Find Out If Its Legal
Its always a good idea to check local zoning laws or, if applicable, ask your homeowners association. For example, some neighborhoods have pools, but the HOA doesnt allow people to place one on their property.
Also, make sure to have the city come out and mark where the power lines in your yard are, so the installation crew doesnt hit them if they do any digging.
Installing Your Own Pool: The Budget
Yep, installing your own above-ground pool costs more than the sticker price once you add in the expense of preparing a home for it. The happy people pictured on the box assembling it with ease are models, too. Depending on which kind you buy, your experience will probably take longer and involve more frustration.
Even so, once you make peace with these facts of life, its really worth it.
Even at double the price you see on the box, a decently sized above-ground pool works out much cheaper than a permanent installation, never mind frequent trips to the local water park for your kids and their friends. It basically starts to pay for itself as soon as its standing.
Above Ground Pool Buried In The Ground
There are a few brands of above ground pools that can be complete recessed like an inground pool.;One of my most inexpensive;inground pool packages;utilizes the Aquasort 52.
You can put any pool inground if the pool wall is strong enough. If you are going entirely inground, you will need an inground skimmer and an inground pool pump. Above ground pumps are not self-priming.
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Cost To Install An Above Ground Pool In The Ground
Installation costs are going to vary by size, how deep you are going into the ground, local electrician rates, and a lot more. I will estimate installation including excavation installation, electrical, along with backfill and setup with plumbing to cost $7000.00.
Of course, if you can do any or all of this installation work for yourself, you will save on the job.
Installing an Optimum;or Radiant Pool inground require a 1-foot of cement around the base of the wall. That will add to the cost and aggravation of any installation.
Slowly Fill With Water
This section in the video shows how filling the water slowly will allow you to smooth out wrinkles in your pool liner. Its recommended to fill the pool halfway then refer to the separate instructions on how to install the skimmer and return fittings. Once installed, you can finish connecting the rest of the pool equipment like the filter system and pump. After installing all the above ground equipment, you can fill the rest of the pool.
Quick Tip: Smooth out the liner when there is 1 of water in the bottom of the pool. This will allow you to adjust the liner, giving it a smoother, tighter fit.
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Is The Above Ground Pool Just Part Of The Dream
Are you planning on having just a pool for a little peace and quiet away from the kids and thats it? Or is the plan to have a deck built around it? With patio furniture. And a cooker. And a hot tub. And a gazebo. And a supercool all-weather outdoor crystal ball dance floor. If so, whens the party? The pool is usually the first thing that is installed so think about the bigger dream beforehand so the placement will come out better in the end.
My last piece of advice is to, if possible, keep some room around the pool for access like mowing and maintenance. An above ground pool is ultimately nicer when there is room to walk all the way around it.
If you have any questions on where to place your pool then we would be happy to help, feel free to give us a call at 1-877-372-6038 or email us at If you liked this article then make sure to sign up for Blog and get our Free 128 Page;Pool Care Guide.
Install The Legs And Add Sand
To give the pool a bit more strength, we screwed the legs of the pool to the feet. Before we got to the liner though we dumped a few more loads of sand into the pool. Youll want a base of about an inch or two between the crushed stone and the liner. We just shoveled the sand out flat and then tamped it lightly with a hand tamper. You also need to create a cove around the outside of the pool. The cove should be about 4 inches high and taper about 4 inches.
This is one thing we regret doing. We tend to be pretty cheap with our projects, and we decided not to buy the prefabricated coves and floor pads. By the end of the day we were just so tired that we didnt perfectly pack the sand base, and it is full of footprints. So, learn from our mistake! If theres one thing that we would have done differently, it would be using a floor pad and cove
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Clear Your Winter Pool Cover
Whether you have a pool safety cover or a winterized cover, your first priority is removing a winters worth of water, leaves and debris. A submersible pool cover pump makes short work of any excess water. You can also use a regular sump pump if you dont have a pool cover pump.
To remove leaves and other debris, use a Soft broom or skimmer net. Use a gentle touch. Sharp equipment or overly enthusiastic sweeping can damage your cover.
Try to remove as much of the debris as you can. The more crud you remove now, the less you have to worry about falling into the water when you remove the cover.
Fill With Water And Find Your Bravest Friend
You cannow go ahead and fill the pool. ;You will need to give it a chlorine shock as it most likely be very green. ; Make sure the pump is running so that it circulates the water.
