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

Best time of year to install an Above Ground Pool in Orlando

Orlando has great weather to install an above-ground swimming pool almost year around. There are better times to install a pool than others though.

In Orlando and surrounding areas, the best time to install an above-ground pool is during the “off season”, which is between October and February. This is because the weather isn’t hot, installers aren’t busy, and you have time to figure out pool water chemistry before it gets hot and more difficult.

MOST IMPORTANT THING TO READ FROM THIS ARTICLE

PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU CAN BUY AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN THE SUMMER IN ORLANDO AND HAVE IT INSTALLED QUICKLY.

INSTALLING ABOVE GROUND POOLS IS A SEASONAL BUSINESS

People who have lived in and moved to Orlando experience almost year-round warm weather. To them, this equates to a year-round swimming pool season.

To be more accurate though, Central Florida rarely freezes, has mild weather during the colder seasons, and has a brutal, long-lasting hot summer.

So, the actual swim season for Orlando is around eight months long beginning anytime from March to May and ending between late September and early November depending on the year.

The peak of the swim season here is during the four hottest months, which are usually (but not always) May, June, July, and August.

This peak swim season, which is also the hottest season, is also the season for installing above-ground swimming pools.

WANT A POOL INSTALLED IN ORLANDO DURING THE HOTTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR? YEAH, YOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT

Every year without fail, I (the pool installer) go from a little work to some work to an overwhelming amount of work. And it all depends on when it gets hot.

During the spring, when it starts hitting over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, I go from a few jobs on the schedule to a full-blown rush.

Just so you know what to expect, I have been booked six weeks out during the summer for installations here in Orlando.

Now, if any of those new pool owners would’ve wanted me to do the job even a month earlier, I would’ve been able to get to them within a day or two. Instead, most everyone waits until it gets brutal out, then they act.

IT BECOMES PRETTY OBVIOUS – GET YOUR ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLED DURING THE OFF SEASON

I’d love to say that people these days don’t like to wait for things, but it’s always been that way. Well, at least when it comes to having an above-ground pool installed.

For the last 36 years, I’ve installed pools in Orlando. And in the summer, nothing has changed.

I have heard the “We have planned a pool party this weekend” excuse in the 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s, and still in the 2020s. For now five decades, I’ve felt a sense of urgency from people who make plans on something that they don’t have yet and didn’t secure someone to install it yet.

So sorry. Your gonna have to rent a pony for your daughter’s birthday instead. She and her friends can ride it in a hot, dusty circle in the yard because no one can come to install the pool you bought two days ago in June.

Installer’s observation: For best results, plan a pool party in the summer for a date well after you actually have a swimming pool, it is installed, and the water is balanced.

PROS TO INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL DURING THE OFF-SEASON IN ORLANDO

1 Scheduling is easier and you can get it done faster

The pool installer is much more flexible with install dates and days. For example, if you really want a Saturday install, your best chance for that is during the off-season.

2 You’ll be able to get a hold of the installer easier and more often

In the summer, it can be hard to get a good installer on the phone as he is very busy and each conversation takes a while.

During the off-season though, the installer has more time to explain things and wants the installation, so he will communicate better.

3 You may get a better installation job

Working outside during the off-season in Orlando is really pleasant. We have some of the best weather in the world here when it’s not summer.

Working in Orlando’s summer humidity under a direct Florida sun is brutal. I’ve been in that sun for more than three and a half decades and I can tell you – you can only get so used to it.

In addition to that, above-ground pool installers aren’t busy in the off-season, which means they may spend more time on each install.

It’s nice not having to finish a job in one day because you are so scheduled out that each pool must get done on its install date. In the off-season, if I run into an issue that should delay the job to the next day, I can do that.

Not to say that you can get a bad job during the hot, busy season, but some jobs have to get rushed then. In the off-season, there’s no rush.

4 You may get a better price

Pool installers rarely give a discount during the busy summer season when it’s super hot outside. During the off-season can be a different story.

