23 yrs ago I bought an 18ft round 4’ tall above ground pool at WalMart for $150.00.. live in south Florida.. sandy soil.. dug a hole with shovel and my 3 yr old granddaughter and her shovel🥰 til we hit water (about 40” deep) and big enough around that we could walk around the outside of the pool while putting it together down in the ground (metal walls) by the time we were done digging the hole my husband was done with another project and he helped build the pool.. we filled dirt in around the outside of the pool as we filled the water in the pool.. keeping the pool water higher than the dirt we were filling in.. as we filled the dirt around the outside of the pool we watered the sandy dirt to pack it down.. we put an in ground Hayward pump and filter about 25’ away up by the house.. beautiful!!! The pool has lasted 23 years and still going (over the years 4 different liners.. I don’t take them out just empty pool and add the new liner fill back up.. 3 different pool pumps) built a deck (ourselves) around the pool.. so $150 pool got a $12,000 deck around it, we got a beautiful backyard, my granddaughter and I had more fun than you can imagine and I have memories that fill my heart beyond measure!!! I highly recommend a buried pool for every yard!!
This video answered EVERY QUESTION I had for considering dropping my above ground pool below ground..and in layman terms that I fully understood..if there was an award ceremony for UTUBE videos he would have an Oscar .. thanks from the bottom of my pool..I mean ❤️
The video might be six years old but it's the most comprehensive and informative that I have seen to date. This is a topic my wife and I have been talking about and this really helps in the decision ... Thanks and Cheers from Eastern Canada
The best part is about the pile of the dirt - "way more than you think" and "whoa...that's a lot more dirt than I thought", that's so good and true :-). Excellent video, helped a lot!
I have to tell you, I have zero plan of ever doing this & somehow accidentally ended up here. I watched this video through to the end! LMAO! You do a good video, seriously, I sat here like I was watching an actual movie! I just wanted you to know this because I was impressed. I don't have the biggest attention span anymore yet I was glued! I was actually weighing the pros and cons...I mean we do have some good packing soil, then I remembered I have zero interest in getting a pool! Good job!
George Gary I have installed 4 above ground pools so far in my lifetime. Now I am going to install a 15x30x52 semi-inground (36") . This instructional video is a must watch for this investment! The explanation of key contruction elements, Slurry mix and self-priming pump is not a sales pitch, it is a lesson in the pressure of dirt and the gravity of water flo. I saved this to review again before my installion in 2 weeks. Well done!!
Did you go with an inground pump or above for your install of 36" inground? My install is soon and we're supposed to dig down 36" and have an above ground pool pump for our 52" pool and we're not sure if that's going to be fine
Watching in 2021 and I’m amazed at how thorough and well prepared this video is! The host presented himself in such a way that I felt compelled to watch from start to finish and rewatch some of the topics that pertain to my upcoming pool installation. Buddy can you come up to New York and handle my semi in ground install?? Lol! Serious props for this vid!!
I have no idea why I watched this. I don't even have a pool nor am I getting one but just the explanation is fascinating lol. I was hooked the whole time for no reason except the charming voice.
omg I know EXACTLY what you mean. It's almost spell-binding. Maybe bc I'm from the south but haven't lived there in years, but his voice is like a lullaby haha
I'm not exactly sure why I watched it either - I already own a pool, and it is above ground. I never knew it could have been placed INTO the ground in the first place. Believe him when he says the dig results in a LOT of dirt though. The dig in our yard uncovered a rock the size of a VW Beetle when the pool was being installed.
I didn't find his voice appealing or unappealing. I am really not sure why this showed up in my TH-cam feed, and more important why I watched it. It just made me think back to when I was a kid and my aunt burried a above ground pool in her yard, and the walls bulged. She had a dickens of a time trying to sell her house like that.
Never felt that I should comment on a TH-cam Video before, but I thought this was a great video - even 7 years later. Super informative and full of great information - nice one!
I hope you make/made all your customers watch this once you made it, because I can't imagine having to "teach" through this with every customer that considers this type of setup. Great, informative video!
Fascinating! You'd make a great teacher. I just installed our first above ground pool. I had a time leveling. We had about a 5-6" difference from the low side to the high side of the circle we marked out. So we decided to dig down about 3" on the high side and use that dirt to back fill the low side. We did this with shovels (and blisters lol) and didn't really have equipment tamp the backfill dirt well. So I tried to account for that and deliberately left it higher so it would even out with settling. I got it pretty close to level! There's about a 2" difference in the water level from one side of the pool to the other. NOW I'm just trying to learn how to keep the water balanced. I've lowered the pH to an acceptable level. Added stabalizer to keep chlorine levels right. So far, I'm showing low on. chlorine and just added more. Gonna have the water tested tomorrow to see if I'm low on stabalizer or just didn't add enough chlorine to start with. I'm going to go look for more videos on water balance on your channel. I'm loving learning about pool maintenance!
this is awesome, we just bought an oval pool to place below the ground.. and I'm so glad we watched this first!! wish us luck as we are digging the hole and the rest of the process ourselves.. my husband owns a tractor and has started the digging... there is a lot of dirt already!! hope we can find a place to dump it..
Anyone else wish this guy was teaching their hardest classes in school!!? 😂 This is the best "how-to" video I've ever watched on here! No wonder it has so many views. We are installing a doughboy agp next month, hoping to be fully in ground. Excellent video!
