Above Ground Pool Installation Titusville

There are more than a few above-ground pools in Titusville. As a much less expensive alternative to an inground pool, above grounds become more popular as you get closer to the coast.

Installing an above-ground pool in Titusville is usually a trouble-free job. The earth is fairly flat, the grass is often thinner Bahia-type, and yards are usually big enough to put a bigger pool in it. What the ground is made of can vary in Titusville, but it’s mostly sand-based.

8 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN TITUSVILLE

1 Yards are usually big enough

Although Titusville is currently experiencing a growth spurt, most of Titusville is established. This means that most yards are bigger.

This is a good thing for those wanting a bigger pool.

2 Titusville has some overhead power lines

Most don’t get a permit for an above-ground pool. But even if you don’t, you want your pool to stay away from any overhead lines if you can avoid them.

Older areas will have overhead power and this can be an issue if they are running through the middle of the yard.

By code, your pool should be at least 10 feet away from any overhead line. Sometimes this isn’t possible though and people install the pool anyway with no issues.

3 There is some nutgrass in Titusville

Usually, it’s almost impossible to tell if your yard has nutgrass since it blends in with other grass types very well.

Not all yards in Titusville will have it. It doesn’t like to grow in coquina (crushed shells) but still can.

Make sure to use a granular nutgrass killer and ground pad when installing a pool.

4 There are different kinds of fencing

If you are using an installer with a machine (like me) or are renting a machine for a DIY install, you may need wider access than what your gate is.

Titusville has a variety of fence types. Older homes can have chain-link type, which is great and lasts forever, but may have too small of a gate to get a machine in.

With chain-link, you have to take it apart and get the top pole off in order to make a bigger space to get through. This is sometimes easy and sometimes hard to do.

Wood-type fencing is easiest as you just have to take down a section (as long as there is enough room.

Vinyl fencing has become more popular with newer homes. Taking a vinyl fence apart is problematic, so if your gate isn’t wide enough, then you may have to get a fence guy to temporarily take it apart.

To give you an example, my skid/steer machine is 48” (four feet) wide, so I need at least 4.5 ft wide access to the yard.

5 The earth type varies near the coast

In areas like Cocoa, Merritt Island, NSB, Cocoa beach, PSJ, and Titusville, the earth can be made up of three things.

Most areas will be mostly sand-based, which is best for installing a pool, but some will have soil mixed with clay, and some will have coquina (crushed shell).

If your yard has too much coquina in the earth, you may have to add a layer of sand to make the bottom nice and smooth.

I use a machine to install pools, so in most cases, I can dig down and find good clean earth to use, but not always.

6 Titusville is usually high and dry

Some areas between the east coast the Orlando are very wet. Fortunately for Titusville, the ground stays dry in most areas.

An above-ground pool needs dry earth for making a proper and flat pool bottom.

7 This area is mostly flat

Swimming pools have to be installed very level. And since it fills with water, you will be able to tell how level it is by the waterline.

Yards with slopes will need a lot of grading to make the pool site perfectly level. This can cost more to you if having it installed OR can be much more work for you, the DIYer.

Titusville is mostly flat, so chances are your installation won’t be as hard.

8 There aren’t many above-ground pool installers available

On the east coast of Central Florida, there aren’t many AG pool installers. I base out of Orlando and do go to Titusville, but a few of the other installers will not (at least during the busy summer season).

If looking for an installer, you’ll have to see if there is someone from Orlando (like me), the Daytona area, or Melbourne.

My Installation Price Sheet

POOL STORES IN TITUSVILLE

Pinch A Penny Pool Store

2505 Garden St
Titusville, FL 32796

Conrad’s pool supply

4261 S. Hopkins Avenue
Titusville, FL 32780

Site-Prep Only for an Intex/Coleman type Pool in Orlando

Soft-sided above-ground pools made by Intex, Coleman, Bestway, etc. are very popular in the Orlando area.

This type of above-ground is usually easy to buy (from Walmart), in stock, very economical, and easy to install. Finding someone to install it is not easy though.

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND SOMEONE TO INSTALL A SOFT-SIDED (INTEX-TYPE) POOL IN ORLANDO

Most above-ground pool installers won’t install a soft-sided type pool. This is because they are hard to install perfectly level, and the cost for installation is often more than what the pool owner paid for the pool.

