How hard to put pool in

[pogoaz]

Okay we've picked up the bids on a fiberglass pool, we don't want to buy the company. For a 34' X 16' (8ft deep for diving) we were quoted 38600.00, this includes a 2hp pump, saltwater system, no diving board or slide. The pool is a San Juan Niagara. Are pools that difficult to install? I don't mind hard work and can read and at times follow instructions, (unless you ask the wife) so how indepth is it? Is it hard to find people to dig the hole and set the pool. We live in Yuma Arizona and would get 6 months or more of pooling and could extend that with a heater. Being a newbee where can I find out what I would need and what the best pumps and filters and all other extra equipment that is needed. We have sand storms and hard water where I live. Any help would be great or connections or web links.

Thank You

[keithw]

I installed my own fiberglass pool, including excavation, pool drop, decking, etc. I took pic's of the process along the way.

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e40/keith_vab/?start=all

I didn't find it that hard to do. Worse part was the excavation. I had never run an excavator so that was a learning process. Ran into two hidden stumps that I had to work out and that took some banging away with the excavator. I also had a "friend" who told me he would take all the dirt he could get but only ended up taking (3) pickup truck loads so I had to scramble to hire a dump truck to load a bunch of dirt into. I bought a CPC pool and they supplied me with a complete install manual. Very helpful. My pool was fairly small (12x24) so I was able to move it around with the excavator to get it into the hole. You would need a crane on a large one. Also may be required to put the pool in and out a few times to get it right. On a larger one, I would recommend that your hole is completely done and tamped with sand before the pool is delivered. Arrange the crane to be there when the pool shows up. Then you wouldn't need to get the crane again. It could get it off the truck and do the install (reinstall) in one trip.

After it's in the backfilling and piping are pretty cut and dried.