Once you have all the information compiled, get your calendar out, it's time to plan the install. Coordinating all of this is not like choreographing a dance routine but it does take a little time and thought. You want to fill out your permit paperwork and check for that. Get the electrician in and completed. Next you want to arrange for the excavator, should you need one, to come in just prior to install. Then you want to plan for delivery of sand and pool, followed by the installers coming in to install your pool. I had the excavator come in 2 days before the pool installers and the day before the delivery of the sand and pool. It all coordinated wonderfully. The electrician came in the day before install. Just be sure to go through the entire delivery of the pool, so that should anything NOT be there you have a little time to get it delivered because you will need everything there for the installers.
When I did my searching on the internet I found pool coving and this pool padding for under the liner. IT is made of a durable foam material that resists heel marks, grass growing up under it and many other things. There are a few different types out there but there is one that is done in one piece and does not have to be taped. I wanted to purchase this pad and put it under the liner but we just didn't have enough extra funds to do this at the time. Now, I am sorry I didn't find a way to do this. We have heel marks in the bottom of the pool and yes they do make it more difficult to clean the pool. We did have the pool coving installed and that really turned out nicely. It eliminates the worry of having sand wash out in the coving area. If you can afford to do these two things, do it! You won't be sorry.
After the installers finish putting up your pool and water is slowly filling it, take a sample of the water to your local pool supply to be tested. They will tell you what chemicals you need and the amounts you need once the pool is completely filled. Be sure to check before the installers leave that the cord from the pump/filter will reach the electrical outlet with a little slack in it, if it is too tight it can damage the cord if you stretch it. Do not add any extension piece to this! The installer usually goes over how your pump and filter run and what to do. Take notes so you can refer to them later should you need to. Don't be afraid to ask them to repeat something if you do not understand.
Our installer and Pool Company would not touch the pool ladder system. It was against their policies and procedures. I put it together and learned the hard way that it takes more than one person to put it in the pool and finish. Always have a helping hand around the pool when tackling something bigger than a bucket.
Now came our big part of this project, filling around the pool base. After doing some research and talking with the installer, Pool Company, other pool owners and the stone company. We decided to put plastic around the base of the pool 2 feet wide and then cover the plastic with small, medium and some large round smooth stones. In our area they call this river rock in 1 inch to 4 inch size. It took many bucket loads to go around the pool but it looks fantastic! Plus we have the added bonus that you can walk on the rock and not cut your feet and you don't have to trim right next to the pool. We ordered 3 tons of stone but we have quite a bit left over. So be sure to double check anyone's figures on amounts.
There was one thing that I installed into the plumbing section of our pool to make life easier for chemicals and that was the pool Frog system. It was a 200 dollar investment but well worth it. Once you get it set for your pool, all you have to do is weekly shock treatments and change the chlorine pack when needed. Ours was every 2 ½ weeks, with shocking every 5 days unless we had a lot of kids or rain in the pool.
