Pool construction before new home plans approved

Hi everyone

My wife and I are building a new home but have not decided on a home just yet. We know that we will have an area of land beside the house for the pool to be placed, and realise that we will need to extend the house foundations lower to accommodate for the pool (the pool will be approx 600mm away from the house alfresco area)

We want to get Seaspr*y pools to construct the pool before our house plans have been finalised. The reason for this is that I expect the pool company to take a month or so before starting, and after that our house plans will be ready (once we decide on the house and builder). If the shell of the pool is already installed it won't slow the builder down or give them an excuse not to start straight away.

We have quite a strict covenant that says we need to be in within 13 months from this date, this is the reason for pushing it along I'm wondering if anyone has done the same thing? Should I wait until the house plans have been finalised before I do anything, or just go ahead if the permit for the pool is approved? Our block soil test says we will require a P class slab. The pool company says it's won't be a problem, but it's hard to trust them. I was thinking of hiring someone to check heights or the pool so it works with the house.

Our block has approx 400mm fall over 32m, and it's a very square block. The house will be almost square.

Any help would be great as Monday I will be signing the contract.

Also, is there anything I need to look out for when signing a pool construction contract? After reading a lot of stuff on the internet I am a bit paranoid about dealing with pool companies.

Regards, Andrew

Have you asked your builder about this? Some wont allow it, some will..

Well the builder that we are most likely going with doesn't seem to have a problem with it, as long as we cover it up and make it safe. They are not a large volume builder, so I think that's why they are going to allow it. I'm work in the structural steel industry so I was going to make something to cover it and make it safe.

Sounds good. I am planning on doing the same thing. Last thing I want is to move in and then have another construction site going on for another 2 months with the nosie and mess.

Love to see your design

ours will be just a rectangular shape pool. 6.2m long x 3.2m wide. It's going to be 1.8 at the deep end and 1.3m the shallow end. It's mainly a plunge pool for a quick dip.


Are you building something of a decent size?

maybe 6m X 2.3 with it in a corner upo against windoes to make a feature. Definitely more of a plunge pool. I am over huge pools that cost a fortune in time and money to maintain. Prob max depth of 1.5 and shallow at the end to sit and relax with a sitting ledge

make sure the finish height of pool beam works in with the finish exterior surfaces around your house that you plan to have. (so the pool dosnt sit to low or to high in relation to house) also the pool company will need to know how close there shell will be to the foundation work on the house, so they can compensate the shell thickness, pool pipe location on outter shell may also be a concern for foundation excavation etc

Hi davinci

Yes I have thought long and hard about the levels. I'm thinking I will need to have to top of the pool shell level with the alfresco concrete level. I will be planning to tile the whole lot later on. I was thinking if anything, I may have to have the pool either lower or higher to allow for water flow when it rains. Maybe the pool may need to be slightly higher and I hen have to have some drainage where the alfresco starts?

The house foundation will be approx 550mm away from the outer edge of the pool shell. I'm hoping this is enough for them to miss any pipes sticking out. I might be able to get them to move them around to the other side.

My only last though was about insurance. If I get the pool installed, then get a builder or even owner build, I'm hoping this won't affect getting building insurance. I will call up insurance companies during the week to see what the problems will be if I go this way as I have read that sometimes they can be tough in these situations.

If anyone has dealt with a situation like this can you please let me know.

Andrew