In my now 36 years of installing pools in Orlando, I have only installed a handful of Intex (soft-sided) pools. Even though they are extremely easy to assemble, they are time-consuming to get perfectly level, so most won’t want to pay more for the installation than what the pool cost.

Occasionally, I will hear about a handyman taking on the job, but they quickly either only install one and never again, or they don’t even finish the one they started. This is usually because of the job of leveling the earth

BY FAR, THE HARDEST PART OF INSTALLING A SOFT-SIDED (INTEX, COLEMAN, BESTWAY) POOL IS PREPARING AND LEVELING THE GROUND

As stated earlier, assembling a soft-sided above-ground pool is easy. Most people can handle this even if they are not DIY types. Getting the ground level though is another story.

“To properly install an above-ground pool, all of the grass and its root base(sod) MUST be removed first”

People will want a swimming pool, buy one that is cheap, comes in one box, and is easy to install. Then they will want to be able to install it in their yard as easily and cheaply as they bought the pool.

This often has people trying to install their soft-sided pool just on top of the grass in what appears to be a level area of the yard. After filling the pool with water, they realize that the pool is way too “off-level”, so they wind up having to drain the pool and take it back down.

The next most common “shortcut” people make when installing a soft-sided pool is they have a couple of yards of sand delivered. They then spread the sand out at the pool site and OVER THE GRASS and try to make it level.

With this technique, the pool will stay up and full of water a little longer before it starts to tilt and needs to be taken back down.

The best-case scenario here is that the pool stays level, but after a few months, the grass underneath dies and decomposes which causes the pool’s bottom to be unbearably bumpy.

WHEN NOT BUSY, I WILL OFFER TO PREPARE THE SITE FOR YOUR SOFT-SIDED POOL IN THE GREATER ORLANDO AREA

Graded yard for installing a 16x32 Intex above ground pool in Orlando

Assembling and installing a soft-sided pool is fairly easy and most can do this, but preparing the ground can be a very hard job.

THE PROCESS AND WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH A GROUND PREPARATION-ONLY SERVICE FOR AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL

I offer to do ground prep only for this type of pool. The average prep job takes me about 3-4 hours. This is what I will do:

1 Get to your home on time

2 Help you decide where you want the pool (if needed) and mark out exactly where you want it to go with spray paint.

NOTE: I will mark out a one-foot bigger area than the pool size all the way around it.

3 Bring in my skid/steer machine and remove all of the grass/sod from the marked-out pool site. I will place the removed grass anywhere in the yard that you want.

NOTE: My machine is 48” wide, so I would need at least 4.5ft wide access to your yard.

4 Using the machine, I churn up the earth at the pool site to soften it, pull out any big roots still attached to the ground, and make sure there is nothing underneath that may affect the pool bottom later.

5 Then I redistribute the earth to get the ground somewhat level again still using the machine.

6 Once fairly level, I set up a laser builder’s level and start to hand rake out the area removing larger debris.

7 Using the laser level, I will continue to check the areas of the pool site. I shave down the high areas of earth and add to the low areas until the entire site is within 1/2 inch level or better.

8 During this time-consuming leveling process, I continue to remove any debris (rocks, sticks, trash, roots, etc.) from the site. I also spray down the area with the water hose at least three times to help level the area. This will remove some air in the earth and help pack it down.

9 When finished, a grass-free site one foot bigger than the size of the pool is free of most of the small debris and level to within one-half inch or less.

The pool can now be installed on the site. It is install ready.

COST TO DO A SITE PREP ONLY FOR AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN ORLANDO

POOL SIZE	COST FOR SITE PREP ONLY
15'/16' Round	$350.00
18' Round	$400.00
20'/21' Round	$450.00
24' Round	$500.00
27' Round	$550.00
30' Round	$600.00
33' Round	$700.00
8'x16' Rectangle	$350.00
9'x18' Rectangle	$400.00
12'x24' Oval or Rectangle	$450.00
15'x30' Oval or Rectangle	$500.00
16'x32' Oval or Rectangle	$550.00
18'x33' Oval	$600.00
21'x43' Oval or Rectangle	$700.00

Price good for up to 12 inches of off-grade leveling
Travel charge for areas outside of greater Orlando
Does not include nutgrass killer
Does not include hauling away the grass/sod. I will place it anywhere you want in the yard though
SITE PREP ALSO AVAILABLE FOR METAL-WALLED AND ALL OTHER TYPE ABOVE GROUND POOLS

