Cherry Hill Pool & Spa:

I had more fun using that title than I probably should have and I think I heard somewhere that you shouldn’t laugh at your own jokes. Oh well…

What I wanted to go over today is the construction process.  In general, installing a fiberglass pool is a lot faster than liners or concrete because our construction takes place in a quality controlled factory and not in your backyard.

First step is layout. A foreman would come to your site and go over final placement in your yard, making sure to keep an eye on those setbacks (like I talked about a couple posts ago). Our foreman will collaborate with you on the equipment placement and excavation area. Remember, once your project is started, moving the equipment or excavation area will cause delays and possibly cost money. So please, make sure that everything is exactly where you want it to be during the layout phase!

This is also the time where you want to get ready for the excavation process. Move any toys, debris, trees, fences, decorative rocks, sprinkler heads, ect. that may get in the way of access or construction.

The next step in the installation of your new Cherry Hill pool is the excavation; a messy, dirty process that is exciting but disruptive and unavoidable. Just keep visualizing how amazing it will all look when it’s done.  An excavation crew then carefully digs in precise accordance with every detail of the design specifications that you went over with the foreman in the layout stage. If there is no place on site to grade out or dump any fill we’ve pulled out of the ground, then we’ll probably have to haul it away. That could cost a little extra depending on how much there is and how far we have to truck it to dump it.

Then the big day…your new bundle of joy arrives!!! YAY!!! (Of course I mean the pool.)

This is the most exciting part of the project. It’s pretty impressive to see this complete swimming pool coming down the road on the back of a truck! The construction crew then goes through the process of pool placement and leveling.

Your Cherry Hill pool is now ready to be plumbed. All pipe connections are solidly bonded and the entire plumbing system is pressure tested for leaks. That takes around 2-3 days of continual running.  (In order to run the pump, access to an 110V/20amp electrical outlet will be necessary.)  Cherry Hill’s main office will then contact the utility contractors informing them to begin and that the inspectors should be contacted immediately upon completion of their work.  Once all inspections are approved, trenches will be backfilled and the finish grading around the pool completed.

Now that your new Cherry Hill pool is running and leak free, it’s time for the concrete collar to be installed around the perimeter. This is the final step and a vital part of the construction of your new swimming pool.  The collar not only strengthens the pool shell but it prepares your pool for the finish decking. The pouring crew comes out and sets forms.  This is the time (before the concrete is actually poured) you will want to confirm the location of slides, handrails, rock waterfalls and planters etc. You will be notified in advance as to when the concrete will arrive.  After the concrete ring has cured, crew members will remove the forms.

The final step is your equipment lesson. That’s where we come out and show you what’s what and what it does! Get your “how do I” questions together before this so you can ask them to the tech that comes out.

You are now ready to swim!

Here is a quick check list of some common occurrences that may hold up the construction process of your new pool. This list doesn’t cover absolutely everything, but it does cover the most common problems. Your pool contractor should be able to avoid most of these delays just by being proactive during the contracting process!

• -Contracts and work orders not signed
• -Proper permits
• -New home construction
• -Backyard/access not cleared of debris and ready for layout
• -Access permission from neighbor must be obtainable (if required)
• -Soil conditions (i.e. ledge, excessive ground water, stump dumps,  etc.)
• -Running water not available to fill your pool
• -Electric and gas connections not coordinated with contractor
• -Inspections- utility trenches and finals
• -Payments not turned in on time

and the biggest delay any outside construction ever faces….

• -WEATHER

Mother nature is sometimes cruel. She wants you to swim, but she wants it to be on her terms.

If your contractor does everything right and doesn’t try to rush your project, then they should be making sure that weather conditions (and in turn soil conditions) are for the most part ideal. A little rain isn’t going to slow down most of the process, but a lot of rain can. Just be patient…your contractor probably wants to work as much as you want them to be working!

As with any construction, the process can be stressful if you let it. Just keep your eye on the prize and remember, the end result will be your gorgeous backyard paradise that you’ll enjoy for years and years to come!

And no….by setbacks I don’t mean something that will set your project back!

Setbacks are the distance required by law between the edge of a building and the property line. That also includes all accessory buildings, structures, and any outdoor living space.
Setbacks are mandated by the state, but each town also has their own rules and regulations that any contractor must follow. The setbacks for any town can usually be found on their website. Any setbacks for a pool project are to the waters edge in any pool. Your pool deck doesn’t count in those distances. Fencing has its own setbacks, but generally that can be right at your lot line.

Now…that being said, what does that mean for your pool project?

When deciding on how big your pool can be and where you can place your pool, you need to keep those setbacks in mind. Sometimes the “perfect” spot doesn’t logistically fit on your plot plan. A plot plan must be submitted with your permit application so that the town can see where you want the pool to go. Too close to the lot line, conservation, wetlands, septic system, or leaching field and your permit could be rejected. Your contractor should be able to help you draw your pool to scale on your plot plan, making sure you’re well within those boundaries.

So when picking out the pool of your dreams, head first to your town’s website to find out your setbacks and then eyeball the location in your yard. That way you have at least a general idea of what size pool you can choose from and where it will fit in your yard. Narrowing down your size choices will make choosing your pool a little easier. There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a shape or size and then finding out that it simply won’t work in your yard.