Yay! You’ve decided to build a pool! If you ask us, that’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made! Aaaaand you should probably know what you’re getting into before you dive in. One of the first questions people ask us is ‘how long does it take to build a concrete pool?’ Closely followed by ‘what are the steps involved in building a concrete pool?’
And of course, our answer is ‘well that depends!’, as it depends on several factors, including the size and complexity of the pool, the type of pool, and the climate and weather conditions during the build process. A general estimate for building a typical in-ground concrete pool is around 10-12 weeks.
But let’s break it down to give you a good idea of how much time it should take to build you a new pool and what’s involved.
Phase 1: Get in contact, on-site visit and quote
Give us a call or contact us via our website and we’ll get in touch to start discussing your requirements for your dream pool. We’ll check out your Council zone to let you know about any constraints we need to work with, then book in an on-site consultation with one of our expert Site Supervisors.
The on-site visit gives us the opportunity to understand your specific requirements, visualise the space and provide advice on what would be best for your specific site.
Once we are on the same page with your requirements, we will provide you a detailed quote for your dream pool. We’ll have a second meeting with you to run through the quote to ensure it meets all your requirements and help you understand each part of your pool build.
Time frame: 1-2 Weeks
Phase 2: Contracts, Designs and Approvals
Let’s get all the formal documentation out of the way – once a formal contract is in place, a 5-day cooling off period is invoked and after - this is where we take over and go from zero to hero and get you the pool of your dreams!
Design & Engineering: We draw up a design, and once you’ve approved it, we pass your pool specifications onto our expert pool Engineering team to draft up and formally design, ready for submission to CDC or Council (DA). We will ensure the site is clear of any underground encumbrances such as electrical/storm-water etc. Additional documentation for your site may also be required for final approval such as Landscaping plans, Surveying or Site analysis plans etc.
Complying Development (CDC) or Council Development Application (DA)
Our team at Pinnacle will deal with the private certifier (CDC) or Council DA on your behalf to submit all supporting documentation, plans and designs as part of your approval process. The majority of pools can be approved via CDC with a private certifier which accelerates the approval process.
If there are certain reasons as to why you need approval via Council and DA we will also submit, track and ensure all the boxes are ticked with your local council.
Having done this for over 30 years and understanding the ever-changing environment around Private Certification and Council DA, we know the level of detail and rigour required to ensure your pool is approved as quickly as possible.
Time frame: ~2-3 weeks CDC or up to 6-8 months Council DA
Phase 3: Lets dig a hole!
This is where the fun begins – we have our Construction Certificate in place and we can roll in our toys! First, we’ll peg out and spray the exact position of your pool, then excavate to match your plans.
Excavation typically takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on whether we hit rock or have tight site access which can slow things down a little.
Time frame: 3 Days to 3 Weeks
Phase 4: Form-work, Steel fixing & Plumbing
Once excavation is complete, we install a drainage layer prior to form-work going in (that’s the timber panels to define the edges), then we lay steel through the entire structure. The steel is what gives the concrete its strength and ensures you can enjoy your pool for many years to come. Now is when you’ll see the final shape and depth of your pool including any steps, swim outs, spa’s etc.
The plumbing and provisions for your pool including filtration, lighting and heating are added behind the steel cage ready for the concrete to be poured in.
Time frame: 1-2 Weeks
Phase 5: Concrete Pour & Cure:
This is where your pool comes to life! The area is prepped ready for concrete pour day. This takes 1 day and you can watch our expert concreter's shape and craft your pool into reality.
Once the concrete is in, the curing process usually takes 28 days for it to gain its full strength. For the first week you need to hose your concrete down twice daily to ensure it dries slowly and steadily. This prevents your pool shell from developing cracks over time. This concrete shell is pretty rough, but don’t worry, our next step is to lay an extremely smooth, thin layer of concrete over the top called a ‘screed bed’.
Time frame: 1 day pour – 28 days curing.
Phase 6: Tiling, Pool surrounds & Fencing:
By this stage you’ve probably had enough of looking at an empty concrete shell. Now is the time we make everything look nice. The screed beds go down and make everything dead smooth for tiling the pool coping of the pool and surrounds. The waterline tiles are also added to the pool, or, if you’ve chosen a fully tiled interior, we’ll get cracking on that.
Once the pool surrounds and coping are complete, it’s time to get your pool fencing installed. You must have your permanent pool fence installed and certified before we can finish the interior of the pool and fill it with water, so it’s important to plan ahead and book your pool fence installation in to avoid delays.
Time frame: 2 weeks
Phase 7: Interior, pumps/equipment & fill’er up!
You’re on the final stretch now, moments away from diving into your new dream pool. This is the final stage where we finish off the interior of the pool (unless you have a fully tiled pool) – our expert craftsmen will hand trowel a smooth new pebble or glass interior (called ‘aggregate’). This process takes two days. One day we lay the interior, and the next day we wash it back to reveal the beautiful pebbles and glass that will give your pool it’s shimmer. As soon as we’re done, the hose goes in and we fill ‘er up! ready for water to go in. Water must go in immediately after the interior is complete, so you’re moments away!
All your pool equipment to keep your pool pristine will also be added as per your requirements including pumps, filters, heaters, cleaners & lighting.
Timeframe: 1 Week
Phase 8: Compliance & handover
Congratulations! You’ve made it, your dream pool ready for making new memories. As part of the final steps the Certifier will come out to make a final inspection and formally sign off on the overall construction process. Once you receive your final Occupation Certificate, you can receive your Council bond back. And don’t worry, we will guide you through maintaining and ensuring your pool is kept in pristine condition and how all the components work.
Other tips to ensure your pool is built as quickly as possible:
During Phase 6 it is required to get a pool fence installed prior to having the interior finished for safety reasons. Sometimes pool fence builders can have long lead times which can delay the final stretch of your pool build. It helps to give plenty of notice to the pool fencing team to ensure there are no major delays.
If you are working with other businesses to do works on your site, i.e., building a new house or landscaping, it’s critical that you let us know as early as possible. Communication is key to a successful project and we have found communicating early and regularly with the relevant parties will help prevent unforeseen delays or issues.
Many people come to us asking for a summer ready pool when its already too late. If you want to ensure a pool is ready for Summer then Autumn and Winter are the ideal times to get the ball rolling.
If you know you need to go down the Council Development Application (DA) path, ensure you engage with the council as early as possible to determine if you might need any special supporting documentation specific to your site as part of the approval process.
Please note, these timelines are only indicative of a typical process of building an in-ground concrete pool in good weather, with good site access, without additional landscaping or complex build requirements. There are varying factors that can slow this down.