We receive numerous calls each spring from homeowners dreaming of swimming in a new pool in July. Many have never built a pool, and aren’t aware of the complex scheduling involved in planning prior to construction. Pools are a major investment into your home and deserve to be well thought out. At Greensward we collaborate with the best pool builders in Culpeper, Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, VA to give you an exceptional outdoor living space to enjoy with friends and family.
Here’s a basic timeline of what to expect when building a pool:
2-4 weeks- Initial meeting with designer to go over plans, discuss site challenges and potential and review budget guidelines for project.
1-2 weeks- receive design agreement, sign and send design deposit to get your project on the Landscape Architect’s schedule.
4-6+ weeks- Design Presentation meeting to go over first iteration of plan and rough estimate of costs, expect approximately 2 additional weeks for each set of plan revisions. The pool builder estimate will also be presented during this time period and revisions to pool design will affect this timeline.
4-8 weeks- Once the design is completed and the construction agreement is finalized, the plans will need to be submitted to local zoning boards for permitting. This approval process can take weeks to receive a permit, and zoning boards may require further changes to the design or engineering documentation. If the home is located within an HOA, that approval can also take approximately 4-8 weeks.
4-6 weeks- After the permits are issued and the deposit is received on the construction agreement, the project is added to the pool builder and Greensward’s construction schedule. Ordering materials, scheduling necessary subs and preparing for initial construction typically takes 4-6 weeks.
The actual construction of the pool and surrounding landscaping varies. Many pools take about 3 months to complete from the time the ground is broken, but if your space includes an outdoor kitchen, pavilion, pool house or other facilities, you can expect it to take longer.
The moral of this story? You may be thinking about Oktoberfests, turkey dinners or Christmas parties, but leave some time for scheduling a few design meetings this fall if you want to swim next summer.