As a professional installer for 36 years, I don’t give a discount on the base price at any time. BUT, I will sometimes do some of the extras of a job for less during the off-season.

Extras like travel charges (For sections of Lake, Volusia, and Osceola counties far from Orlando), Grading/leveling, or excessive roots can be reduced when it’s nice out.

5 You’ll be able to learn pool water chemistry much easier

Chemically maintaining a swimming pool in Orlando during the cooler months is a whole lot easier than during the brutal summer. This is a great time to learn how to maintain your pool before the long, hot Florida summer comes calling.

CONS TO HAVING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLED DURING THE SUMMER IN ORLANDO

1 Can be harder to communicate with the installer

Installers are super busy during the summer. Plus, a good installer will be doing the work himself, which means he won’t want to answer the phone when working out in the hot, mind-numbing Central Florida sun.

2 You may have to wait weeks for the install

In the last two years, things haven’t been as crazy as usual, so I’ve only been scheduled out a couple of weeks during the summer. There have been summers where I get backed up by as many as six weeks.

3 Hot summer = No discounts

In the summer here in Orlando, installers really earn their money. Discounts are rarely given when we are hot and busy.

4 First-time pool owners have to learn pool chemistry more as a “trial by fire”.

I had a pool service business here in Orlando for sixteen years. Here’s a fact that you can adhere to:

The warmer the water, the more algae grows

Central Florida is easily one of the hardest areas of the country to maintain a swimming pool in during the summer. Knowing nothing about pool chemistry and having to maintain a pool starting in June will be a challenge.

5 You may not be able to get an oval-shaped pool installed

I’ve been installing every type of above-ground pool for 36 years. I’m not afraid of work, not afraid of a challenge, am as used to the Florida sun and humidity as humanly possible, and I’m extremely knowledgeable on oval-shaped pools.

Even with all of the above, I will no longer install larger oval pools during the summer. It’s just too hot and not worth it.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO DIY AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLATION IN ORLANDO

It doesn’t matter how good of a do-it-yourselfer you are, installing an above-ground pool is a challenge. These things don’t go together well, need to be put on very level ground, and are very typically installed outside in an area of the yard open to the sun (not a DIY job in air conditioning).

Because of this, the best time to put your own pool up is clearly when it’s not brutally hot outside. For Orlando, this is between October and March.

Many who self-install their pools won’t take this advice and do it during the peak summer season. To those, I say “Well, at least you’ll sleep well on those nights”.

Also, in Orlando during the summer, there is a daily threat of afternoon storms. These storms usually don’t last long, but they almost always have strong winds initially. And high winds are not good when installing an above-ground pool.

During the more pleasant time of year in O-Town, it doesn’t rain every day. This is good when trying to keep a pool wall up before it can get secured.

HAVE AN OVAL AND WANT ME TO INSTALL IT? GREAT! SEE YOU WHEN IT’S COOLER OUT

I used to install big ovals during the summer. Then I got older, smarter, and the experience of my help diminished.

Now I like to spend two days to make sure and install an oval correctly. In the off-season, I can take two days to do it. During the summer, I cannot.

Above Ground Pool Installation Longwood

The suburb Longwood north of Orlando is a good area for above-ground swimming pools. Even though most of the homes are older, each year, I install a fair amount of above-ground pools there.

Installing an above-ground pool in Longwood usually has few issues. The earth is typically clean and dry, the ground is somewhat flat, and the yards are typically big enough to have a decent-sized pool installed.

8 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN INSTALLING AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL IN LONGWOOD, FLORIDA

1 Backyards are usually flat

Certain areas around Orlando can have some slight elevation, which can make some yards very sloped. And sloped yards require more digging and leveling.

Longwood is overall a fairly flat area, which means unless you’re near a lake or have a retention area in your yard, it will be easier to install a pool there.

2 It’s high and dry

North Orlando is generally higher ground, which means dry ground.