Glad I found this video, thinking about dropping my above ground and learned about slurry mix and the fact that my current pump and filter won't work. When I contact someone to do it, I'll know what questions to ask and will be able to tell whether the person is qualified or just spouting bs. Also as the work is being done, I'll be informed enough to know that the job is done right! Thank you for a great presentation and education in this video.
Great video...we are considering doing this as the finally of our back yard reno project. Very informative with all the right information taking the right amount of time to explain. Made aware of things I hadn't even considered. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Great tutorial video. I just wanna add a perfect solution to the dirt “problem” you just put it on offer up or other local selling app for free and someone will come and haul it that same day or so! I’m serious! You won’t have a problem finding someone that needs it! And that with everything else! Want a plants rock pave etc removed? Do not pay someone! Someone needs it for a project and they will remove and hauled😅 it’s. Winn Winn for both ends! You might know this but some people don’t so there you go✌🏼🙋🏻♂️❤️
For some reason I thought this was recent, never bother to look at dates. Anyway, this is the idea my wife saw on Pinterest and was telling me about on our upcoming pool install, no no no... you can't do that.. We'll I was completely wrong and glad I am. Our deck is 6 inches higher than the pool will be so this is a perfect idea to blend the two. Also, this guy is a born teacher, I agree with the others he should be teaching all forms of math. Very impressed.
awesome video with a great amount of detail. this would allow some DIY people to know their limits and some to be able to do it. Either way this guy is allowing people to benefit from his knowledge. He is a blessing to man kind.
Chad, Insightful documentary. All concerns I’ve had since beginning my project). I’m well educated, Physical/Mechanical engineer. You did a fantastic explanation of ALL of my concerns. It was nice to see it explained through experience instead of my educated guesses. Well done sir, well done.
This is a great presentation. Here is another reason why you should take your pool construction seriously and listen to what he is saying. He is right about the collapsing earth, and that you would need a soil expert to examine your soil before you dig a hole for a pool, who could tell you specifically what you might need to do. A pool that holds water in the ground for a certain amount of time creates pressure as it settles in with all that water. A neighbor had drained their pool, and not long after that, the entire pool lifted up out of the ground. With all the work you're going to be doing to make the walls for your pool, you may as well do it right and not worry about the expensive problems later. Thank you so much for your free advice.
Excellent videos. You helped me tremendously in setting up my intex 24x12 pool. I spent hours and didn’t attach the straps to the liner. I just attached the supports to the liner. I FAILED. Good thing I didn’t fill it. I saw your video about 5 hours later and realized my mistake. I must have just skimmed through the instructions and the warnings on the pool haha
Chad's company installed our above ground pool (semi- buried in order to be level with our deck) about 10 years ago. They really do a great job and pay great attention to detail. Our pool is still up and running with only minor maintenance and repairs to be done.
A good tip on packing the dirt for backfill is to do it 8 inches at a time. If it's sandy dirt, then it probably isn't a good Idea to back fill with it, but if it is a good packable dirt, then you can do it 8" at a time. Go rent a gas powered packer from a local equipment rental place; something like this could be done in a few hours if you have a skid steer to move the dirt. You're looking at about a half days work with equipment like this, and make sure to dampen the soil as you pack it. You don't want mud; you just want damp to pack it. On the low side, I would suggest landscaping stones to make a wall, and if you do that, you need to put some small all purpose gravel that packs well, not pea gravel! If a person follows these guidelines to doing a backfill to bring a low side up on a sloped yard, it will turn out structurally stable for life. Doing this method does require some skill, though! If you don't do it properly, it will not stand up to the test of time with rainfall etc. Hope the info helps someone! This guy gives some great pointers for putting an above ground pull in the ground, either partially or all the way. They all have a little different design, so you need to know how the one you are going to use is designed, especially when it comes to accommodating for the skimmer etc. Also, 4" to 6" is a good space to maintain around the pool frame! If you leave it too small you will have problems filling that with dirt or the slurry mix he mentions. Also, you would want to cover the pool with some type of tarp when you are filling in around the pool.
Excellent video. This video is filled with great and valuable information on what to consider when dropping an Above ground pool. This video saved me hours of internet searching. Thanks.
Phenomenal detailed informative video. So many things I did not think about. I must admit when I first saw the video how long it was I was going to bypass it but I’m glad I didn’t. This is great information especially with someone considering to do it themselves thank you so much for this if you ever come to New York please let me know I too would like to have a good pool installed
man you are the smartest, most particular, the best detailer and the smartest person online that explained and answered all my questions. that was exactly what I wanted to do and you just had it all. Thank you thank you so much.
I watched this whole video - beginning to end, and found it very interesting and very informative. The funny thing is... I live in an apartment... That my friend is "too much time on my hand" Lol...
Thank you so very much for making this video. I was planning on dropping my above ground pool all the way down in my Colorado yard and you have definitely kept me from making a very long and very expensive mistake.
Put my down payment yesterday on a 24ft round, dropping it 2 ft. And this video answered so many questions and really all the videos were very informative. Including the salt water system which I ordered as well! Thank you so much for making this available!
I want to put our 25’ x 5’ft above ground pool, about 2 feet underground and then I want to put planting boxes around the pool and a set of stairs. I usually use the extra dirt for my garden/back of my property for grading. Good video!! You could also turn the extra dirt into bricks that you let dry in the sun. I think you might be able to hide the pump under some access stairs built-in on the side partially under ground. Create a door in the Side of the stair unit to access pump etc.
Excellent information. I was already aware of most of information, until you mentioned self priming pump and it isn't an option, it is required. When I researched prices I also learned something some might miss when buying new in ground pump. