Fiberglass Pool Information | Pool Videos | Options and Accessories | Pool Design Guides
When I first walked into the backyard of Chuck and Kristian Todd in Arlington, Virginia, my first thought was, "If this is going to happen, it'll have to be interesting". In the end, it turned out to be quite interesting indeed, as you'll see in the following before and after video.
Preparing for Installation
We encounter sloped yards all the time, but rarely do we see a steep 30-foot drop from the rear of the property toward the house. Throw in a tight access lane to boot and you have the makings of a very involved, multi-phased project.
As you'll see, we first had to remove the existing pavers and retaining wall, then excavate the site for the pool area, retaining wall, and wall footing. We hauled over 20 loads of dirt from the tiny site.
Once the wall footing was poured, the retaining wall construction commenced. We used 10" cmu block with steel reinforcement and filled the block with concrete for structural support. Because scaffolding was needed for wall construction, the upper and end wall had to be 100% completed before the pool was brought in. We left a small portion of the lower wall open for access until after the pool was installed.
Because of the size of the wall footing, backfilling the wall required hauling seven loads of dirt back in, which was placed behind the wall, spread by hand, and compacted in lifts.
Pool Delivery
We knew getting the pool to the back would be a challenge because of the web of utility lines at the street and because of the proximity of the house and garage. We literally could not lift the pool in the air until we set it in place...so as you'll see, that meant pushing the pool down the street, up the driveway, and between the two structures with less than an inch on both sides to spare. The pool delivery took about two and a half hours, not bad considering the pool, garage, and utility lines made it through unscathed.
After the pool was installed, we closed the remaining section of the wall in, built the steps, and completed the pool coping and paver patio. Then after some polishing up, we turned the project over to the Todds, who began enjoying it immediately!
I wanted to send a special "thank you" to the Todds. They were amazing and fun to work with, they stayed upbeat and positive throughout the entire process, and in the end, I think we became more like friends than simply folks who shared a business transaction.
Equipment
In case you're wondering about some of the equipment and materials used:
Pool equipment: The Pool Pump is a Jandy 2-Speed Pro-Flow, water feature pump is a Jandy Variable Speed, Automation is Jandy Aqualink with iAqualink with wireless internet functionality (very cool), Jandy Heat Pump and Salt System.
Water Features from Bobe, Retaining wall stone Pennsylvania Bluestone 2'x3', and New York Buff stacked stone on the columns and center piece, and 2" Bluestone Wall caps used on wall and as pool coping.
The pool tile is Aztec Peacock; the pool is a Grande 4 by Barrier Reef.
Thanks and hope you enjoy the video!
Up Next:
What’s the Best Small Fiberglass Pool for Your Needs? Costs, Sizes, Features
Fiberglass Swimming Pools 101: Manufacturing, Cost, and More