Pool Installation- Our Responsibility
- We Install your new swimming pool according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
- We supply excavation through our trusted excavation contractor. Minimum $400-$600 for most excavations. Your specific excavation cost could vary depending on your specific excavation requirements.
- We use mason sand (Pool Sand). How much these material costs are determined by your size pool and specific manufacturer’s installation requirements.
- We” use 8×12, 12×12, and or 8×16 Inch patio blocks (Which size depends on your pool model) under each upright for support, even when the manufacturer doesn’t deem it necessary.
- We will install a standard filtration system, including attaching your skimmer and, all hoses. Other equipment will be charged at current rates.
- Typically excavated earth is located on homeowners’ property somewhere out of the way. To have this removed from the property? Please let us know and a quote will be provided by Excavator. The costs associated with debris removal are determined by current haul-away rates.
- We will break down boxes and leave them stacked neatly in your yard or wherever you let us know. We cannot haul away these cardboard materials.
- Please refer here to the “Process of Events” page for more details and the Pool Install agreement.
Pool Installation- Homeowner’s Responsibility
- Most, if not all, cities and towns require permits. We do not pull permits for you. The homeowner must secure the permit if necessary.
- Homeowners must be present for excavation and pool installation. We will not install a pool unless the homeowner is present. Questions can arise during installation. If this is not an option and you cannot be present. We will need to have a conversation specific to your installation morning of installation.
- Know your city/town regulations. ie: how far away the pool must be from property lines, dwellings, etc. Again we do not obtain installation permits so proper information must be conveyed to us.
- Provide clear access/path for the excavation equipment to get to the pool site. If access is not possible, there will be an additional charge to dig by hand. Bobcat needs 7 feet in width for access. If base material can not be dumped in the excavated site. There may be extra charges for us to move this material by wheel barrel.
- Inform us of any issues below the surface of the lawn. (septic systems, leech fields, sprinklers, etc.) It is very important we know of any obstructions in our around where the pool will be installed.
- Water must be supplied by a garden hose and long enough to reach the pool. We must start filling your new pool with a water hose regardless of whether the water is being brought in with a water truck. Setting the pool liner is crucial during installation.
- After we install your new pool you will need to fill the pool halfway. When this is completed you will call, text, or email us and let us know it’s half-filled with water. We will then return asap to cut in the skimmer and return. If you’re requiring an outside service to fill the new pool? Have them fill to just below the return inlet. We will show you on installation day.
- Homeowners are responsible for backfilling the outside of the pool with the material of their choice. (We recommend Pea-Stone-Gravel) This protects the pool itself and prevents the sand from washing away in the future. This greatly prolongs the life of your pool. Failure to do this will void the warranty as well as our labor warranty. If we are hired for this service. No need to worry as it’s taken care of.
- Know the manufacturer’s policy on defective liners. This is highly unlikely but we do see 1 or 2 defective liners once in a while. In the event that you get a defective liner, it is your responsibility to identify the defect and let us know asap. If purchasing a pool through us? We will do this determination for you.
* Ladders and Steps- We only assemble ladders and steps we sell. We cannot install ladders into the pool. Each ladder and steps require different assembly instructions to build. Some are more time-consuming than others.
Water Volume in Above-Ground Pools
The Optimum water level in a pool is determined by the following picture. Pool heights are 52″ and 54″ (48″ being phased out) and your pool is filled to halfway up the skimmer. This provides equal parts of air and water going into your filtration system. Knowing this we can determine the optimum water volume your pool should hold for best filtration/circulation.
Optimum Water Volume Round Pools
| Pool Size ft | Pool Height 52″ | Opt Vol 46″ (52″) | Pool height 54″ | Opt Vol 48″ (54″) |
| 12 | 3,659 | 3,237 | 3,800 | 3,378 |
| 15 | 5,717 | 5,058 | 5,437 | 5,278 |
| 18 | 8,233 | 7,283 | 8,550 | 7,600 |
| 21 | 11,206 | 9,913 | 11,637 | 10,344 |
| 24 | 14,636 | 12,948 | 15,199 | 13,511 |
| 27 | 18,524 | 16,387 | 19,237 | 17,099 |
| 28 | 19,922 | 17,623 | 20,688 | 18,389 |
| 30 | 22,869 | 20,231 | 23,749 | 21,110 |
| 33 | 26,672 | 24,479 | 28,736 | 25,543 |
Please have a look at our blog post “Should You Fill Our Pool With a Water Truck?“
Optimum Water Volume Oval Pools
| Pool Size ft | Pool Height 52″ | Opt Vol 46″ (52″) | Pool Height 54″ | Opt Vol 48″ (54″) |
| 8×12 | 2,492 | 2,208 | 2,548 | 2,265 |
| 12×17 | 5,295 | 4,694 | 5,416 | 4,814 |
| 12×24 | 7,476 | 6,626 | 7,646 | 6,796 |
| 15×26 | 10,124 | 8,973 | 10,354 | 9,204 |
| 15×30 | 11,682 | 10,354 | 11,947 | 10,620 |
| 18×33 | 15,420 | 13,667 | 15,770 | 14,018 |
| 18×40 | 18,691 | 16,567 | 19,116 | 16,992 |
| 21×43 | 23,441 | 20,778 | 23,974 | 21,310 |
Base Materials
What is Mason Sand?
