Digging a swimming pool...?

[Mustangous]

I totally get your guys point, I dont think just anyone should take on a pool as you describe. Guess it depends on what the person wants. If they want some crazy fancy designs, than would definitly be left up to the pros.

my grandmothers house had a really nice (at least to me) in ground pool. Dont know the dimensions, but it was a big rectangle, think it was built out of cement blocks, had a shallow and deep end. It had 2 steps that went from the shallow end to the deep end. I dont know what it was, but i believe it had a coat of some sort of motar to finish it and then painted, not sure exactly. But it was a basic pool, but was nice!

Now my aunt in SC had a pool that was a little more fancy that curved and was rounded and had a nice transition from the deep end to the shallow end. I remember swimming in it and if you slightly grazed your toe over the bottom, it would actually wear some of your skin off your toe. So i assume that was some type of concrete type of liner/base or whatever you call it. I never remember that happening to my toes in my grandmother pool, but i still think it was mortar covered, and painted or something or another. Both pools didnt have a diving board.

Having said all that, If someone wanted something like my grandmothers pool, I would think that is easily do able, maybe i am wrong and a little out dated. lol...

If i were to attempt to build a pool myself, i would definitely run everything by a few different pool companies and research everything. Depending on how i wanted to do it and material cost, i would compare all that to just paying someone. Again i think i would only be capable and patient enought to build something like my grandmothers pool, basically a basement with water in it.

Thanks for your input. That is exactly what is needed because thats what were are all here for, info and lots of it. I am not ready for a pool and not sure when i would be, but this would all be great info for the op...

 

[NuBota]

I would think the only type of inground pool where digging it out yourself might be a reasonable option is a fiberglass pool. I researched a few years ago and there were very detailed instructions online how to set and level one in the hole. It still looked very painful....

 

[Mustangous]

I would think the only type of inground pool where digging it out yourself might be a reasonable option is a fiberglass pool. I researched a few years ago and there were very detailed instructions online how to set and level one in the hole. It still looked very painful....

how economical is a fiberglass pool compared to a liner? I would think material cost would be a lot..

 

[NuBota]

how economical is a fiberglass pool compared to a liner? I would think material cost would be a lot..

IIRC, they were as much as a "poured" concrete pool (if not more, depending on size/shape) - so not a cheap option. I may have missed that you were looking at a liner type pool....

 

[deere5105]

I too live in south Mississippi. We put in a pool a little over a year ago. We let a guy that does it on the side put ours in. He subs out some of the work and does some himself. Ours went very well and we have been pleased. We went with the 20 X 40 rectangle and the salt water system. The operator that dug ours used a standard backhoe with a custom made bucket. He was able to dig and place spoil in dump truck that was moved to another place on my property that I later used to fill in a hole. I have a friend who only lives about 5 miles away who decided to put one in and used the same guy based on the good luck we had. Our installation took only 3 or 4 weeks. My friends installation took almost a year. We have very sandy soil and they mixed vermiculite in to give a more stable base. My friend had good soil..until they got to the deep end. He had water start seeping in and then rain set in and they could not get it dried out. They finally got the liner in and started filling only to notice that it was not level. The water level was not the same from the water to the coping. They tried to adjust the coping height and wound up having to drain the pool and replace the liner. He finally got through but has noticed that there appears to be pockets/voids starting to show up under his liner where the wet dirt has settled. I realize, especially after watching some of the installers, that pool installation is not rocket science, but sometimes it is good to have someone to hold responsible for unexpected problems. To top it all off, my friend's pump quit after only 6 months. Installer made it good and changed it out. I personally think it is a good idea to go with professionals.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I was quoted 60K to put a pool in my place, so what I did was do a drawing on the computer, sent it to a company in Florida that did CAD drawings, to send to the city.

I then hired out everything piece by piece, layout, digging, electrical, gunite etc.

The guy that came out and dug my pool used a skid steer. He started the hole, spun around and dumped the dirt in his dump and continued on till he was done, never used a back how.

See it didn't matter that he left the dirt ramp because the framer just framed over the ramp and back filled.

It was quick an easy.

I save a little over 30K doing it myself.

 

[workmytractor]

After reading through all of the posts, I believe I will just let this one go to the pro's. I have a feeling things will go south once I get down about 6 feet deep.

When I was installing my storm shelter, I used my FEL to dig the hole for it. It was 9'x 40' and only about 3 feet deep. It only took me about 4 hours to do that dig, but what keeps coming to mind is when I dug the drainage ditch, I had water seeping in the ditch in several places. I am sure the Pros will know the best way to fight the water seeping in, so I will let them do it.

Thanks for all of the wonderful advice.

 

[CapitalExcavation]

We have been digging inground pools for about 8 years, and dig between 200- 250 pools per year. We use a kobelco sr 115 excavator with a 42" bucket and dig most pools in 2-3 hrs. including stoning the bottom and dealing with ground water. As someone said, you really can cost yourself thousands by over excavating, and I cant imagine the time it would take to complete with a small machine. I had an extensive excavating background before digging pools and it's very different than digging foundations. Trust me, if you go to a local pool co. and ask to watch an excavation being done, you will be suprised how precise thing really need to be!

 

[Wildbill34]

I agree with Capital. I just put my pool in in 07. I left the digging to a local contractor. I hhave my back hoe there along with the dozer moving the dirt out of the way. But I didn't want to spend the time and I also had him bring his escavator to do the work. Cost me $500, but he best $500 I spent! Otherwise, if you can read print and follow directions to the tee. Putting a pool in isn't all that hard, but be prepared to really get wore out. We had ours completed in 3 weeks from start to finish, working after work and on weekends.

 

[Stimw]

I drove a dump truck on a pool install crew 35 years ago. I went in first with the backhoe operator. We layed it out with marking lime, he dug and I hauled. This was in Cincinnati and I can tell you I worked there long enough to do about 10 pools and everyone was different and that was just in one city. So while everyones experience is interesting yours could be totally off the wall with problems to solve that could even give the pros a fit.
Then there are different types of pools which all have different challenges.
They install pools here with re-bar/gunnite construction. Our water table is very high, mine is 2-4' below grade. I hear too often about someone who moves in and wants to clean their pool so they pump all the water out to get it clean. The next thing they hear is a loud pop and the pool as a unit is 3-6' out of the ground! Yes, concrete will float!