Preparation is the key to success
As always, the first stage of the pool’s construction consisted of a site visit where all grades, measurements, and setbacks on the homeowner’s property were confirmed prior to commencing any excavation work.
Once these details were verified, the installation team mobilized and started to excavate the client’s backyard, which included the pool excavation and grade cut to accommodate all of the landscaping elements such as the sonotubes for the new deck, patio, and retaining wall.
The installation of the pool started immediately after the ground was excavated. Due to the pool’s size, as well as the upgrades the client requested, including an automatic cover along with in-pool steel benches and steps, it took the team approximately five days to install.
Once the pool was installed, the team moved onto the landscaping and carpentry work. Although each project is unique to the property itself, which in many cases dictates the workflow, the next phase of this installation involved putting down a granular base and sub drainage materials. As this was being performed, the team worked in concert on other areas of the backyard which included the installation of the filtration equipment, footings for the deck, utilities (gas/electrical lines), and all conduits for future lighting or irrigation systems. To ensure the success of this project, each stage of the installation was carefully co-ordinated thanks to a great deal of planning, constant interaction with all team members, and frequent site meetings with the client.
The finer details
Pool Craft’s in-house team of specialized trades, including landscapers, carpenters, stone masons, and lighting specialists provide its clients a smooth transition through each phase of the project.
The majority of projects consist of the pool being the first phase of the install followed by retaining walls; however, the subsequent items do not necessarily get installed in a specific order. For instance, on this particular project, once the pool was installed and ready for the natural stone coping, the focus became the retaining walls and the installation of the deck footings. Next, the utility lines, and conduits for lighting and irrigation were completed.
As work was completed through each stage, careful and methodical planning of the subsequent phase was essential in the execution of a project of this magnitude. Each detail of this project was reviewed with a fine-tooth comb to avoid any unnecessary mistakes or oversights and, ultimately, to ensure the final product fulfilled what the client envisioned as their dream backyard.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, Jason Mitchell is the president of Pool Craft, a full-service pool company that specializes in all aspects of pool planning, installation, and backyard design in Richmond Hill, Ont. He is also the co-owner of Stone Craft Inc., a landscape company. Mitchell can be reached via email at jason@poolcraft.ca.
