Hiring a Pool Consultant to Help Build Your Own Swimming Pool
One way to have an in ground pool constructed without going through a pool company or swimming pool contractor is to hire a pool consultant.
Pool consultants should be knowledgeable of all phases or processes involved in building a swimming pool from start to finish.
While a pool consultant may be able to make recommendations to you for different sub contractors to carry out various jobs involved in the pool building process the ultimate decision lies with you.
Pool consultants do not usually guarantee the end results. They are only there to inform you of any substandard practices being used by the sub contractors you have selected to do a particular step of the job.
For DIYers , there are many parts of a gunite/shotcrete pool project that you may be very capable of handling on your own.
“Please note that I am not referring to vinyl liner pools in this article. Vinyl liner pools are in many ways different from a gunite/shotcrete pool. One of the most important phases of a vinyl liner pool is the dig. It is crucial that this step is performed by someone not only proficient at operating a backhoe but is also knowledgeable in the installation of a vinyl liner pool. A bad dig can end up costing you more than actually having the pool completely installed by someone that knows what they are doing.”
In contrast, unless you are a perfectionist , being off a little on the dig of a gunite/shotcrete pool is not an unreparable mistake. Yes you may end up using a little more shotcrete material than expected, and yes the pool may be slightly out of original dimension specs., but it is still usable and acceptable , because one of the things that make gunite pools unique is no two are exactly alike. One of the things I have come to appreciate about shotcrete/gunite is there is no limitation as to the size or shape of your swimming pool. If you can imagine it , you can build it, financial issues withstanding.
There is absolutely no material on the market today that offers the design flexibility of shotcrete when it comes to building swimming pools.
The bottom line here is , if you are willing to do a little leg work , and accept responsibility for the finished product, you can save a substantial amount over hiring a pool company to build your swimming pool and never have to do any of the physical labor yourself.
A word to the wise:
If you have absolutely no clue what things should look like , it would be a good idea to hire a pool consultant to oversee the project. General contractors familiar with swimming pool construction are good choices when it comes to this. You are not asking for a lot of their time and no physical labor is demanded of them , they are simply there to ensure all is going well before preceding to the next phase. GC s can be quite helpful and you would be surprised how willing they are to work with you.