WHAT IS NEEDED FROM YOU TO HAVE ME DO A SITE PREP FOR AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL

A 4.5ft wide access to the site for my machine

B Telling me exactly where you want the pool to go

C Telling me where in the yard you want the sod/grass that I remove from the site

D A water hose long enough to reach the pool site (so I can spray down the area during the leveling process)

E Payment at the end of the job ( I accept only cash or local check)

A COUPLE OF SIDE NOTES

I am not responsible for anything I hit in the ground like electrical or water lines. If I run into irrigation lines, I will cut them back away from the pool site and mark them so you know where they are for re-routing at a later date.

If I run into ground that is too wet or something that prevents the job from completing (like a septic drain field for example) then I expect you to pay me for my time spent. IF THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR YOU, THEN PLEASE LOCATE ANYTHING IN YOUR YARD PRIOR TO ME GETTING THERE.

Best if you install the pool within a day or two of my ground prep. Every time it rains, the site could be negatively affected.

I will get the ground as prepared and level as possible using the best tools available and 36 years of leveling knowledge, but it won’t be perfectly level. That is not possible unless you use something that hardens (like concrete)

After you have assembled the pool, I recommend filling it with about one foot of water, resetting the upright supports to straight, then placing a smaller patio stone under each support. You will have to dig them into the ground some to make them flush with the level site.

Please contact me by text if possible. I don’t check my voicemail or emails as often during the busy season.

What is needed to install an Above Ground Pool in Orlando

So you live in the Orlando area, have bought an above-ground swimming pool, and need it installed. What else do you need?

When you buy an above-ground pool, it has to be assembled and installed usually outside on the ground. This is not like buying a car or a watch. You’ll need a couple of things to go with it.

To install an above-ground pool in Orlando, you will minimally need yard room, an idea of where you want to put it, someone to install it, a water hose long enough to reach the pool site, and an idea of how you will be getting electricity to the pool’s pump.

LIST OF THINGS NEEDED IF HAVING A POOL INSTALLED IN ORLANDO BY A PROFESSIONAL

1 The pool package

For some, just having the pool won’t be easy as there are different types of pools, sizes, and two shapes to choose from.

Regardless of what you choose, you will need to have the pool already in your possession before the installer comes to your house.

During the busy summer season, installers try to schedule as many installs as they can. One of the things that I learned in 36 years of installing is that you don’t schedule a date until you know for a fact that the pool will be there at least one day beforehand.

Post-2020, I try to make sure the pool will be in the homeowner’s possession days before the scheduled installation date. Things don’t come as well as they used to.

2 An idea of where you want the pool

An experienced installer can help you decide where in the yard to put your new pool, but you should at least have an idea or two of where you want it beforehand.

You also want to make sure that the size pool you bought will fit in your yard too. I know this sounds obvious, but I’ve had on more than a few occasions come out to install a pool and the yard wasn’t big enough. That’s a major pain for everyone involved.

NOTE: Oval-type above ground pools need extra space on the long/straight sides due to them having buttresses

3 Access for install equipment

Skid/steer machine going through a vinyl gate opening in Orlando to excavate for an above ground pool

Some installers will only have a sod cutter to help them with removing the grass and leveling the site. If that’s the case, you will only need a standard gate as access for the installer.

I use a skid/steer machine to do the sod removal, earth leveling, and ground prep. My machine is only 48” wide, so in my case, I need access (a gate) to be at least 4.5ft wide to get my machine in.

If your fenced-in yard doesn’t have a wide enough gate, then a fence section may have to be temporarily taken down.

4 To be aware that you will have excess grass/sod, and where you will want it

removed grass from an above ground pool in the Conway area of Orlando

An unfortunate byproduct of installing an above-ground pool in Orlando is that if you have good-quality grass, then there will be a pile of it to deal with.

The grass at the new pool site MUST be removed for a proper installation. Period. This can leave you with some grass to deal with and installers will not haul it away.

Installers with only a sod cutter will just get the grass out of their way by placing it next to the cleared area.

I have a machine to remove the sod, so I can offer to put it anywhere in the yard that the homeowner wants it. Knowing where you want me to put it beforehand is helpful to you and me.

