Will an Inground Pool Fit in My Yard?

We have all done it -- sat inside our air conditioned homes watching the temperature rise to 95⁰F wishing we had a nice pool in our backyard so we could cool off. Each year, many of us go back and forth on the decision of investing in a pool. With this summer promising to be a hot one, maybe now is the time to take the jump into your very own inground pool.

But before you go buy floaties and the latest pool toys, the first step will be to check if the inground swimming pool you've been dreaming of will fit in your backyard.

Here are some of the initial requirements that need to be considered:

Size of your yard. For different towns there will be different restrictions, but generally speaking, your pool has to lie a certain distance from your property line to be up to the requirements. It will be helpful to find the location of your property lines and the restrictions of your town to find the exact size that you can make your inground pool.

Easement locations. Extremely important for all pools, the consideration of easements (underground gas, electric, cable, and telephone lines) is necessary in the first steps of deciding whether an inground pool is a possibility within your yard. In general, decks or swimming pools cannot be located in the same location as any of the easements listed above. Checking with your plat of survey will enlighten you to exactly where these lines are located within your yard.

Distance from home. Certain towns also require that your pool be a certain distance from your home. Other municipalities require that you have a certain amount of deck around the pool area. Also, most cities require that the pool is completely fenced in with a locked door. It is important to check with your local municipality to see what would be required for you to be up to your town's specific pool safety requirements.

Yard condition. Often times yards that have severe slopes or rocky soil will be more time and work intensive when installing an inground pool. While these obstacles do not totally eliminate the possibility of having an inground pool, their severity will generally affect the overall price significantly.

Contacting your local municipality along with looking at your plat of survey to identify where various points and objects are located in your yard is an important  first step in determining whether your lawn in equipped to handle an inground pool.

Though there are some restrictions to owning an inground pool, it is always worth looking into -- sometimes you will be surprised at how large of a pool your yard can handle.