A pool on a plot outside the town plan: checks, utilities and access

What the engineer checks first

Properties outside the town plan have their own rules, which differ from area to area and change over the years. Before the pool is designed, the engineer generally looks at:

• The status of the plot: whether it is a conforming, buildable plot and which building regulations apply there.
• The legal status of the house: whether the home has a permit and whether there are outstanding issues that need to be resolved first.
• Special zones: whether the property is near a forest, the coast, an archaeological site or in a protected area, where additional approvals may be needed.
• The procedure: whether the pool can be built with a small-scale works approval or needs a building permit.

These findings also affect where the pool will go. That is why the check is done before you commit to dimensions or drawings, not after they have been decided.

Water: where the pool will be filled from

Many properties outside the town plan have no connection to the water mains or have a limited supply. The usual solutions are a borehole, a storage tank with a pressure pump, or water delivered by tanker truck for the first fill. With borehole water, an analysis before filling is worthwhile, because hardness and metals affect the water chemistry and the look of the liner. More in our article on filling a pool.

Also allow for topping up during the summer. Evaporation is constant, especially on open, windy plots, and a cover noticeably reduces the water lost.

Power and drainage

• Electricity supply: the pump, and any heat pump, need an adequate supply. If the house is some distance from the pool, the distance to the plant room counts when the electrical line is designed.
• Filter backwash water: where there is no sewer connection, you need to plan in advance where the backwash water will end up, without causing problems for neighbouring plots or the road.
• Rainwater: on sloping plots, water from the uphill side must be diverted around the pool and the plant room.

Access for materials and machinery

Dirt roads, narrow passages and steep slopes affect how the excavator and the truck with the materials will get there. The panels of a prefab pool come in sections and are assembled on site, which helps on hard-to-reach plots. Excavation, however, needs a machine, and on rocky ground more time.

At the site survey we check the route to the pool location, the ground, the utilities and where the plant room can go. For properties on islands, where transport by ferry also matters, see also prefab pools on the islands.

A holiday home you don't visit often

Many properties outside the town plan are holiday homes. If the pool will be left for days with nobody there, plan a timer, a cover and, if you are interested, automatic water control from the start. Also decide who will check on it while you are away. See remote pool maintenance.

The rules for properties outside the town plan differ by area. Your engineer confirms what applies to your plot.

Questions

See also