5 If your pool came with a sand-type filter, then you will need to get filter sand for it.

Pool packages don’t ship with filter sand as it’s too heavy and costs too much to ship. Cartridge-type filters don’t need sand, so this is only for sand-type filters.

If you have a sand-type filter, then you’ll have to figure out how much sand you will need, have it purchased, and be at the home before the end of the job so the installer can assemble the filter.

6 Patio stones for the pump/filter (Optional)

Most above-ground pool equipment (pump/filter pack) can sit on level ground with no issues. It’s nice though for the pool equipment to sit on something instead of just the ground.

I hard pipe the pump and filter with every installation, so it’s a good idea to have patio stones for me to put down beforehand as it would be harder to put them under the pump and filter pack afterward.

Usually, having enough patio stones to cover a 2ftx3ft area is enough.

7 A water hose long enough to reach where the new pool is going

Most everyone in Orlando will fill their new pool up with their own water source. For this, make sure that the water hose you have will reach where the pool is going.

It’s not uncommon for people to have to go buy a new hose, so don’t just assume that your existing hose will reach your new pool location.

8 An idea of where your electrical source will come from

After the pool is assembled and filled (which usually takes about 24 hours), you will need to plug in and turn on your pool’s pump.

There are many ways to run electrical to your pool’s pump. Some have an electrician bury a line to the pump and some just use an extension cord. Most do something in between.

The pump will sit next to the pool somewhere, so plan out where you will be getting your power for that.

The installer won’t need you to have your electric source figured out while he is there, but 24 hours later, you will though.

9 Payment

When the job is done, the pool will be assembled with the pump/filter hooked up and there will be a few inches of water in the pool and filling with your hose.

It will be time to pay the installer. Most installers want cash. I accept only cash or a local check.

LIST OF THINGS NEEDED WHEN INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN ORLANDO YOURSELF

A The pool package

Go through your pool boxes and make sure you have everything before starting. It sucks to be in the job and realize the liner or skimmer is missing.

B Good help

This is not an easy DIY project, so set your expectations properly.

You will want a bunch of people helping you with this, but will absolutely need at least two people to roll out the wall of the pool.

3 Leveling blocks

Please do yourself a favor and get some patio stones so you can set them level under the bottom track of the pool. This will give you a fighting chance of the pool coming out level.

You will need a patio stone for every upright that the pool has.

4 Tools

Shovels and rakes are good for working the earth. Standard things like a cordless drill and measuring tape are needed for this job.

You will also need a level of some kind. Don’t think you can just “eyeball” level a swimming pool installation. Water doesn’t lie and you’ll know exactly how off the pool is when it fills with water.

I recommend renting a laser level.

5 Rent a sod cutter or skid/steer machine

Most won’t need a skid/steer (bobcat) machine, but almost everyone should rent a sod cutter.

If you think you don’t need one, that’s cool. Get started cutting out your grass with only your shovel.

In twenty minutes or so when you’ve cut out a couple of square feet of grass and are exhausted, you can revisit whether or not spending a hundred bucks for a machine to do this is worth it. Lol

6 Nutgrass killer

Nutgrass can be an issue in Orlando and surrounding areas. Getting good granular nutgrass killer and putting it down right before the liner guard/and or liner may prevent you from getting grass growing in your pool.

7 A water hose to reach the pool

You will need to fill the pool up when you’re done, but you’ll also need to wet the site down a couple of times to help level and pack it.

8 Bulk sand

Orlando and surrounding areas are mostly sand based, so usually added sand isn’t recommended or necessary.

If your earth is hard to work with or has a lot of debris, you may want to just put down a layer of clean sand to make the job easier.

As a professional installer with a machine, I very rarely use sand. DIYers may want to though.

NOTE: Bulk sand is harder to find in the Orlando area now. You can find it though at some Home Depot and Lowes though. You will need a truck to transport it and a wheel barrow to get it to the install site.

9 Patience

Above-ground pools aren’t Swiss watches. There is nothing precision about them, so don’t expect things to go together well or predictably.

Be patient. Keep in mind that working in the heat takes away your ability to think well. Take breaks and work in the cooler hours of the day.

And roll out the wall in the morning. You don’t want to worry about Orlando afternoon storms when dealing with the pool wall.

Orlando Above Ground Pool Installations Near Me

In the fifty-plus years that I have lived in Orlando, there has always been a boom in population. This has always resulted in more and more above-ground swimming pools being installed here.