But first, you need to find your bravest friend. ;That could be you or even maybe your kids. ;But that person can claim the title of being the bravest by jumping into the pool as the first ever! ;If you took your water from a quarry, that water will be freezing cold. ;So claim that title and let that be the first of many swims.
Note: Don’t worry, you will see the temperature climb fast in the summer. ;You can always add a heater.
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Above Ground Pool Accessories
These fun accessories are really self-explanatory, so we arent going to spend a lot of time on them.
There are a lot of accessories that can actually make your life easier as far as maintaining your above ground pool .; In most cases, you will be provided with basic maintenance equipment when you purchase your pool, but its important to know there are variations of this equipment and differing levels of these tools. ;
Once your pool is installed and you start to see what you need help with, then you can upgrade or add to your equipment.; For example, if leaves are a problem in keeping your pool clean, there are specifically designed leaf vacuums and even a bracket & net you can install on your wall that will collect the leaves before they drop to the bottom. ; This will help prevent algae from having something to bloom on and you winding up with a bright green pool.
On the vacuum heads, you will discover there is a wide variety to choose from.; There are different vacuum heads you can upgrade to that will cover more surface area as you vacuum, or ones that will brush the pool floor as you vacuum, helping you collect more of the fine dirt/dust from the bottom. ;
If the thought of vacuuming anything else around your home makes you cringe, there are robotic vacuums that are essentially a self-contained unit.; You simply plug them in and turn them on and they will vacuum the pool while you are at work or sleeping at night very similar to a Roomba!
Use Solar Blankets Or Rings
While both solar blankets and solar rings can effectively warm up a pool, think of them more as heating aids.
Why?
Because, by themselves, they simply wont provide the level of heat and performance you get from a pool heater.
But that doesnt mean you shouldnt use them in fact, it actually costs you more not to. Heres why:
While we buy pool heaters to keep our pools warm, we sometimes forget why we need them in the first place. Heat loss. If it werent for heat loss, the sun would be more than plenty for enjoying a good swim, and heaters would be obsolete. But in this world, that isnt the case.
So whats the best solution for reducing heat loss?
Covering your pool.
Using a solar cover reduces evaporation and water loss by up to 70%. And less water loss means fewer chemicals going to waste. All of which spells lots of savings for you.
But lets not forget that using a cover also helps lock in the heat in your pool. Much like putting a lid on a pot of boiling water.
Bottom line: Solar covers and rings improve heating efficiency.
Since solar covers and pool rings serve more or the less the same function, we grouped them together. Both products work by forming a barrier between your water and the sun.
But if youre going for efficiency, pick a solar cover. Theyre cheap, easy to apply, and simple to replace. Solar rings, while more aesthetically pleasing, tend to be a bit more expensive.
Cons of Solar Covers and Rings
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Bring In Sand For Base
Our bases are built of sand. ;You will need to wheelborrow in the sand inside the pool. If ;you are going to a quarry, the best we have seen is screened sand, slight mix of clay. ;This allows the sand to compact firm. ;Do not use the popular mortar sand, which is often used for bricklaying. ;
Note:;You can start bringing in the sand before the previous step. ;Just make sure that you lay down a piece of plywood or cardboard to protect your border. ;When you are done bringing in sand, make sure to re-level and inspect the area to walked over the stone dust to ensure it’s leveled.
We usually bring in 4 inches of sand inside for the base. ;You will find yourself roughly spreading it inside the swimming pool. ;But do not bring it against the stone dusk circle yet. ;You will need to have the wall installed before you do that. ;So simply add extra sand near the edges inside so that you will be able to level it later. ;
During pool installations with our crew, we usually have a few steps happening at the same time.;
Above Ground Pool Leveling Problems
Assembling or setting your above ground pool without seeking professional help is hard. Some problems can occur when you DIY such as:
- Uneven ground;
- Verticals that are out of shape or bent
- Wrinkled pool liners;
Having an unleveled surface for your pool is the clearest sign that your facility is improperly installed. Less than an inch of unevenness is acceptable, but anything beyond that can lead to the leveling problem.
Such a pool wont last for long, and you would need to bring it down and get it reinstalled by a professional. Leveling the surface first before assembling the pool is important.;
It wont matter whether you have a circular, rectangular, oval, or even any kind of pool all of them need to rest on a leveled surface.
