Temporary Trafficable Pool Cover

I’m putting a pool shell in before the build. Builder wants shell fenced (fine) and if it’s within 3m of the house they want a trafficable hard cover.

“clients responsibility to provide and maintain adequate safety fencing and/or covering (hard cover) to swimming pool shell at all times throughout construction. If the proposed swimming pool shell is positioned within 3000mm of a home (&/or proposed dwelling) the client must also install a Hard trafficable pool cover”

Has anyone made their own cover. I’ve been quoted 4K which is absurd.

Thoughts, experiences, recommendations - muchly appreciated.

It's simple to do.
How big is the pool and is it concrete or FG?

Hey KamadoJusto,

We had similar situation - my other half built a cover for our pool shell during house build. Simple wooden frame around outside of pool, with a cross piece approx every 2m (70 by 30ml ply framing) and then corrugated iron sheets screwed down to wood.
It ain't pretty but it's lasted the duration - 15 months at this point.

Pool is 8x4m so not massive by any stretch. And that DIY job you’ve shown is what I was thinking of doing myself. Thing is it needs to be certified too.

I’d also argue the fact that if it’s heavy duty and trafficable then what is the purpose of requiring a fence around it?

Yep concrete pool that’s 8x4m. Agree on the simplicity. Even if I was to go extreme on joists Every 600mm I’d get a mint one done under $1000.

Not sure why they need a temporary fence as well.

Most jobs I work on have one or the other, fence or cover.
Sometimes by the time I'm there the pool cover is removed so I can form up the concrete pool overhang and everything has been removed and cleaned.

Thanks Chippy

So in your experience I shouldn’t need both fence and cover?

I’ve got a large colour bond roofed pergola and deck that I’m demoing (along with the old house). Plan would be to recycle the deck and roof to create the cover. I was going to see if I can sell it. But I’ll never get $4k so this might be a better investment.

Also when they say the cover needs to be certified. Who certifies it? Pool builder, house builder or council?

Appreciate the feedback/advice. Thanks.

Did you get it certified? And by who?

Thanks

I don't think that our cover had to be certified. But we also had the pool fenced before the build started so not sure if that made a difference?

Hey

Our pool is also going in before construction, roughly the same size too at 8.2 x 6.5.
Our builder has said that the cover must meet OH & S guidelines - which is fine, I expect it to as well.
Our pool contractor supplies the covers, says it's mostly frame, yellow tongue floorboards and sheet metal.
Whole thing was about a grand.

Not sure who exactly would CERTIFY a temporary cover. And why a fence and cover?
Fence I can understand if the house is within 3000 of the pool as they'll have scaff etc up and need to move around.
Both seems a bit OTT.

Our pool guy did warn us though, that uncovered pools of the past (as in just fenced) did tend to become a dumping ground for the builders rubbish, and lunch remnants (milk cartons, food wrappers etc) YUCK.

Thanks mate. Does the builder require any paperwork to state it meets OHS. Or is it a visual inspection.

I’ll have no issue having it to spec. When I’m done you’ll be able to drive a car over it if they wanted too. But it’s the certification/OHS standards I’m struggling with now.

Ask for details.

State that you are more than happy to comply, but to who exactly?