Hi Dave,

Let me prefrace this with I didnt actually build my pool myself . I hired a !#$!@! company to build it for me . I was naive about the whole process and what I actually bought was a crew that came in, excavated , installed the sidewalls , plumbing and liner and left.

THings I had to do on my own or subcontracted to have done

permits
concrete
electrical wiring
landscaping
fencing - I had a fence company do this, by the end I needed to , I HAD IT

Basically everything that was needed to turn it from a vinyl covered hole into something we call a pool

My recommendation is unless you do this type of work for a living and are completely comfortable with all the tasks, HIRE a reputable company with references

just a side note : the company was taken to court by other buyers and I supplied all of my documentation to the lawyers for the buyers who won. company is no longer around