Who doesn’t want a swimming pool in their own backyard? There’s no better way to beat the heat in the summer months, and adults and children alike can enjoy playing, exercising, and relaxing in the pool. Typically, when you decide that you want a pool in your yard, you’ll call a trusted pool company – but what if you built a DIY swimming pool yourself instead?
If you love nothing more than tackling a good project, the idea of building your own pool sounds like an adventure. You’ll get to create a space your family will enjoy for years to come, and you’ll carry the pride of the completed project with you long after your first cannonball into the deep end. Sounds like fun, right?
Maybe! But building your own swimming pool is no small project, and there are a lot of different things to consider before you break ground.
Should you DIY your pool or call in the experts? Let’s look at the options.
How to Build a DIY Swimming Pool
From the initial digging to plumbing the pool, erecting the walls to pouring the concrete, there are quite a few steps that go into building a high-quality pool. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the time and effort to build a pool yourself, here are a few things to consider before taking the plunge.
Is It Cheaper to Build Your Own Pool?
Initially, yes – it will be cheaper to build your own pool, especially if you don’t plan to hire out contractors for any steps of the process. Materials alone will definitely be more inexpensive than a full build from a professional pool company – but it’s likely that your DIY pool will end up costing much more than your initial estimate.
Unless you have extensive professional experience – or have a friend who’s a construction pro and willing to trade you free labor in exchange for use of the pool when the weather gets hot – there will probably be portions of the building process that you need to contract out for the sake of safety. Handling all of the digging by yourself is a risk, and if you don’t know much about plumbing or electrical work, you’ll want to bring in outside help to make sure everything is done properly. Remember, it’s never worth it to save a few bucks if someone gets hurt.
Additionally, the fact of the matter is, mistakes happen, especially if you aren’t experienced. It isn’t unusual for someone new to building to end up with a lot of extra expenses by the end of a project due to errors or mistakes. For example, a fiberglass pool shell can be cumbersome and hard to move, and if it gets dropped, that’s an immediate re-purchase.
By the time the project is complete, you may end up spending as much as you would have if you’d hired a professional pool company to begin with.
Important Steps in the DIY Pool Building Process
If you’re planning to build your swimming pool yourself, it’s important to think through each step of the process and plan accordingly. From beginning to end, let’s explore the necessary steps to build a backyard pool.
Choosing Your Pool
You can’t build anything if you don’t know what you’re building. When building a DIY swimming pool, the most common option is to purchase a DIY pool kit. You’ll have the opportunity to choose the size and shape of your pool without having to design it entirely yourself – although this does mean that you have less flexibility, creativity, and freedom to have a pool that’s exactly what you want.
Be sure to measure carefully before purchasing your kit to ensure that you know exactly how much space you have to work with. This is especially important for people with small backyards as you have to be precise if there isn’t much margin for error.
Acquiring the Permits
You may not be contracting a team out to build your pool, but that doesn’t mean that you’re exempt from the permit process. Whether an in-ground or above ground pool, you’ll need a building permit, and may also need electrical or plumbing permits. Additionally, you should check with your local municipality to ensure there are no issues with zoning regulations.
Breaking Ground
Once everything is ready to go legally, it’s time to break ground to begin building your pool. There are two options here: you can either rent equipment and dig the hole yourself, or you can hire out a contractor to handle the digging for you.
If you really want to go full DIY, you can rent the equipment and do your own digging, but if you’re already going to be spending the money to pay for the equipment, it may be worth spending a little more to let a professional handle this aspect of the building process. If you don’t dig the hole perfectly, having to pack the dirt back in will be a real pain, and accuracy is crucial to ensure your pool is where you want it to be.
Building and Installation
Now you’re ready to begin the installation process. With a DIY pool kit, the process should be fairly straightforward, and you’ll have instructions to work with so you aren’t flying blind.
Our primary tip is this: if you aren’t entirely comfortable with something, don’t be afraid to ask for help, hire it out, or have someone double-check behind you, especially when it comes to the plumbing and electrical aspects of the pool. At the end of the day, making sure that your swimming pool is a safe space for everyone to enjoy is the priority, and you don’t want to cut corners that you’ll regret later.
DIY Swimming Pool: Pros and Cons
Like everything in life, building your own swimming pool has its pros and cons. Here are a few things to think about on both sides of the equation:
Pros
There are some great reasons to say yes to building your own pool:
- It can save you money – while you’re still paying for the materials, you aren’t paying for labor, so your backyard pool won’t come with quite as hefty of a price tag.
- You’re craving a construction project – if you’ve been wanting to try your hand at building something for yourself, or if you have experience in building or construction, building your own pool can be a rewarding experience.
- You want bragging rights – let’s be honest, who isn’t tempted by the thought of being able to tell all of your friends this summer that they’re swimming in a pool that you built?
Cons
However, there are definitely drawbacks:
- It’s a lot of work – while it can be easy to underestimate the amount of time and work that goes into a pool, we’ll tell you right now – it takes our team at least 4-6 weeks to build a pool, and we’re professionals. The pool building process is time-consuming, and the work isn’t easy, so don’t expect a quick turnaround.
- Mistakes can be costly – while you may be saving money initially, if you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be easy to make a mistake that costs a pretty penny to remedy.
- There’s less peace of mind – again, if you’re not an expert, it can be hard to know with certainty that you’re doing everything right – and a pool isn’t something to cut corners on. You want to know that your family is safe, and having a professional tackle things like construction, plumbing, and electrical work lets you know everything is properly handled in a way that DIY projects don’t always provide.
- Lack of support – it’s crucial to know that you’re choosing the proper equipment for your pool. When you’re doing everything on your own, the stress of making the right decisions can weigh heavily.
Why You Should Work With a Professional Pool Builder
Here’s the thing: if you really have your heart set on building a backyard pool, we aren’t going to be the ones to tell you that you can’t make it happen.
But would we recommend it?
Honestly? No.
Our team has years of experience in the pool industry under our belts, and we’ve seen it all – including DIY pools that started out with the best of intentions, but very quickly spiraled into catastrophe.
When you work with a professional pool builder, you know that you’re going to get a beautiful, high-quality pool that will stand the test of time. And while you might pay a bit more to get those results, it’s an investment that won’t just improve your property value – it will improve your quality of life.
No hassle, no stress. No messy permit negotiations or equipment rentals, no electrical concerns or complicated decisions.
Just a great, customer-centric experience from beginning to end and a pool you’ll love for years to come.
Trust the Pros: Work With California Custom Pools to Build Your Backyard Pool
They say that if you want something done right, you should do it yourself – but at California Custom Pools, we’re committed to proving that narrative wrong by crafting pools perfectly tailored to your individual needs.
You don’t have to build a DIY pool to get exactly what you want. Instead, work with our team of experts every step of the way to take your initial ideas from concept to conclusion.Ready to get started? Contact us to start building your dream pool today.
