So you have decided to buy a swimming pool and enjoy more family time in the backyard. Excellent decision. Are you going to install an in-ground or above ground? What size are you interested in? Where are you going to place it? These are just a few of the questions you need to answer before going ahead. One thing you should think about is if you are going to move in the future, find out from a local real-estate company how hard homes with pools are to sell. If you install an above ground, they can be easily removed for sale reasons. Some people overlook that point.  I might suggest you get a nice cup of coffee or other favorite beverage, take your spouse by the hand and head for the back yard. This is the fun part, imagination.

You need to visualize five years down the road what you would like to build to create your ultimate backyard. A pencil drawing of what you would like see would be a great start. Distances are not necessary at this point. Items you should consider are walkways, storage sheds, gardens, patios and maybe even a small waterfall. Placement is also another issue. Keep in mind where you gas meter and hydro panel may be located. Hydro maybe a less important issue as it can be manipulated where it can go much easier than gas lines.

Equipment placement for the pool is another item that needs to be considered. Installing underground gas line is much more expensive than the standard steel piping which remains above ground. With natural gas, the further away from the meter you get, the larger the pipe must be.

Part 2 will be coming in the next few days.