Diy Concrete Pool

Has anyone here built their own pool?

I am building my own PPOR soon on 3/4 acre block and we are looking at options for a pool. We ideally would like a "tropical" pool, not one with straight lines. With a bali hut type setup overhanging, fake rock waterfall, tropical plants etc.
We have been to a couple of pool places and been put off by the slimy salesman making out that pools are hard to do. Also the prices are horendous for concrete pools and we thought, how hard can it be? Is it just one of those things that sounds hard, but really isnt if you get the right trades and engineers? We considering a fiberglass pool at one stage as well. Ive also looked into building a concrete pool with ICF's (insulated concrete forms)namely Zeego

Our block has alot of clay soil and plenty of access.

I just wanted to know if there is anyone on SS who has built their own pool, concrete or fiberglass and if so how hard was it, would you do it again, how much did you save etc?


TA
 
My dad did his own about 20 years ago.

He used to be a concreter so he knew what he was doing,he organised it all himself... he laid the pipes/reo etc.

It was all good except when he organised the concrete and concreters to help, they neglected to mention they were 'bikies' and came to the job an hour late, off their face and the conrete job was terrible, luckily dad new what he was doing, so he had started it all waiting for the other guys, and fixed up their mess.

In the end it leaked and he had issues for about 10 years, then gave up and resealed it with fibreglass.

Unless you are saving a massive amount, I doubt it's worth your effort.
 
Has anyone here built their own pool?

I just wanted to know if there is anyone on SS who has built their own pool, concrete or fiberglass and if so how hard was it, would you do it again, how much did you save etc?


TA

I haven't built one, but I saw my concrete pool get constructed.

Not hard to to if you can source relevant trades, and get drawings certified prior to commencing works.

If it is cast against earth, it would be pretty easy. Mine was half in and half out of the ground (Due to slope of land, so had a wet edge constructed). abit harder to do yourself.

I have some photos during construction. Let us know if you want to see and I can send through.

Cheers,

F
 
Better check with your local council.
You have to have the plans approved by them.
At the very least any electrical work should be carried out by a qualified electrician - water and electricity are a dangerous mixture.
Marg
 
Better check with your local council.
You have to have the plans approved by them.
At the very least any electrical work should be carried out by a qualified electrician - water and electricity are a dangerous mixture.
Marg

I am intending to get all the proper trades persons in. We just cant see the money in the amounts we have been given a ball park figure on.
 
I just had a fibreglass pool installed...contracted the whole job out and they got all the permits done too...some times its not just about saving money. Leave it to the experts.
 
my dad built our pool when we were kids - but it was a rectangle slab with besser block walls (sealed and painted).

i recently went for a series of quotes for getting an inground pool and found that fibreglass and concrete were basically the same price ... the big cost was digging the hole and the "other works" like piping, filter and electrics - get a breakdown in the costs and see where the $$ would actually be spent - then get some private quotes for each individual job.

only way to see if you would actually save any money.
 
not sure about concrete but i used to install above ground pools

you can actually install them fully inground and it looks exactly like concrete pool would, but much cheaper. average installation takes about 2 days for 3 people.
 
I built my own concete pool about 10 yrs ago, i did everything except spray the concrete ( which is via a mobile pump & compressor), i had a few hassles with the concreters and spent a lot of time and effort straightening the edges of the pool but that's another story.
Unless your proficient at steel fixing, rendering, plumbing, tiling, electrical 24v and foundations you should pay someone else too construct your pool because any mistakes you make might not be accessable after the concrete has been done.

Back then i was quoted 33k for a concrete pool that was 8.5 x 3.6mtrs, the pool i built is 10 x 4.2mtrs and cost me 14k including the fence, solar and paving.

Would i do another one.........no only because my kids have grownup and nowdays it's just another thing that i spend time cleaning each week but only takes 30min.

Cheers
 
I talked to a few guys/tradies that install pools for a living.

The concreter I know started doing commercial stuff then residential and has moved into pools. He said that its the same but very different. Apparently the know how bit is installing the reo.

My next door neighbour is a plumber and has been doing pools fulltime for the last 10 years. As with anything if you know what your doing its easy.

As everyone has mentioned, just get experienced tradies and you'll be fine.=
 
my best mate and his old man built there pool around 3-4 years ago now
massive pool about 18mt long by 6mt wide and deep and shallow end.

The total cost to construct, pool tile 500mm from top of pool and pave approx
50sq of paving he said cost 15k... great poool

lucky me and my mate did our apprenticeships together and are landscapers :rolleyes:


I will be doing the same when i get round to building my PPOR/EMPIRE
 
yep building it now, its work in progress, the pro quotes came in at 67k so i opted for a learning jeorney instead , i have the hole ,formwork l, steel bent and tied , light and skimmer box in place, my next step is cableing, and the 50mm pipes , i am going to try somthing completle different, ?? i am placing an off peak heater cable ( inslab ) in the bottom half for heating. :rolleyes:
 
Hanson have designs on their website for block pools and I know several people who have done them successfully. Freeform I have no idea, good luck
 
not sure about concrete but i used to install above ground pools

you can actually install them fully inground and it looks exactly like concrete pool would, but much cheaper. average installation takes about 2 days for 3 people.

when we were looking at pool for here - also got quotes for "above ground" to be installed inground. wasn't much cheaper (about $5k off $22k). as i said, the major cost was getting the hole dug and dirt removed.
 
We got a pool built a couple of years ago with infloor cleaning and you don't really have to do much work at all from a maintenance perspective. Makes owning a pool virtually maintenance free. Worth considering if you are building, just may need to consult vender.
 
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