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In basically every aspect of life, timing is EVERYTHING, and in our current culture, timing is usually RIGHT NOW. The other night, I really felt like I needed a new pair of slippers, and so I ordered a pair on Amazon.  They were at my house before I even woke up the next day (of course, I had to walk out barefoot to get the box, which kind of ruins this analogy)!  But the point is that we live in an instant world, and as consumers, we want our products as soon as possible. With that said, I completely understand the most common question I encounter when working with our prospective customers; “how long will my pool take to complete?”.

                At Oak Wells, we communicate to our customers that there are 8 phases of construction, but before we even begin construction, there is what I like to call the blackhole waiting game, which is the permitting stage.  Permitting takes anywhere from 30-90 days. Believe me, we want to start your pool just as badly as you want us to start, but much of the blackhole waiting game is completely out of our control.  After all the excitement of working with your pool designer, finding the perfect pool, and selecting your colors and materials, this phase seems very anti-climactic.   You may even feel as though nothing is happening, but I assure you, there are many, many things happening!  The 2D and 3D drawings of your pool go to our CAD drawer.  Our CAD drawer double checks the pool placement, all building restrictions lines, setbacks, easements, elevation changes, measurements, materials, and then he creates a working 2D drawing for the engineering department.  Once we get our engineering plans, our permit department submits all the permit paperwork to your county’s building department.  That is when we start to play the waiting game with you!  Most of the time, the county will come back within 30- 60 days.  Once the county issues us the permit, we can begin construction! 

Below, the entire 8 phases of construction ae outlined!  From the day we get the permit from the county, we generally have a 12-16 week construction period

Phase 1: Layout, Dig, and Steel

Once we have the permit to begin swimming pool construction in our hands, we will schedule a pre-construction meeting.  This is when you will meet your construction superintendent, and he or she will review the pool placement and all other details of your project.   We will schedule your “dig day”! Because Oak Wells is a larger company, we own all our own equipment, and we do not have to wait on anyone else’s schedule to schedule your “dig day”.  In fact, other local companies hire us to excavate their pools for them!

 Once we excavate the area, we will haul off any dirt. Pre-plumbing of any spas or in-floor plumbing will be done during this phase. We will then form the inside of the pool with rebar. Once we have the pool steel in, we will call it in for inspection. Upon an approved inspection, we will schedule the concrete.

Phase 2: Strip and Back Fill

We will shoot the concrete.  We will then strip off all the form boards.  We will back fill with dirt behind and around the pool shell.  We also remove excess debris.

Phase 3: Plumbing

This is the phase where we dig our plumbing trenches, run plumbing, and set the pool equipment. Most building departments require inspections at this time.

Phase 4: Tile

It is time to install your waterline tile! The is the tile that goes along the inside perimeter of your pool.  We also set the skimmers, waterfalls, and other water features!  This is when you really begin to see your project coming together!

Phase 5: Coping

This is the phase where we install the pool coping that you chose in our showroom! This is the material that goes around the outside perimeter of your pool.

Phase 6: Decking

In this phase, we install your beautiful deck!   Although still a construction area, you can see your backyard begin to clean up, and look functionable again!

Phase 7: Electrical

The electrician will come out and bring power to the pool equipment. The electrician may need access to the electrical panel in your home and in some cases, access to your attic.

Phase 8: Prep, Interior Finish and Pool Fill

This is when we have our final safety inspection! We prepare the interior for the installation of the interior finish. We install the interior finish, an additional pool wash, and the pool will start filling with water!  How exciting!  We also have an Oak Wells representative come out and teach “Pool School”!  During this time, you will learn how to maintain proper water chemistry and control all your pool equipment!

During these 8 phases of construction, things can get dirty!  It is a real construction zone, and it gets even messier in the rain.  You can be assured that Oak Wells will respect your property and your neighborhood!  I promise this entire process is worth it!  Just look at the pictures of the residential swimming pools in our gallery!  Oak Wells Aquatics truly values our customers, and we want nothing more to make our customers happy!  Our goal is to have your family swimming by the next swim season, and with the Florida sunshine and Jandy heat pumps, the next swim season could actually be just the very next calendar season!