of space and access for a pool, however we have installed many pools in Sandhurst and surrounding suburbs such as Patterson Lakes and Carrum Downs so we are experienced in finding solutions for limited access sites and small spaces.
Our Construction Manager, Cam arranged a site visit to physically see the space and looked over the customer’s building and council plans. He discovered an easement running across the back of the property restricting our options of which pool shell could be installed. This space required a pool that was as narrow as possible with minimal depth at the shallow end. Our solution was the humble Paridiso, with a length of 5.5m and a width of 2.15m, and a depth at the shallow end of 1.05m.
The standard recommendation for the space between the dwelling and the pool edge would need to be 1.05m in this case, but unfortunately once the pool was measured up there was only 600mm off the fence and 800mm off the home. Our Construction Manager advised the customer that there was a solution for this, by installing protection piers. Cam explained to the customer that it would cost anywhere between $4,000- $8,000 extra during this site visit, but if they wanted to go ahead he could confirm the exact pricing once he had discussed the plans with the engineer.
Once the engineers had designed the plans, they confirmed the protection piers were to be 3m deep, and Cam could confirm the extra cost was to be $6,000. The customer decided to go ahead with the pool build and soon after the Master Pools Team was out on site excavating.
For the installation of the protection piers, the team drilled several 3m deep holes between the dwelling and the pool edge. These were then filled with steel and concrete to support the home so it doesn’t cave into the swimming pool (see images below). There was also the hurdle of being a limited access site, with access of less than 1m, so as do with all limited access sites, we used motorised wheelbarrows and a mini excavator to get the dirt in and out of the property and make space for the Paradiso pool installation.
Although the customer didn’t have much choice of the pool shell due to sizing restrictions, they did get to select the colour, and they selected the bright twilight colour option to invite a fresh and open aesthetic to the smaller space. Although it may have taken an extra day of installation, and a little extra expense, we are experts in finding a solution for all kinds of spaces, so you can enjoy the benefits of having a swimming pool in your own backyard just like this Sandhurst customer.
Although most pool installations are relatively straight-forward you can see why it is vital to arrange a site visit with your pool builder before you get a quote for a new pool. If you would like to read some other case studies please click here, or if you would like to have our Construction Manager arrange a site visit for your new fibreglass pool build on the Mornington Peninsula, Bayside, South Eastern Suburbs or surrounding suburbs such as Cheltenham or Moorabbin, please contact us here.
Protection Piers and Pool Excavation