A new pool in Central Florida needs a building permit from your city or county, a safety feature that meets Florida's pool safety law, and often approval from your HOA before the permit is filed. The build then moves through stages from layout to start-up. Which office issues the permit depends on your address, and we confirm that at the estimate.
Who issues the pool permit, the city or the county?
It depends on where the house sits. Homes inside city limits, such as Orlando, Winter Park or Kissimmee, generally go through that city's building department. Homes in unincorporated areas go through the county. Two neighbors with different mailing addresses can end up with different offices, so the mailing address alone does not settle it.
We do not guess. If your job needs a permit, we tell you at the estimate and list it in the proposal, along with the engineering the application calls for. That way you know the office, the paperwork and the cost before you sign.
Do you need HOA approval first?
If your home is in a homeowners association, almost certainly yes. Much of Central Florida is built in planned communities, and many associations require an architectural review before any construction. Some also set rules about fences, equipment placement, work hours and where trucks can park.
You submit the HOA application as the owner. We supply what the committee wants to see: the drawings, specifications and finish samples. Start this early, because association review schedules vary and a permit application often waits on the approval letter.
- Ask your HOA for the architectural application and its schedule.
- Ask about required fencing, screening and equipment screening.
- Ask about construction access and any deposit for damage to common areas.
What does Florida's pool safety law require?
Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requires a new residential pool to have at least one approved safety feature. The usual options are a barrier such as a fence, an approved safety pool cover, or alarms on the house doors and windows facing the pool. Some homes combine more than one.
Which option fits depends on the house. A home with doors opening directly to the pool is a different case from a fenced yard. We talk this through at the estimate so the choice is planned into the design and the proposal, not added late. The final requirements are confirmed with your building department, so ask us what applies to your address.
Timing is the part owners ask about most. Permit review times, HOA meeting schedules and inspector availability are outside any builder's control, and they change through the year. We do not quote a duration here. We give you a schedule with the estimate, and we update you when an approval or inspection moves it.
What do inspections look like in general terms?
A pool is inspected at key points while it is being built, before the work is covered up. Inspectors typically look at the structure and steel before concrete goes in, the plumbing and electrical work including bonding, and the finished pool and safety feature at the end. The exact checkpoints vary by jurisdiction, so we do not promise a count.
The practical point for you is scheduling. Work stops at an inspection point until it passes. That is normal, and it is one reason timelines depend on your jurisdiction, the season and the size of the project. We give you a schedule with the estimate and tell you what is waiting on what.
What are the stages of a pool build?
Every pool is different, but a concrete pool follows the same general order.
- Design and estimate. We visit your yard, talk through the plan and write an itemized estimate.
- Drawings and approvals. Engineering, HOA review and the permit application, where your job needs them.
- Layout and excavation. The shape is marked out and the dig begins. In Central Florida this is where sandy soil and the water table matter most.
- Steel and plumbing. Reinforcing steel goes in, then the plumbing and, where planned, feature lines.
- Shell. The structure is sprayed or poured as gunite or concrete and left to cure.
- Tile and coping. The waterline tile and edge material are set.
- Deck and equipment. Decking, electrical, and the pump, filter and sanitation go in.
- Interior finish. Plaster, quartz or pebble is applied.
- Fill and start-up. The pool is filled, balanced and brushed, and you get a walk-through of the equipment.
The order can shift. Rain, inspections and material deliveries all move things. We explain changes as they happen.
What can surprise a homeowner?
Most surprises come from what is below the ground or what the paperwork requires. Soil that behaves differently than expected, buried lines, a high water table, an easement that limits where the pool can sit. Hidden underground conditions found during the work are not part of a fixed price. If we find one, we explain it before continuing, and you decide with the facts in front of you.
The second source is the HOA. A request for changes can reset the review, so give them complete drawings the first time.
How do you pay through all of this?
The money follows the build. You reserve a start date with a small deposit, generally under 5% of the contract. If the project needs engineering or permit drawings, you pay for them at the time we order them. After that, payments are staged and tied to work done on site. When no crew is working, no payment is due.
What should you gather before the estimate visit?
A few items speed things up. Have your property survey if you have one, since it shows setbacks and easements. Bring your HOA rules and any neighborhood guidelines. Know where the main electrical panel and your irrigation controls are. Think about where you would like the pool, and what you want to keep, such as a tree or a play area. Photos of your yard texted to (689) 225-1200 give us a first look before we arrive.
How do you get started?
Start with the estimate, because the plan, the permit path and the HOA package all grow from it. Read our overview of new pool construction, and see what drives the cost of a new pool if you are still budgeting. Building a pool with a spa? See pool and spa combinations.
We work across Orlando, Kissimmee, Winter Garden and the rest of the region. Call or text (689) 225-1200, and we reply within 1 business day.
Thinking about new pool construction?
Custom concrete pools designed around your yard, built in stages, and paid for as the work happens.