As the number one tourist destination in all of the world and with a beautiful (but hot summer) climate, swimming pools in Orlando are quite plentiful. And although above-ground-type pools are more common in the North, there are tens of thousands of them in Central Florida.

Installing an above-ground pool in the greater Orlando area is usually a straightforward process. The ground here is mostly sand-based, most of the area is high and dry, and most yards are big enough to hold whatever size pool the homeowner wants.

ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLERS IN ORLANDO

It’s hard to believe that there have never been a lot of above-ground installers based out of Orlando. With this being the biggest city in Central Florida, you would think there would be at least a few installers living here. There aren’t.

As far as I know, writing this ( October 2022), I am the only above-ground installer based out of Orlando.

In this business, installers come and go quickly. This is because it’s a seasonal business, hard work in very hot sun, and takes more than a few years to truly learn enough to not be making pricey mistakes.

There are always a couple of installers available that live somewhere outside of Orlando, but always only two or three.

Many living in Orlando or near it will think it will be easy to find a pool installer. Some will find one person easily, but when they look for even one other person who does it full-time (not a handyman), they cannot.

This is why people living in Orlando doing a Google search for pool installers “near me” won’t find much of anyone real.

WANT YOUR ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLED DURING THE SUMMER? YEAH, YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT

The Orlando area stretches west from Clermont, east to Oviedo, south to Kissimmee, and north to Sanford. So, this is a big area with a lot of residents.

You can do the math yourself that with only two or three above-ground pool installers servicing this area during the summer, they can get backed up.

There have been some summers when I have been booked six weeks out.

As an experienced pool installer in Florida, I will only install one above-ground pool per day. I have attempted to install more than one, but that was a couple of decades ago when I was younger and dumber.

Summer weather in Orlando leaves you with a daily threat of an afternoon thunderstorm. If the pool isn’t 90 percent done before one of those storms comes, then there can be big trouble.

So, on a good summer week, I will install six or seven pools maximum. This doesn’t get many done when hundreds are contacting me for an installation.

WANT A FAST AND BETTER POOL INSTALLATION IN ORLANDO? HAVE IT DONE DURING THE OFF-SEASON

Most people don’t act on getting a pool until it gets hot outside. If that is you, then know that you are acting like most others and it might take a while to get this thing you bought that only takes one day to install.

If you can somehow get your pool installed between October and February, then the install can get scheduled quickly and the pool can be installed in nice weather instead of during brutal levels of heat and humidity.

Installing an above-ground pool is a tough job (to do correctly), but when it’s pleasant out, the job gets easier. This usually equates to getting a better install.

SIX THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN ORLANDO

1 There is an average occurrence of nutgrass

If you’ve never heard of nutgrass, that’s ok. Most haven’t.
Nutgrass is a type of grass that can grow through just about anything not solid. It can grow through liner pads, Visqueen, weed block, and even black asphalt. And yes, it will grow through a pool’s liner like it’s not even there.

In Orlando and surrounding towns, nutgrass can be in any yard. I put down a quality GRANULAR nutgrass killer with every installation and you should apply it to your pool’s bottom too.

NOTE: There is no guarantee that a chemical or pad material will stop nutgrass 100% of the time.

2 Yard sizes in Orlando vary

Most yards in Orlando are big enough to accommodate a bigger sized above ground pool, but not all

The newer neighborhoods can have smaller lots which will limit the size pool that you can get.

3 The ground is mostly sand-based

Some think you have to have a hard base for an above-ground swimming pool. You do not.

Having sand-based earth is usually a good thing as it’s easy to dig and level. Most of the yards in Orlando will be mainly sand-based. Some are not though if the lot was built-up higher and clay or soil was used.

4 The ground is usually high and dry.

Orlando areas have nice and dry earth for installing an above-ground pool. This is good because the ground has to be dry in order to make a nice flat pool bottom.

As you travel east of Orlando though, the ground can get and stay wet. Areas east of Conway, Azalea Park, and Goldenrod can have some groundwater issues.

If you have water standing in the yard for a day or two after a hard rain, then your yard may be too wet to install a pool on. Even if you don’t see any water but make a “squishy” sound when you walk in the yard, it’s most likely too wet and you’ll have to wait for it to dry up.