And since most of Central Florida is sand-based, rainwater drains very quickly down into the ground.

3 Longwood’s earth is sand based

Some materials in the ground can trap and hold moisture. Layers of rocky earth or clay can do this, which means when it rains, it can take a while for the water to drain deep down into the earth.

When the earth is sand-based, the rainwater moves very quickly down into the ground, leaving the top layers dry.

This is good when installing an above-ground pool as you need the ground to be dry during the install.

4 Semi-inground installation is usually OK

When digging down to install an above-ground pool partially in the ground, you can hit groundwater. When that happens, the party is over and you have to install the pool above the moisture line.
Longwood has high and dry earth, so a semi-inground install is usually a go.

5 There’s a potential for nutgrass

Some areas around Orlando have more nutgrass than others. Longwood has an average occurrence of nutgrass damage to pool liners.

It’s a good idea to put down a quality granular nutgrass killer before setting the liner in the pool.

6 May have overhead power lines

Since that year Orlando got hit by three (actually 4) major hurricanes, the power companies have been replacing overhead electric power with buried power.

Since Longwood has a lot of established homes and neighborhoods, many there still have power fed to their homes overhead.

Whether you get a permit or not, it’s a good idea to keep the pool the ten feet away required by code. If you have overhead power lines in your backyard, this may affect where you put your pool.

7 Can have big tree roots

Longwood has a lot of established homes. This means that there can be some really big trees in the backyards of some.

Big trees equal big roots, so if you are planning on putting a pool fifteen feet or closer to a big tree, then expect to run into big roots. Big roots will have to be cut out of the pool site.

Most of the time, I just use a cordless Sawzall with a good wood blade for this. I have often used a sharp axe and occasionally have to use a chainsaw.

8 There might be a septic tank and drain field in the way

Established areas north of Orlando like Maitland, Winter Springs, Casselberry, along with Longwood can have a lot of homes with their own septic systems.

Some septic systems are in front yards and some are in back yards, so you never know for sure if a septic tank or its drain field is going to be in the way of where you want your above-ground pool.

9 Yards in Longwood are usually big enough

As Orlando got bigger and more populated, the home lots got smaller. Longwood is more established than other areas, so the yards are bigger. This is good for installing an above-ground pool.

POOL STORES IN LONGWOOD

Pinch A Penny
264 FL-434 W, Longwood, FL 32750

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

Cost to have a Hole Dug for a Semi-Inground Above Ground Pool in Orlando

Sinking an above-ground swimming pool partially in the ground in Orlando has become quite popular.

Although putting an above-ground pool in the ground makes the overall job much bigger and more expensive, most are very happy with the end result.

COST FOR ME TO DIG THE HOLE FOR AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLATION IN ORLANDO AND SURROUNDING AREAS

POOL SIZE	DIGGING ONE FOOT DOWN	DIGGING TWO FEET DOWN
15' Round Pool (18ft hole)	$300	$600
18' Round Pool (21ft hole)	$400	$800
21' Round Pool (24ft hole)	$500	$900
24' Round Pool (27ft hole)	$500	$1000
27' Round Pool (30ft hole)	$600	$1200
30' Round Pool (33ft hole)	$700	$1400
33' Round Pool (36' hole)	$800	$1600
12'x24' Oval Pool (18ft x 27ft hole)	$400	$800
15'x 26' Oval Pool (21ft x 29ft hole)	$500	$1000
15'x30' Oval Pool (21ft x 33ft hole)	$600	$1100
18'x33' Oval Pool (24ft x 36ft hole)	$700	$1400
21'x43' Oval Pool (27ft x 46ft hole)	$900	$1800

Note: Does not include hauling any dirt away
Note: Backfilling is not included

WHAT IS NEEDED TO HAVE A HOLE DUG FOR SINKING (SEMI-INGROUND) YOUR ABOVE-GROUND POOL

1 Wide enough access

My machine needs at least 4.5ft wide of access to the dig site. If you don’t have a wide enough gate, then a section of fencing will have to temporarily come down.

