How to Dig a Swimming Pool

Call the utility company or public office responsible for marking out the location of underground utilities such as power lines, telephone cables and water conduits.

Wait until an inspector has arrived and thoroughly mapped and marked any utility structures through or near your pool site before you begin to plan.

Sketch out the pool shape and size using a graph-paper scale drawing of the site and surrounding structures, plantings and in-ground equipment.

Lay out the site of the pool by staking the ground and tying strings between the stakes. You can also use construction form boards to mark the perimeter. By the time you begin the dig, you should know the shape and orientation of the pool, the location of the shallow and deep ends (if the depth will be variable), and the location of the enclosures (fences, gates and railings). Remember that a diving board demands a depth of at least 8 feet where divers will enter the water.

Set out the stakes 3 feet from where the pool edges will be. If the pool is going to be 24 feet long, then you must stake out a total length of 30 feet; a width of 18 feet demands stakes set 24 feet apart. If the steps into the pool extend past the pool side where they are located, you must stake 3 feet past the steps. You must have an additional 3 feet beyond the stakes available for the construction of enclosures.

Start the excavation on a clear day which has followed several days of dry weather. Using a backhoe excavator, you should be able to get most of the main digging done in a single day. Dig the entire expanded area of the pool out to the depth of the shallow end. Use a laser level while you are digging to ensure the ground is dug out to an even depth.

Dig out the deep end to the necessary depth, usually 8 or 9 feet below ground level, with 3 inches additional depth for the foundation and flooring. At the deep end, you will have a shelf 3 feet wide, and 3 feet below the original ground level, that will be used to support the pool frame and decking.

Check that the ground throughout the excavated area is level using the laser level or a transit, and shovel away areas to even up the sides and bottom. The curved transition from wall to bottom can be checked for consistency using a curved plywood form.

Invite a professional pool contractor to visit the site for an inspection and some friendly advice before you proceed with construction of the pool structure.