Planning a swimming pool while building your house offers a unique opportunity to create a perfectly integrated backyard oasis. Getting the construction sequence right protects your investment and prevents costly repairs. This guide walks you through optimal scheduling and access planning, with special considerations for homeowners and developers in Zimbabwe.
Why Build the Pool Before Landscaping?
Constructing the pool during your home’s development phase, before final landscaping and hardscaping, is the most strategic approach. This sequence allows heavy machinery to access the site freely without damaging new lawns, gardens, or paved surfaces. It also lets you design the entire outdoor space as one cohesive project.
Key benefits include:
- Unimpeded Equipment Access: Excavators, cranes, and delivery trucks need 12-14 feet of clearance; this is much easier before fences and gardens are installed.
- Coordinated Infrastructure: You can plan underground plumbing, electrical conduits, and drainage for both the house and pool simultaneously.
- Reduced Risk of Damage: Building the pool later risks cracking new patios or decks during excavation.
- Cost Efficiency: Contractors can use the same site access and staging areas, potentially lowering overall project costs.
Phase-by-Phase Construction Guide
Follow this integrated timeline to synchronize your pool build with house construction.
Phase 1: Pre-Construction Planning (During House Design)
This initial planning phase happens alongside your house blueprint development.
- Integrate Site Plans: Work with your architect and pool builder to place the pool on the property plan. Consider sun exposure, wind patterns, views from the house, and privacy.
- Secure Combined Permits: In many areas, including certain locales in Zimbabwe, you can apply for building and pool permits together, saving time. Your contractor should handle this.
- Finalize Access Routes: Map out paths for excavators and material trucks. A typical excavator needs a 15-foot perimeter clearance, while a pump truck requires a 20×40-foot staging area. Plan for these to enter from the street without crossing newly landscaped zones.
Phase 2: Site Preparation & Excavation (After House Shell is up)
Begin pool construction after the house structure is complete but before finishing driveways, gardens, or elaborate hardscapes.
- Clear the Site: Remove any temporary structures or debris from the backyard area. This is the time to take down temporary fencing or sheds if they block access.
- Mark Utilities: Have all underground utility lines—water, gas, electricity, and sewage—marked. This is crucial to avoid hitting them during excavation.
- Excavate the Pool: With clear access, excavation can proceed quickly, often in 1-2 days. The soil from the hole can often be used elsewhere on your property.
Phase 3: Pool Structural Work (Align with House Exterior Finishes)
While masons and carpenters work on your house exterior, the pool structure takes shape.
- Install Steel & Plumbing: The steel rebar cage and all primary plumbing lines are installed. This is the ideal time to also run conduits for future pool lighting or outdoor kitchen power.
- Apply the Pool Shell: For concrete/gunite pools, the shell is sprayed and requires about a week to cure. Use this curing time to advance other house construction tasks.
- Backfill and Initial Inspections: Once the shell is cured, areas around it are backfilled. Initial inspections for plumbing and electrical follow.
Phase 4: Hardscaping & Decking (Before Final Landscaping)
- Install the pool’s immediate hardscape before planting any gardens or laying sod.
- Install Coping and Tile: The pool’s edge (coping) and waterline tile are set.
- Build the Pool Deck: Install the primary decking material (pavers, concrete, stone). Ensure it is sloped slightly away from the pool for drainage.
- Address Drainage: Integrate and install the main drainage system to channel water away from the pool and house foundation. This must be done before soft landscaping.
Phase 5: Final Pool Finishes & Landscaping Integration
This is the stage where the pool and garden come together.
- Complete Pool Interior: Apply the final interior finish (plaster, quartz, etc.) and fill the pool with water.
- Install Fencing: Erect any required safety fencing per local regulations. In many areas, this is a legal requirement before the pool is usable.
- Landscape the Perimeter: Now, add plants, trees, and sod. Choose species with non-invasive roots (like many palms or ornamental grasses) and low debris to protect the pool.
- Add Final Features: Install outdoor lighting, furniture, and decorative features.
Critical Access and Logistics Planning
Material accessibility is one of the biggest challenges. Here’s how to plan based on your pool type:
Fiberglass Pools (One-Piece Shells)
- Access Needs: Require the most space. Delivery trucks need a minimum 12-foot width and 14-foot height clearance. A large crane needs space to lift and swing the entire shell into the hole.
- Best Practice: Schedule delivery for the earliest possible stage. If access is narrow, discuss with your builder about using a smaller crane or alternative lifting techniques, which may increase costs by 15-30%.
Concrete/Gunite Pools
- Access Needs: Materials (rebar, gravel, concrete) are delivered in multiple loads. Access can be narrower, but you need a sustained clear path over several weeks.
- Staging Area: You’ll need a minimum 20sqmarea near the site for material storage (sand, rebar, plumbing kits).
- Best Practice: Coordinate delivery schedules with your house builder to avoid conflicts with other material drops (like bricks or roofing).
Special Considerations for Zimbabwe
Building in Zimbabwe presents specific opportunities and challenges:
- Climate: The warm climate allows for longer construction seasons, but the rainy season (November to March) can delay excavation and curing. Plan major earthworks for the drier months.
- Material Availability: Source materials locally where possible. Discuss with your contractor the lead times for imported items like specialized pumps or tiles to avoid project stalls.
- Expertise: Seek out contractors with proven experience in pool construction. The technical detail shared in local community groups underscores the value of skilled professionals.
- Water Management: Given seasonal rains, drainage planning is non-negotiable. Ensure your design includes adequate runoff channels and possibly water-saving storage systems.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Planting Too Close: Never plant trees with invasive root systems (like some figs or willows) near the pool. They can crack the shell and plumbing. Maintain a distance at least equal to the tree’s mature height.
- Poor Drainage Slope: Hardscapes must slope away from the pool. Water pooling against the shell is a primary cause of structural damage.
- Ignoring Access Until Too Late: The most common mistake is finalizing beautiful landscaping only to have it destroyed by a delivery truck. Always “build your way out” of the site, starting with the largest access needs.
By viewing your pool not as a separate addition but as an integral part of your home’s construction project, you ensure a smoother build, protect your finished landscapes, and create a harmonious outdoor living space that will last for decades. The key is forward planning, clear communication between all your builders, and strict adherence to the construction sequence.
Key Takeaway: The single most important decision is to excavate and build the pool shell before installing any permanent landscaping, patios, or decorative fences. This protects your investments and solves most access problems before they arise.
