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—Building a new pool

Ordering pool and landscaping work

Landscaping finished before the pool is built is often undone by it. The order of work decides how much is redone.

Building a pool involves machinery, spoil and materials crossing the garden. Lawns, planting, irrigation and paving laid before the pool will be disturbed. The usual sequence is pool structure first, then hardscape such as decks, paths and walls, then irrigation and planting. Pool equipment cable and pipe ducts are laid before decks.

Construction guides follow a new pool from the first idea to the first swim, so each stage is easier to plan and to question.

Planting near a pool needs thought: some trees drop leaves into the water; aggressive roots can damage pipes; irrigation spray can affect the deck and water balance. Drainage around the deck must direct water away from the pool. Coordinating designers and contractors avoids conflicts.

01Summary

What matters most here

  • Pool first

    Then hardscape, then planting.

  • Ducts before decks

    Pipes and cables laid in advance.

  • Choose plants carefully

    Leaves and roots affect pools.

02Detail

Coordination points

  • Access routes

    Keep the route machinery uses clear of new planting and paving until excavation, concrete and heavy deliveries are finished.

  • Irrigation

    Route lines and spray away from the pool.

  • Drainage

    Deck falls away from the water.

  • Lighting

    Garden and pool lighting planned together.

  • Spoil and levels

    Excavated soil is sometimes reused to shape the garden; agreeing this early avoids removing material the landscaper later needs to bring back.

03Before you start

Before starting

  • Agree the sequence

    Between pool and landscape contractors.

  • Mark existing irrigation

    To avoid damage.

  • Choose plants

    Suited to poolside.

—In practice

How to use this

Agree a sequence before anything is planted: pool structure and buried pipes and ducts first, then hardscape such as decks and walls, then irrigation and planting last. Lay ducts for pool cables and future garden lighting before paving goes down. If landscaping must happen first, plan protected routes for machinery and accept that some reinstatement will be needed.

Mistakes worth avoiding

Planting before the pool is built
New planting along the construction route is usually destroyed by machinery and spoil. Plant last, once heavy work has finished.
Forgetting spare ducts
Cables added after paving mean lifting finished slabs. Laying spare ducts early costs little and saves disruption later.

04FAQ

Common questions about this

Can landscaping be done at the same time?
Some parts can, but heavy pool work usually comes first.
Which trees are a problem near pools?
Those that shed a lot or have invasive roots.
Should irrigation run near the deck?
Keep spray away from the deck and pool.
Who coordinates?
Agree one party to coordinate the sequence.
Can the deck be laid before planting?
Usually yes. Decks and paths are hardscape and normally come before planting and final irrigation.

05Read next

More pool guides on this

Filed under new pool construction. Every pool guide is listed on the pool guides page.

—NEXT

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Tell us about your landscaping plans. We will suggest how to sequence the work.

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