If you have a wood fence, then that is easier because sections usually come apart with no issues. Make sure you have an open section that can be taken down.

If you have a vinyl fence, then that can be an issue as they don’t come apart easily. I won’t take vinyl fencing apart, so you would need to have that open before I get there to do the dig.

2 Have enough room for the dig

2 foot deep hole for 15x30 oval above ground pool in Orlando

To dig a hole for a pool, there needs to be enough room to dig the hole, make a ramp (for the machine to get in and out of the hole), and pile the dirt.

Usually, space isn’t an issue but if you are wanting to put a pool in a tight area, keep in mind that extra space is needed to dig a hole.

NOTE: I leave piles of dirt around the hole for easier backfilling. This will require more space around the pool.

3 Have underground power lines or water main located

In the 37 years of my installing pools in greater Orlando, I’ve only run into major power lines maybe twice. And that is scary.

In most all cases, underground power lines are too far in the ground for me to hit them, but not always.

I did a dig in Kissimmee once maybe 15 years ago and ran into the neighborhood’s power source about fourteen inches down. This was a major no-no for the power company (KUA) as that is not even near the code.

I have occasionally run into power lines that were run to outbuildings in the yard and not to code (buried 18″ down with conduit, 24″ without). Make sure and locate them first.

4 Know where you want the dirt

I don’t haul any dirt away, but will put it anywhere in the yard that you want. Deciding if you want me to spread it out or where to pile it ahead of time is helpful.

5 Set correct expectations

When digging a big hole in a yard, it makes a big mess. There will be track marks that may tear up some grass. And there will be dirt. A lot of dirt. Usually, more than the homeowner expects.

If your yard has a lot of nice landscaping, some that are in the way of the dig may have to go or be somewhat damaged.

And no one knows what’s in the ground. Things like irrigation lines, electric lines not up to code, tree stumps, excessive roots, buried trash, an old drain field, a buried patio, or groundwater can get in the way of the dig.

These things can not be pre-determined, so they have to be dealt with at dig time. And what is already in the ground is the responsibility of the person who owns the land.

POTENTIAL ADDED COSTS TO DIGGING A HOLE FOR AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL

The earth in Orlando is usually pretty clean, sand-based, and easy to deal with, but not always. Some things may add to the cost of the dig.

1 Piling the dirt far away from the hole

Some will want me to set the dug dirt far away behind their yard or in the front yard. That will cost more as it will take me much more time to travel loads of dirt back and forth.

2 Running into hard earth or clay

Some neighborhoods are built up to make the entire area high and dry. Developers sometimes use earth with a lot of hard clay or hard earth for this. This may result in costing more to dig it out.

3 Running into an old drain field

Old drain fields have tons of rocks which all have to be dug out. This is a pain and time-consuming.

4 Buried tree stumps or excessive roots

If you are planning on installing your pool near a big tree or two, then there may be big roots in the ground where the hole is dug. This will cost more.

Also, big tree stumps cannot be dug out. Sometimes the pool has to be relocated or the stump is ground down. I don’t offer stump grinding, so you’d have to get that done elsewhere.

5 Old burn site or excessive buried construction trash

Anything left in the ground that will take time to dig out other than earth can cost more.

MY MACHINE TO DO THE DIG

I have a small skid/steer machine. It has tracks instead of wheels, so it won’t make as much of a mess in the yard.

It has a small bucket too, which means it cannot move a lot of dirt fast. This means that if you want me to transport the dirt far away, I’ll need to make several trips back and forth.

My machine is only 48” wide and weighs only 3400 pounds. This is good for maneuvering in tight spots and not breaking anything when having to drive over them.

Semi-Inground Pool Installation Orlando

As the economy has recently become more challenging in Orlando, more are choosing the less expensive option of getting an above-ground swimming pool over a concrete-type.