So, if you are in areas East of Orlando like Oviedo, Geneva, Chuluota, and Bithlo, you may want to check the wetness conditions of your yard.

5 There are some overhead power lines, but fewer since the hurricanes of 2004

Most people don’t get permits, but even if you don’t, consider if you have any overhead power lines running near where you want a pool.

Code wants your pool to be at least 10 feet back from any overhead power line.

Orlando had a lot more overhead power, but since 2004 when we got four hurricanes (including Charlie), the power companies have been replacing them with buried electrical lines.

6 Orlando has different types of fencing

If you are having your above-ground pool professionally installed by someone with a machine (like me), then that machine will need access to the yard. Check your gate to measure its width. Some equipment will need a double gate.

My machine is 48″ wide, so to give you an example, I would need a width of 4.5ft of access. Most walk-through-only gates are 36″.

If wider access is needed, then a portion of your fence will have to temporarily come off. With a wood-type fence, this is often an easy thing to do. Vinyl fences don’t come apart easily, so if you have vinyl, then this can be an issue.

Orlando homes have a mix of mostly wood fencing, vinyl, and some chain link fencing. Usually, an installer can gain access to your yard fairly easily with wood-type.

If you have vinyl though and need wider access, then you may have to hire a fence guy to do the temporary removal.

Above Ground Pool Installation Apopka

Apopka has a lot of homes with above-ground swimming pools. And since it’s growing (like everywhere else in Central Florida), many more pools are being installed there.

Installing an above-ground pool in Apopka is usually a straightforward job. The earth there is mostly sand-based, high and dry, and most yards are big enough to accommodate any size pool.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN APOPKA

1 Most of the area north of Orlando is high and dry

When installing in Apopka, I have very rarely had issues with the ground being wet. This is good because the ground has to be fairly dry to properly install a pool on.

Even though they are called “above-ground” pools, they are not above the ground. A better name would be an “on-ground” pool, but that usually wouldn’t be accurate either.

Most above-ground pools go in the ground some, so it’s important for the earth to be dry at least during installation time.

2 Apopka is mostly flat, but there are some sloped areas

Above-ground pools have to be very level. This means that if your yard isn’t level, then the pool site will have to be graded to perfectly level.

Some areas of Apopka, especially as you head north towards Sorrento and Zellwood, can have some elevation. This can mean that extra grading will have to be done when installing a pool.

3 Apopka is mostly sand-based

All of Central Florida has sand-based earth, but some areas have more sand than others. Apopka usually has good sand-based earth to install a pool on.

Some newer neighborhoods that were raised by their developer may have used filled dirt from other areas. If so, then your yard may not be sand-based and may have clay or darker dirt.

4 There is an average occurrence of nutgrass

Nutgrass can grow through your pool’s liner and damage it. Any yard can have nutgrass and it is very hard to see as it looks exactly like other grasses.

The area of Apopka has the potential for nutgrass. I always put down a quality granular nutgrass killer for my installs and you should too.

5 Most established homes have wood fencing, and newer homes usually have vinyl fencing.

If you are having your pool installed professionally by someone like me, then you may need wider access to the yard than the width of a standard gate. When that is the case, a section of fence has to temporarily come down.

Wood fence sections typically come apart easily, vinyl fencing doesn’t.

My machine is 48” wide, which means that I need at least 4.5ft wide access. If your gate isn’t that wide and you have a vinyl fence, then I would need you to have a section taken down prior to me getting there.

If you have a wood fence, then I will take down a section (if there’s one open for straight access).

6 The type of grass in Apopka is mostly Bahia

St Augustine-type grass is prettier to look at than Bahia, but it is thicker.

When installing an above-ground pool, all of the grass and its roots (sod) have to be removed from the site. Installers don’t take this removed sod with them, so you are then stuck with a pile of sod to deal with.

The nicer the grass you have, the thicker and heavier it will be. This is where having Bahia-type grass is better than St Augustine.

7 Yards are usually big enough

As Orlando has grown, the home lots have gotten smaller. Apopka has a lot of older homes and bigger lots, which is great for installing the size pool that you want.

This is also good if wanting a semi-inground pool as it takes more room and you can possibly place the dirt that comes out of the hole.

8 There are a lot of big trees in Apopka

Big trees and established landscaping are really nice to have. When installing an above-ground pool though, these big trees can have big roots in the way.

