Above Ground Pool Installation Policy and Tips
First things First: Please read our policy about pool Installation.
Water Works is a physical retail store and a online webstore that sells Aboveground swimming pools in Michigan and across the country. Water Works DOES NOT INSTALL Above-Ground Swimming Pools or Above Ground Swimming Pool Liners. Water Works sells above-ground swimming pools as a D.I.Y (Do It Yourself) Item. Above Ground Swimming pools are the original portable / D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) pool. They are a pre-manufactured Item in a box that includes instructions on how to assemble.
- WATER WORKS IS NOT A SUBCONTRACTOR FOR ANY POOL INSTALLER.
- WATER WORKS IS NOT IN ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY POOL INSTALLER.
- Water Works does not own a pool installation company.
- Water Works may give a phone number or a name of a pool Installer for courtesy only per request.
- You the customer may choose to Install your pool yourself - choose from a number given of a unrelated installation company - or use any other means at your disposal.
- Know that you are the sub-contractor when hiring a outside company to install your swimming pool, liner or equipment, please do your due diligence when hiring this out. (Ask a lot of Questions) Read the tips and what to expect after the video section on this page. This even includes any phone numbers of companies that you may have requested from Water Works.
- If you choose to hire a pool installer you do so at your own choice and you know that Water Works is not the pool installer and the pool installer is not for hire by Water Works. Any labor inquires, questions about time frames or disputes in the rare occasion if shall happen are to be handled by you and the pool installer.
- Water Works is not affiliated with any professional pool installation company therefore Water Works can assume no responsibility for errors in installation by either the homeowner or by said professional pool installation company.
Below are some Pool Installation Videos. These videos are only for reference. Please note not all Pool Installers install pools the same. Pool installers may not install pools exactly the way you may see in the videos. Most pool installers have either learned or developed techniques of their own.
Round installation starts about 3 minutes in
Tips and what to expect when Hiring a Pool Installer
- Detailed Information - Have as much detailed information about your yard and the area where you plan on having the pool installed ready when talking to pool installers.
- The Grade / how level or un-level the area is.
- is there under ground anything? cable / phone, electrical, sprinklers. call miss dig before you start anything. You should do this before deciding what size and shape of pool you are deciding to go with, before excavating, or before any soil is removed.
- The condition of the yard. (a pool should never be installed where standing water collects)
- Obstacles - any close trees, was there a tree recently removed or was there a tree nearby that has recently been removed. Trees or remnants of tree roots can cause un-foreseen obstacles where important parts of the pool need to be buried
- Time frames - (This one always comes up) Do Not plan any family party or gathering before the pool is up and running and the Installers are done with everything they have to do.
- Patience - Most People wait until the spring to have a new above ground pool installed. We understand why most feel this is the best time to do so, but here's the problem. Everybody feels the same way and everybody is in a rush to have there pool installed. Everybody has a birthday, labor Day, Graduation, 4th of July, or some kind of party. Michigan Spring weather is extremely un-predictable, is typically wet and cold, and this can cause a lot of issues. One Storm can put your install date, days to weeks behind schedule even if the storm happens weeks before your install date.
- Did you know - The best time to install a pool is mid summer thru early fall. The ground has settled down from the winter lift and is no longer soft and soggy from the spring thaw and spring showers. Pool installers at this time aren't crazy busy and can dedicate more time to the job. Pools can and will still be installed in the early spring to early summer, just have patience. Think of the beginning of pool season like rush hour traffic. It can move along smoothly with the opportunity of a lot snags along the way.
- Know who most pool installers are.
- Most work out of their home and their cell phone is there main means of communication.
- Most pool installers don't have a storefront, office or receptionist to take calls.
- Some pool installers work a regular job and install pools for extra money in the summer months.
- They are typically working all day long in someone's backyard and are un-able to answer their phone. This means a lot of un-answered calls and a lot of phone calls they have to return at the end of the day. Don't be surprised if it takes some time for a pool Installer to get back with you. Text them instead of a phone call, ask if they have an email for easier communication.
- Previously mentioned before - Weather is always a factor, if one job has any weather related complications this will most likely postpone your start date. ( I would almost count on it happening)
- Start Dates - Don't be surprised if your anticipated date and time do not go as planed. This one leads back to patience, try not to take any time off of work that you don't have too. Any obstacle a pool installer has gotten themselves into at a previous job is going to cut into your time and is most likely going to happen. If a pool Installer says there going to be there by 10am hopefully they show up by noon. Try to stay in contact with the installer the best you can, texting works great with these guys.
- Expect Imperfections, Pools are installed on top of some type of loose fill or sand. It is not uncommon to see divots, unlevel bottoms, and stones to work there way up. The last thing anybody wants including the installer is a phone call about a stone. It happens, no one will purposely leave a stone in the sand to have to go back later to drain the pool pull back the liner to remove a stone. If this happens Stones can typically be pushed back down without harming the liner or need to disassemble the pool. Keep in mind this is an above ground pool on sand or loose fill that moves. Things are going to happen.
- Oval Swimming pools - These Pools have more buried structural supports and underground members that cause more divots and ground imperfections to happen then Round pools (keep this in mind when deciding what type of pool you want).
- If you are a stickler for a perfect bottom, talk with your installer about any precautions that need to be taken to keep the bottom in good condition.
- Rain Water - keeping all rain water properly diverted away from the pool is extremely important.
- Rain Water Run-Off - Any water run-off from a garage or gutters off a house MUST BE DIVERTED! Letting water run-off collect near the pool is and will cause ground and structural issues.
- Build the Ground Up - Build the ground up around the pool after the pool is assembled to make sure water will not travel to or under the pool. This is important to lock in what's under the pool, under the pool. (if you can see the track that the pool wall sits in you will most likely you will have wash outs.) build up with dirt first and create a grade away from the pool, after use landscaping material such as soft edge stone as decoration.
- Alternative Options - There are options such as pool cove, floor padding or even a pool-Krete pool floor (Pool-Krete is a cement based pool floor that needs to be troweled on and can add a considerable cost to the installation) These items can all help prevent pool bottom defects. Keep in mind - there will most likely be some sort of defect.
- Never pay in full until the job is done. You need to talk with the Installer before the job even starts or you decide to hire the installer to see how they expect and when they expect payment to be paid. (this is between you and them) also, most only work for cash.
- Before you purchase or decide to have a pool installed, check with your city, or township about local building codes and your H.O.A. if applicable to see about any restrictions or guidelines.