The leaves are starting to change and the football season has begun, but you should be thinking about next summer! Fall is actually the perfect time to plan for your new pool. There’s plenty of work we can complete before the snow hits. Start your pool project in the fall and you’ll be ready for your first swim by Memorial Day.
1) Beat the Crowds
At the end of every summer, we already have projects on the schedule for the following spring. That’s right, we’re booking clients for the next calendar year. One of those should be you!
There are several advantages when you commit to a pool project in advance:
- We can accomplish about 75% of the work before the ground freezes (more on that in a second). A good start in the fall means less work in the spring and the faster you’ll be enjoying your new finished pool.
- If you wait until the spring to get your project on the schedule, your pool won’t be done until the end of August or even September. That’s because you’re “in line” behind all the people who booked the previous fall. We typically wrap up those existing projects by June. That means your pool will be under construction during the peak swimming months – you’ll lose an entire season of fun in the sun.
- Some customers need help selecting a pool design, size, and placement. If you start your project in the fall, our staff has more time to walk you through your options. No need to feel rushed finalizing all the details on your dream pool!
2) Get a Jumpstart
Iowa springs are notoriously unpredictable. There’s no counting on the weather when you need to do outside work. That’s why it’s best to get a jumpstart in the fall – it’s typically less rainy and there’s no chance of a surprise blizzard.
September and October are a great time to blast through these phases of a pool project:
- Excavate the pool area
- Pour the concrete shell
- Add steel rebar
- Install drains, skimmers, and return eddies
- Place piping
- Lay tiles
- Pour decks
However, starting construction in the spring means you have to be patient with the weather. A really wet spring could cause the ground to get soggy and push back when we can start digging. Or the concrete team has to wait until the site is completely dry to pour the decks. Many of these weather delays can be avoided or easily handled if you start in the fall.
3) Coordinate All Trades
A pool project involves many contractors. There’s the pool retailer, pool designer, excavation team, electricians, plumbers, concrete finishers, carpenters, and landscapers. Add in a pool house and now you need an architect and a construction company.
Keep in mind that building a swimming pool will span several weeks and possibly months. The uncertainty of Iowa weather and schedules of many companies working on multiple projects can create a lot of moving parts.
Check out this cool time-lapse video of an Iowa City pool project we started in 2018 and finished up just in time for summer of 2019.
When you schedule pool construction to start in the fall, you create a nice buffer in the project timeline. Now there’s wiggle room between work that can be completed this year and saved for next spring. Advanced coordination also means it’s less likely there will be a schedule jam between the trades.
Just don’t stress about having an uncompleted pool in your backyard over winter. We will winterize your pool before we wrap up work in the fall. This includes erecting temporary fencing and putting antifreeze in the pipes and skimmer. We’ll also do a half fill, which helps protect the pool during freeze-thaw cycles. We’ve got your swimming pool covered – literally!
We would love to discuss your new pool project! Please contact us today for a free consultation.