Building an In-ground Pool

Site Preparation

• Site preparation for in-ground swimming pool construction includes selecting the pool building site. Additionally, before an in-ground pool can be built, a hole has to be excavated. Pool companies selling do-it-yourself pool kits always recommend that your swimming pool's hole be professionally excavated, though. As of July 2011, the typical cost of excavation for an in-ground swimming pool is $900 to $2,500. However, in-ground pool excavation costs always increase if additional ground work is needed.

Basin Installation

• Once an in-ground pool's hole is excavated, work begins on its basin. Vinyl liner in-ground pools have metal or composite frames and walls covered by their vinyl liners. Fiberglass in-ground pools feature a fiberglass shell dropped into its excavated hole by a crane. Concrete pools consist of engineered and constructed forms over which concrete and then special pool plaster topcoat is poured and shaped. Do-it-yourself swimming pool kits sold by pool companies are typically of vinyl liner, fiberglass or special concrete block construction.

Systems Installation

• While work is going on building an in-ground swimming pool's basin, other work taking place includes installing pool plumbing and filtration systems. Without a filtration system, a swimming pool's water will quickly become unsanitary for swimming. In addition, electrical work wiring in-ground pool lights and running power to the pool's filter system takes place during systems installation. Depending on the type of in-ground pool (vinyl liner, fiberglass and the like), pool systems installation will take a week or more.

Finishing

• After an in-ground swimming pool has had its basin installed and all its systems put into place, the pool requires finishing. Finish work on an in-ground pool includes backfilling sand or gravel behind the pool's basin to support its walls. Other in-ground pool finish work involves installing coping, which covers over the pool's edges to give the pool a finished appearance. Once an in-ground swimming pool has been completely built, it's filled with water that's then sanitized for recreational use.

Considerations

• Building a concrete in-ground swimming pool takes the longest amount of time while fiberglass and vinyl liner pools take the least amount of time. Other vinyl liner in-ground swimming pools that are good do-it-yourself projects are known as cinder or concrete block pools. In July 2011, an 18 x 40-foot do-it-yourself in-ground block-type swimming pool costs about $11,000. Always check with your local municipality for any permits or special construction requirements before building an in-ground pool.