Property owners have a lot of choices when locating and running a pool.
And lots of home owners are still installing pools to cool off in during our hot WA summers, even while block sizes are falling.
Pools can be set above or below the ground.
Above ground pools can be cheaper to build, and some temporary pools can be easily erected or inflated, and then dismantled for convenient storage.
Below ground pools offer other advantages. They are constructed using a number of materials including fiberglass, brick or concrete. Fibreglass is often the most affordable option, however brick and concrete pools can fit any shape and are tailored to the space you have available. You can also have a varying depth for safe entry or pool use, or include other features like a water feature, spa, or exercise jets for a good workout.
When installing a below-ground pool, caution is needed to ensure that pools are established in stable, compacted soils where settlement or moisture variations are not likely to lead to structural damage to the pool. The WA Government advises that steep slopes (greater than one in 10), historical waste landfills, mined areas and peaty soils should be avoided, unless special measures are in place to control the risks of soil movement. In these instances, a structural engineer would need to address the site specific conditions for the pool design and construction.
Areas subject to flooding are unsuitable, unless the pool surface is raised above
peak recorded flood levels. You can look up the floodplain management section of the Department of Health for more information.
Your pool should also be remote from seismic faults in earthquake prone zones that are found around WA. You can contact the University of Western Australia’s earth and geographical science department or visit their web page at www.segs.uwa.edu.au to find out more.