You and your family have decided you want a swimming pool. Great! You just go out, dig a hole, hire a pool contractor and have him or her drop in a shell, fill it with water and you’re on your way, right? The swimming pool contractors from Bella Blue Pools in Toledo, OH explain how to prepare for a pool project and also want to let you know you have to practice patience.
Take a few steps back and get started by setting your budget for the project, increases in utilities and the cost of ongoing maintenance and upkeep. Now find a pool contractor you want to work with — after you have asked more than one to come and give you an estimate for the project.
Deciding where to put the pool is one of the biggest decisions in the project because once it’s there, it’s there! The entry point to the pool should be easily accessible for all – through a foyer, family room or kitchen rather than a bedroom or office or den. You don’t want everyone traipsing through your bedroom on their way to and from the pool, do you? You may also want to consider having a bathroom constructed or having the pool built in a way that makes getting to the bathroom easy.
How to prepare for a pool project
Ask us to show you what your finished pool project will look like, from a bird’s eye view. Have him put in your existing house, trees, landscaping and other items in your yard. Ask us to show you want it will look like if you decide to have a deck or other outdoor living area constructed. It’s much easier to determine what the project flow will be like if you can see it from above.
You will need to sign contracts, but before you do that, see what you need to do to ensure your pool project meets all local zoning and code enforcement requirements. Your pool contractor will also check with utility companies to determine if, and where, there are any buried utility lines.
Think about the weather and sunlight patterns in your yard. When would the sun fall over the pool and for how many hours of the day? What are the wind patterns like? Will you need to plant shade trees and if so, what kind of shadows will they put on your pool?
We will ensure there are no overhead electrical lines above the pool. You will need to have plumbing and electricity run and you need to make certain you budget for that in the beginning stages. Where you place the pool may change if you’re having to pay a lot more to run those utilities.
All of these steps are in addition to choosing the style, shape and construction materials of the pool and many others. Once it’s all done, though and you’re enjoying time in the pool it will all have been worth it.