Permits

Applicable building codes are assessed for your area and permits are obtained accordingly. Our experienced staff has worked closely with each municipality in the DC-Metro area and will obtain all necessary permits. If a grading plan is required we will recommend a certified engineer and guide you through the process each step of the way.  Permits may take anywhere from one day to 6 months to obtain depending on your municipality.   We will typically explain the process for your specific municipality at our first meeting.

Excavation
On the morning of excavation, the sales member(s), site supervisor, and excavators approximately mark out the location, shape, and elevation of your swimming pool.  We ask that you are home during this process in order to approve or tweak the design for the final time.  Once approval is granted, we begin excavating with either a front-end loader or a Bobcat depending on your site.  Simultaneously, additional team members are putting rebar stakes into the ground and setting forms to set the exact location, shape, and elevation.   Keep in mind that these stakes will be larger around the entire perimeter of the pool (how much larger will depend on coping size and the engineering of your pool) to allow for the thickness of the gunite.   All pre-grading for masonry patios and walls is typically done at the time of excavation.

Structural Steel

Reinforcement steel (rebar 1/2″ and 3/8″ diameter) is tied to form a mesh framework on the floor and walls of your pool.

Plumbing
Schedule 40 PVC is used throughout the pool. Generally the size of the piping ranges from 2”, 1 ½,” and 1”. During this phase you will get a greater sense of the infrastructure that is required to operate your swimming pool.  Typically, all pool equipment is set during this phase.

Gunite
Gunite is pneumatically applied to create the pool shell. The pool shell includes the base flooring, wall areas, coves, and bond beam of your pool. Following strict specifications, gunite is applied to both sides of the rebar to suspend the bars within the walls and floor to form a solid structure. Water curing of the gunite is critical and the entire pool shell must be hosed or sprayed with water twice daily for one week. This slows the gunite’s curing process, and is a preventative measure that will minimize shrinkage cracks due to premature curing.
Tile/Coping
Several types of coping can be used – usually 12” or 14” in width. The thickness of the coping is generally 1 ½” to 2”. Because of the rough nature of some stone, however, the thickness of the coping may vary in some places. Conventional coping materials are flagstone, brick, and cast concrete.  If an automatic pool cover is a part of your swimming pool project, the coping must be approved by Town and Country Pools Construction Department.

At this phase, Tile is also installed around the pool perimeter and other areas indicated on your design drawing. The installation of a 6” tile band will offer a smooth surface to clean the waterline of residue. Customers may provide their own tile, but all tile selections must be frostproof and approved by Town & Country Pools Construction Department.

Masonry

The finishing materials of your choice are applied to the deck area. Decking that surrounds your pool can be concrete, stone, brick, architectural pavers, or many other materials. Concrete decking around the pool is 4″ minimum in thickness. Any deck shape changes, deck additions or deletions should be made prior to forming. Some changes may have additional costs, and no changes to the deck will be made after the deck has been poured and installed.

Utilities

Where applicable, Gas, Electric and Waterline are provided and installed by licensed and qualified Utility Contractors. Their work is scheduled and supervised by Town & Country Pools.

Clean-Up

Construction debris will be cleaned away from both the interior and the exterior of the swimming pool at this time. We will leave your backyard in a clean and neat condition, ready for final landscape grading and planting by your landscape contractor. We can refer you to several qualified landscape contractors. Just ask your Project Manager or your Sales Representative.

Fencing

At this point or perhaps sooner, depending upon the specific requirements of your project, the fence needs to be installed. After the next phase, the pool is immediately filled with water, and most Building Departments require the fencing completed before water is in the pool.

Interior Finish

The pool surface is applied at this juncture. There are a number of choices of materials available for the interior finish of your pool. The most common is plaster that is pneumatically applied, then hand troweled to a non-slip waterproof surface. There are other surfaces available such as Pebble Tech, Pebble Sheen, and Pebble Fina which come in many color variations and can add a great deal to the pool’s appearance. When the plaster is completed, we will immediately begin filling the pool and/or spa and, when full, the pool filtration equipment is ready to be activated. We call this the Startup process.

Start-up and Indoctrination

Your pool is now complete, and our service department will start up your equipment at this time.

We will contact you to schedule your indoctrination with one of our service technicians. You will receive valuable hands on instructions, explanations, and demonstrations on the operation and use of your new pool. This will include the easy methods to backwash the filter, empty the skimmer baskets, and check your chemicals. Only a minimal amount of maintenance will keep your pool working efficiently and cleanly for many years to come.