If you have large trees in your yard and are wanting to put a pool within 15 feet of one or more of them, then you may hit some big roots during the installation.

You may not too, but no one knows until you get into the earth and see. Root systems are as unpredictable as where a hurricane may go when it’s only just in the Lesser Antilles.

POOL STORES IN APOPKA

Pinch A Penny
1813 E Semoran Blvd, Apopka, FL 32703

Pinch A Penny
1685 Rock Springs Rd N, Apopka, FL 32712

Leslie’s
3855 Wekiva Springs Rd, Longwood, FL 32779

Above Ground Pool Installation Port St John

Above-ground swimming pools are popular in Port St John. Over my 36 years of installing pools, I’ve built quite a few in PSJ.

THERE AREN’T MANY ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLERS AVAILABLE TO GO TO PORT ST JOHN

PSJ is a somewhat hidden community as it’s between Cocoa and Titusville and borders where the space program sends off rockets. If you live in PSJ, you may be surprised to hear that many people in Orlando don’t know about the neighborhood.

There aren’t many AG pool installers to begin with, but there are even fewer of them that are based somewhere on the east coast. This leaves the few installers coming from Orlando available to go to the coast. And some of them won’t go that far in the summer at least.

With being based out of Orlando, I have found Port St John to be fairly close, so I install there year around.

THE EARTH VARIES IN PORT ST JOHN

Being a coastal community but inland, PSJ has a variety of types of earth that make up yards. In this area including Cocoa, Merritt Island and Titusville, there is always the possibility of the ground being made up of mostly small or crushed shells called “coquina”.

By itself, coquina doesn’t make for an ideal above-ground pool bottom, but if there is some soil or sand mixed in, it packs well and can make a nice smooth bottom.

Yards in Port St John can also have sand-based earth, which is common everywhere in Central Florida. I have also seen dark soil and some clay in this area.

For the most part, I don’t give much thought to what the earth will be like when planning on an install in PSJ. It’s usually very workable.

PARTIALLY SINKING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN PORT ST JOHN

I have done and seen a fair amount of semi-inground pools in PSJ. Occasionally, when doing a dig for one, I have hit groundwater, but that is rare in this area.

Also, the ground is typically firm there, so this is good for backfilling a pool halfway or so in the ground.

MOST LOT SIZES ARE BIG ENOUGH IN PSJ

The majority of homes in Port St John are established, which means that the lot sizes are big enough for homeowners to have a bigger pool if they want.

This is also good if wanting a semi-inground install as it takes more room to dig a hole to put a pool in.

MOST HOMES HAVE WOOD FENCES

Older areas like Port st John, Cocoa, Merritt Island, and Titusville will have more yard fencing made of wood instead of vinyl. This is good if needing a pool installed and the installer has a machine.

My machine is 48” wide, so I need at least 4.5ft wide access to the yard and pool site. If the home doesn’t have a gate wide enough, then a section of fence has to temporarily come down for access.

Wood fence panels come apart fairly easily, vinyl fences do not. Port St John doesn’t have many vinyl fences, which is good.

THE GROUND IS FLAT IN PSJ

Above-ground swimming pools need to go on level ground. If the yard has a slope to it, then the area has to be graded. If more than a foot, this can cost more for the installation.

In PSJ, I have rarely had to charge for extra grading as it’s flat there.

THERE’S NUTGRASS IN PORT ST JOHN, BUT ONLY AVERAGE

Nutgrass is the only thing that will grow through a pool liner, (Well, except for traveling bamboo). I always recommend putting down a quality granular nutgrass killer right before the liner goes down.

Nutgrass is hard to identify in a yard and this area has it, so unless you are going down two feet in the ground or more, use a nutsedge killer.

THE GROUND IS USUALLY HIGH AND DRY IN PORT ST JOHN

I have occasionally encountered wet ground in PSJ, but not much at all. Almost all installs in this area will have nice and dry earth to install the pool on.

This is also good if you are thinking of sinking an above-ground pool in the ground some.

vPOOL STORES IN PSJ

Pinch A Penny
6269 US-1, Cocoa, FL 32927

Pinch A Penny
2311 FL-524, Cocoa, FL 32926

Conrad’s Pool Supply
4261 S Hopkins Ave, Titusville, FL 32780

Orlando Above Ground Pool Installations

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