Getting a permit and installing the pool

• The first thing to do is check your municipal bylaws (minimum distances, easements, etc.).

• Once you have that information, choose where to put the pool. A sunny spot without too many trees nearby is ideal. Remember to leave room for a patio or deck.

• Then apply for a permit from your municipality, which will make sure the location is suitable.

• Let your installer know if there was a pool or a tree on the spot before, or if the pool will be at the bottom of a slope.

• Remove any vegetation from the area before the installers come.

• Make sure your electrical system is up to code. Only an electrician can do that.

• Provide access to the yard for equipment (sod cutter, wheelbarrows, etc.), a place to deposit removed soil and sod, garden hoses, and patio slabs (for the filter).

Allow one full day for installation. Then you will need to fill the pool and install the ladder. Wait a few days for the water to warm up and you’re ready to go!

• As with an aboveground pool, start by checking your municipal bylaws (minimum distances, easements, etc.).
• Choose where you want your pool to go. A sunny spot without too many trees (some species can damage the underground structure) or power lines nearby is ideal. Note that your pool must also have at least a 3-foot walkway around it and be a reasonable distance away from your home.
• Then apply for a permit from your municipality, which will make sure the location is suitable.
• Clear a passage for heavy equipment like a backhoe and cement mixer (by removing fencing, furniture, plants, etc.). Will the equipment need to pass between your and your neighbour’s house? It could damage their yard in the process, so give them a head’s up and assure them you’ll put everything back in order.
• Make sure your electrical system is up to code. Only a certified electrician can do that. Consult CAA-Quebec’s network of Approved Residential Suppliers to find one. They will have to come back after installation to make the final connections (so make sure everything is included in the contract).
• Make sure the installer knows where the return line should be buried.

Allow at least 2 weeks for installation—or more if Mother Nature isn’t on your side. Then you will need to fill the pool (you may want to ask your neighbours to borrow their hoses) and install a ladder in the deep end. Wait a few more days for the water to warm up and you’re ready to go!

If you’ve decided to use a kit to install the pool yourself, follow the manufacturer’s installation guide to the letter. Be sure to order compacting sand, stone dust, and concrete. If you’re not going the DIY route, here’s what you need to do to prep the project for the installers:

• Check the municipal bylaws for swimming pools (minimum distances, easements, etc.).

• Next choose where you want your pool to go: A sunny spot on stable ground out of the wind is best. And look out for power lines! Allow 2 ft. of clearance around the actual pool to bury the pipe.

• Check to see if your municipality requires a permit—most do because a semi-inground pool is a permanent structure.

• Clear a passage for equipment, which may include a mini-excavator to dig 2–3 ft. down to bury half of the pool walls. Find out if the installer will haul the removed soil away, otherwise you will have to dispose of it yourself.

• You will need a master electrician to do the electrical work.

• Allow 1 to 2 days for installation since some digging is required, then fill the pool and install the ladder. After that, wait