Leveling the surface when your above ground pool is already installed is still possible, but it can be time-consuming and challenging.; There are a lot of materials that you can place under your pool, such as sand, concrete pad or slab, solid foam, crushed stone, on the sand, and many more.
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How To Prep Ground For An Above
Related Articles
Beating the summer heat in a cool pool is great fun, so long as the pool is properly installed. Preparing the area your new pool will call home is the most important part of the pool installation. Whether or not the pool stands firm will depend on how well you level and support the ground the pool will sit on. Proper preparation of your level foundation will yield many summers of fun in the sun.
Install It In Your Backyard
Yes. I know its quite obvious, but if you read the beginning of this blog post, then you know its not a given. Your backyard is a private and safe place for a pool. Its usually fenced in and people will have their grills and lawn furniture there. Kids play in backyards with family pets. Local building codes will allow for your pool to be built in your backyard. Its just normal.
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Cost To Buy An Above Ground Pool In The Ground
All the pools mentioned above cost about the same. It might interest you to know that the best semi-inground pool is usually the cheapest. That is the Aquasport 52; this is why I dont sell the other pools.
- A 24 Round Package Cost $5000.00 $6000.00
- 15×30 to 17×32 Oval Package Cost $6500.00 $7500.00
Compact The Sand Down Hard
After youve let the sand come to rest, it needs to be compacted into a solid base for your pool. The best tool to get the job done is a lawn roller, which you can rent easily from most garden centers. Go over the entire base for your pool, and pack it down flat.
Then its time to bring out your level. Your goal here is to ensure nothing has changed and youve still got everything completely flat. If not, grab your shovel to level it out, then use the lawn roller to pack it down firm. Take your time to get this right.
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Tips For Installing Plates Rails Covers:
- Follow manufacturers instructions carefully. The pieces should all fit together easily.
- Check to ensure the sides and top are level.
- Make sure the top plates are perfectly straight using a level before you tighten them.
- Bottom rails must always be held in place in the bottom plate.
- You must recheck the gaps at each and every one of the bottom rails so that they are all equal in gap size.
Lay Down Bottom Track And Pin To Pool Specifications
It’s now time to start building the pool structure. ;You will have pieces called the bottom track where the wall will sit inside, and connectors that join the track and posts sit. ;Following the specifications of the pool make and model, bring the groove inside those connectors to EXACTLY the half measurement of the pool size. ;
This is critical to make sure when you unroll the wall, you don’t find yourself having to re-roll it. ;You will find out how heavy that wall can be soon enough.
Once the location of that connector is set, use a long nail or a pin to lock it in place. ;You do this for every single one. ;Measure twice if necessairy. ;
Pro Tip:;We have steel rods we set with ankors to the wall. ;We put these rods in the middle of the bottom tracks, on the outside. ;These ankors will lock into the pool wall during the build to pervent it from falling . ;A kinked wall, is a useless wall.
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How To Set Up Above Ground Pool On Unlevel Ground
An above-ground swimming pool is cheaper and easier to install compared to an in-ground model. You dont need to waste your time digging a hole, shaping that hole, creating framing and foundation, installing the fixtures, drains, and other necessities.;
You skip all that since an above ground pool only requires you to level and smooth the surface, with the option of placing the base material and then setting the pool later. Although it is easier to install an above ground pool, many people forget to level the ground.;
It Affects Pool Walls
Uneven ground will force the water to be concentrated on the pools lower areas. The pool walls that carry the most weight will eventually bend, become twisted, and collapse. In addition to causing damage to your property and pool, this can cause injuries.;
If you think that this can only happen to inflatable pools, you are mistaken. It also applies to above ground pools featuring solid walls.;
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Simple Steps On How To Install Above Ground Pool All By Yourself
More advantages that you will get from installing an above ground swimming pool are:
- Space-saving; You can find various styles of above ground swimming pools which makes it easier for you to fit the available space in your outdoor living space.
- Easy to maintain; If inground swimming pools require a lot of components to get it work, you wont need to deal with complicated stuff when you choose above ground pool.
- Easy to install; Some above ground pools can be installed all by yourself without any needs to call a pro, just follow the manufacturers instructions, and you can have an enjoyable swimming pool in no time.
For you who are willing enough to install an above ground swimming pool all by yourself, below we share the tutorial on how to install above ground pool that you can simply follow.