Mason Sand comes from larger rocks like granite, trap rock, and or limestone. It’s crushed and then it goes through a screening process. It goes through the screening process twice. By doing this it creates a nice smooth consistency. It feels like beach sand or what we in the business call pool sand.
What is Stone Dust?
Stone dust is a larger rock crushed into dust. Also called Quarry dust is coarser than Mason sand. It packs like concrete and creates a hard pool base. Much like an in-ground pool base. It’s used in concrete construction. A Stone Mason will use for laying pavers.
How Much Material do we need?
These materials come in volumes of yards and or tons. We have a chart that we use to know what amount we’ll need to get for a particular size pool. See the following chart it will show you the amount we order when installing a pool.
Base Material Chart for Different Sized Pools
| Pool Size in ft | Mason Sand Yards | Mason Sand Tons | Stone Dust Yards | Stone Dust Tons |
| 15 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 18 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| 21 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| 24 | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 5 |
| 27 | 4 | 5.5 | 4 | 5.5 |
| 30 | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 12×24 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 |
| 15×26 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 15×30 | 3.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 5 |
| 18×33 | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 18×40 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 7.5 |
Base Material Chart
*The chart shows that it’s the same amounts whether you use Mason Sand or Stone Dust.
Do I need a Protective Padding Under my Pool’s Liner?
A floor pad goes between the base material and your pool’s liner. It protects the underside of your pool’s liner from smaller-sized rocks from poking the liner. It’s a good idea to have one.
Most pool manufacturers will extend the liner warranty if you use the padding. For that reason, it’s a great idea. Generally speaking any added security you can get is a Good Idea.
Check out the warranty differences between the two warranties. See the following video for an explanation of the extended type warranties.
I am often asked which one is better. There isn’t a good, better, or best when it comes to deciding between a round or an oval-shaped pool. This decision has more to do with where it’s going in the backyard, how many swimmers will be using the pool, your potential exercise needs, and your personal preference.
One of my first questions will be
How many swimmers will be using the new pool?
Consider the surface area when trying to figure out how large of a pool is necessary for your swim space needs. The following is the surface area of above-ground swimming pools. This is helpful when trying to figure out what size is good for your family.
| Pool Size ft | Surface Area Sq Ft | How Many Swimming Comfortable |
| 12 | 264 | 1-2 |
| 15 | 365 | 2 |
| 18 | 481 | 3 |
| 21 | 610 | 4-5 |
| 24 | 754 | 5-6 |
| 27 | 912 | 6-8 |
| 30 | 1084 | 8-10 |
| 33 | 1270 | 9-11 |
| 12×17 | 348 | 2-3 |
| 12×24 | 469 | 3-4 |
| 15×26 | 579 | 3-5 |
| 15×30 | 658 | 4-6 |
| 18×33 | 809 | 6-8 |
| 18×40 | 996 | 8-10 |
| 21×43 | 1148 | 9-12 |
Your Backyard Can tell you which shape is best
Not every yard is made to order like the examples above. But your yard layout will give you the best clue as to which shape works best. When choosing a size consider the swim size of a pool is not the final space needed for the pool. The sizes you see advertised are the inside swimming dimensions of the pool. The actual size needed will be based on which model or manufacturer layout you look at.
When we excavate for a new pool we always make a larger cut to accommodate the pool. We adjust this space needed more when an oval pool has buttresses instead of non Buttress frame. A Buttress pool will need a larger excavated space compared to a Buttress Free pool.
Get ahold of your city or town’s building department and get a plot plan and rules for how far away from property lines you need to be. You’ll need to know how far away from septic tanks, leaching fields, other structures, etc.
The following video gives you the 4 initial steps to above-ground pool ownership.
The following chart is the size we typically excavate for the common-sized pools.
Excavation Size Chart
| Pool Size ft | Excavation size needed ft |
| 12 | 15 round |
| 15 | 18 round |
| 18 | 21 round |
| 21 | 24 round |
| 24 | 27 round |
| 27 | 30 round |
| 30 | 33 round |
| 33 | 36 round |
| 12×17 | 17×19 |
| 12×24 | 17×26 |
| 15×26 | 20×28 |
| 15×30 | 20×32 |
| 18×33 | 23×35 |
| 18×40 | 23×42 |
| 21×43 | 26×45 |
Pro-Tip
Determine before excavation where the filtration system’s location will be (Approx). Excavate that area outward a few extra feet. Most cities and towns require electrical to be 5-6ft away from the finished pool wall. By having this space already excavated placing pumps and performing electrical duties will be easier.
How Much Will The Average Monthly Costs be?
You’ll need to use a filtration system for circulation. There are electricity costs. If your going to heat the pool it will require additional costs. How much exactly will depend on how large the pool is and the equipment being used. The following is a guide to how much it will; potentially cost you.
Remember the larger the pool the larger the costs of maintaining it. The following are the upfront and usage monthly costs associated with sanitation chemicals.
Sanitation Chemical Costs
| Based on 12 hr usage | Upfront Costs | Monthly Costs |
| Chlorine | Under $200 | $50-100 |
| Salt System | $500-$1,500 | $20-50 |
| Mineral System | $200-$500 | $25-50 |
| Oxygen System | $399 | Under 20$ |
Pool Liner Attachments
- Overlap
- Uni-Bead
- J-Hook
- Regular Bead
- EZ-Bead or Multi-Bead
- JW and EW Bead
There are many different pool liner attachments for above-ground pools. The most common liner attachments are: