Many pool & spa professionals will tell you the excavation of your pool is the most critical phase of construction to insure your pool is properly built. The excavators basically dig the hole in your ground for the pool. They use the markings painted in by the layout sub as a guide to dig from.

For this, you will need to use a qualified pool excavator. You will need to make sure you have adequate access and written permission from your neighbors if you have to encroach on their property. Make sure all permits are posted before work begins.

DO NOT LEAVE THE EARTH DUG FROM THE POOL ON SITE Unless there is more than adequate room or only if there is a specific need for leveling the yard etc.

In most cases if you leave the earth in the yard, it will get in the way of the digger & it will make a mess as well as making it very hard to keep the work site clean. If the earth is used for fill on another part of the land, then in most cases it must be spread 150mm thick & then compacted & then another 150mm & then compaction, up to the required level. This should be done as soon as it is excavated. If you dig a normal 9.5M x 4.5M pool, you can get up to 100 CubM of earth out of the hole.

Where possible use the biggest machine possible, a good large machine, especially an excavator can move the earth much more efficiently than a small machine costing less per hour but more over all. If you use a large machine make sure that there are enough trucks to keep up with it. The machine is costing you money while it is sitting idle waiting for a truck to load. Make sure to check of underground utilities prior to digging.

Make sure that you have identified the level that the top of the pool will finish at so that you can use this as a fixed point from which to check dig depths.You will need a dumpy level or water level to be able to check the depth of the excavation at various points along the floor. Where possible try to dig from the deepest point to the shallowest. it easier for the excavator operator.

Make sure that the markout for the shape of the pool is 150mm (6") outside the finished internal line of the pool. (Less if using Fibrecrete & more if the engineer asks for thicker walls)

Make sure that the excavator operator does not dig back past the lines as it will cost you more concrete to bring the internal wall face to its correct lines. Beware of rock or underground water seepage below ground level, both could increase the cost of the excavation.If you strike water seepage, it can cost you for dewatering for not only the dig time but possibly through out the construction or at least until the concrete shell is complete.

Always try to have the excavator trim as close to the perfect line as possible as he can carry out a lot of work much quicker than it being done by hand. Remember that you need to dig the floor to a depth to allow for at least 75mm of gravel underdrain & 150mm of concrete floor.

You can let the walls come in slightly as they go down, about 50mm for each 1000mm in depth.

Remember the deepest point should be equal distance from the two side walls & the deep end wall.

The walls at the deep end should be straight down for 1500mm then curve into the deepest point see accompanying typical drawings. Wall Drawing

Dig out area for skimmer box & dig pit 450mm x 450mm x 450mm at the deepest point for the hydrostatic valve which is connected to the main drain. Dig a groove in the floor & wall to run the pipe from the main drain to the skimmer box, normally 40mm PVC pressure pipe.

It will normally be necessary to excavate for a bond or ring beam around the top of the pool which is usually twice the thickness of the pool. Beam/Wall This may have to be done by hand. The pool is excavated or dug. The actual hole will be 6” larger than the finished dimensions of the pool in all directions. Forming material will be placed around the outer edge of the pool or spa. This ensures your bond beam dimension. This should be a 6” x 12” bond beam. Dirt removal should be done the same day of excavation. If you want any dirt left on site be sure to arrange where it should be dumped and how much BEFORE excavation.

The whole pool is a LOT of dirt. Don’t forget, sometimes the soil expands when it has been excavated. If you have them leave too much, expect a heavy charge for the excavators to return to pick it up! Some areas of the country or your community are very rocky, have calache or other hard dig soil conditions. Your pool price is generally based on a standard dig.

Expect to pay more for the larger equipment, longer time to dig and higher dumping fees. A good company will give you the opportunity to have them get two or three quotes from their regular excavators.

The best companies will not put a profit mark up on the extra charge from the excavator for the hard dig.