And those going this route will bury or sink an above-ground pool in the ground partially to make it like an inground pool.

Having a semi-inground pool in Orlando will require extra steps over just installing a pool on top of the ground. It may be hard to find an installer that can dig the hole along with installing the pool. This can mean having the hole dug by a separate excavator first, then having the pool installer assemble the pool in the hole.

THE STEPS IT TAKES TO HAVE A SEMI-INGROUND POOL INSTALLATION

1 Decide how far in the ground

In most cases, above-ground pool manufacturers will recommend only sinking their pool about halfway in or approx. 2.5ft down. They will also void their warranty if you go down further than what they recommend.

As an installer in Orlando for 36 years, I agree with this unless you are planning to build a full retaining wall around the pool, which is expensive.

2 Make sure you have enough room

The hole required to sink an above-ground pool has to be bigger than the size of the pool. This means that you will need enough space in your yard for your pool AND the hole it’s going in.

If your yard is small or the area where you want the pool to be sunk is tight, then you have to consider the room the machine will need to dig the hole as well.

3 Determining where the dirt will go

Some of the earth that came out of the hole will go back in after the pool is completed and filled (backfilling) but a lot of it will not.

Many have a big enough yard to use the extra earth on certain areas or spread it out. Others though will have no choice but to have the dirt removed from their property.

4 Digging the hole

After laying out where the pool is going and how deep in the ground it will be, it’s time to dig the hole.

With this, your options are the pool installer is digging it, you found an excavator to dig it, or you rented a machine and are digging it yourself.

NOTE: Oval-shaped pools need much bigger-sized holes dug. This is because they have buttresses that stick out along the straight sides of the pool. And they need to be leveled too.

SIZE OF POOL	SIZE OF HOLE NEEDED FOR 2' SEMI-INGROUND
15' Round	18' round hole
18' Round	21' round hole
21' Round	24' round hole
24' Round	27' round hole
27' Round	30' round hole
30' Round	33' round hole
33' Round	36' round hole
12x24 Oval	16ft x 27ft hole
15x26 Oval	21ft x 29ft hole
15x30 Oval	21ft x 33ft hole
18x33 Oval	24ft x 36ft hole
21x43 Oval	27ft x 46ft hole

5 Installing the pool

Now that the hole is dug, you can have the pool installed in the middle of the hole.

NOTE: The hole has to be big enough and somewhat level for the installer. If too small or too off level, the installer will charge more to if they have to shave the hole or level more than six inches of grade.

6 Backfilling

When the pool is completed and full of water in the hole, you can now have dirt put back around the pool.

NOTE: Some may choose to build a retaining wall. If that is the case, then the retaining wall is built BEFORE the pool goes up.

NOT MANY ABOVE-GROUND POOL INSTALLERS IN ORLANDO CAN DIG THE HOLE FOR A SEMI-INGROUND INSTALLATION

Orlando’s Orange County and the surrounding counties of Osceola, Lake, Seminole, and Volusia don’t have many above-ground pool installers to begin with.

And there are even fewer of us that have machines able to dig a hole for a semi-inground install. Plus, even if an installer has a machine, he may not know how or want to dig the hole regardless.

The result here(in the Orlando area) is that many wanting to get an above-ground pool partially sunk or buried in the ground wind up having to find and hire a digger independent of the pool installer.

I CAN DIG THE HOLE, BUT NOT HAUL ANY DIRT AWAY

12x24 above ground pool bottom track semi-inground located in Orlando, FL — Piles of excess dirt will need spread out or removed from the yard

As a local above-ground pool installer with a machine, I have dug the hole and installed quite a few pools in Orlando and surrounding towns. But I do not haul away any dirt.

This can be another limiting issue for those wanting a semi-inground pool. The installer can dig the hole but cannot haul any dirt away.

Personally, I use my skid/steer machine in almost all of my above-ground pool installs be it they are on top of the ground or buried some. For this, I don’t need a dump truck or dump trailer, so I don’t offer this when digging a hole.

INSTALLING A SEMI-INGROUND POOL NEAR BIG TREES? YEAH, YOU’RE GOING TO DIG UP SOME BIG ROOTS

Orlando and all of Central Florida have a lot of trees. Each type of tree will have roots with different characteristics.

It doesn’t matter what kind of tree though. If it’s huge and fifteen feet or closer to where the hole is being dug, then you are going to hit big roots. Some may have to be cut out.

Warning! If having a hole dug close to a big tree, there may be an extra charge for excessive root removal.

DIGGING A HOLE FOR A SEMI-INGROUND POOL INSTALLATION IN ORLANDO IS EASIER THAN IN MOST AREAS OF THE COUNTRY

The ground here in Orlando and most of Central Florida is fairly loose and sand-based. This is good for digging a 2-3 foot deep hole for a swimming pool.

IF DIGGING NEAR A LAKE OR ANYWHERE EAST OF ORLANDO, YOU MAY HIT GROUNDWATER

Orlando is fairly high and dry, but as you travel east, the ground gets lower.

Areas in Oveido, Geneva, Chuluota, Union Park, and east of Conway can start to get wet when you try to dig down below 12”.

IF YOUR YARD IS SLOPED, YOU MAY ONLY BE ABLE TO GO DOWN AS FAR AS YOU WANT ON ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE POOL

For the most part, Orlando is flat. Getting into Lake county in areas like Clermont, Ferndale, Howey-in-the-Hills, or Montverde can get hilly.

If your yard already has a slope to it and is off by a foot or more, then if you want the pool to go down two feet, that would mean that one side of the pool (the high side) will be three feet down, which may be too deep.

If your yard is sloped where you want a semi-inground pool, consider that the pool may go down the maximum from the highest point of the area. This could mean that half of the pool is only one foot in the ground.

6 THINGS YOU MAY RUN INTO WHEN DIGGING FOR AN SEMI-INGROUND POOL IN ORLANDO

When my family came to Orlando in 1972 (following the Disney World boom), only one hundred thousand people were living here. Now, it’s something like between 3-4 million in the greater Orlando area.

Over these years, there has been an ongoing housing boom, so there are many homes here that are decades old.

Older homes can have things buried in the yard that you may run into when digging for a semi-inground pool.

1 Septic tank and drain field

Most new homes don’t have septic tanks but many older ones in Orlando do. And you can’t install a pool next to a septic tank or in its drain field

2 Old septic tank (not in use)

For one reason or another, a new septic system is installed in a different location. When that is done, they usually leave the old tank and drain field in the ground.

Finding an old drain field when digging for a pool is not fun.

3 Old big tree stumps

I say “big” stumps here because little ones don’t matter as they can be removed by the machine. Big ones though won’t move and need to be cut out or the pool location moved.

4 Old concrete pads

I have run into old concrete patios that were buried and old bottoms of concrete walls that are no longer in use.

5 Water

This is a big semi-inground pool project stopper. Groundwater!

Not much you can do here except put the pool above the groundwater level.

You can install a “well point” and pump the water out while digging the hole and installing the pool. For above-ground pools going semi-inground, this is rarely worth the cost and time.

6 Water mains and electricity

These are the biggest “no-nos” to run into when digging a hole. It’s always best to have electric and water mains located before digging.

IF WANTING TO HAVE AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL BURIED SEMI-INGROUND IN THE ORLANDO AREA THEN CONTACT ME FOR A PRICE.

18' round Above ground pool semi-inground in Orlando filling

I will install semi-inground pools in most areas of Central Florida including Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Winter Springs, Apopka, Clermont, Ocoee, Wither Garden, Kissimmee, BVL, Hunter’s Creek, St Cloud, Narcoossee, Lake Mary, Sanford, and surrounding areas.

Orlando Above Ground Pool Installations

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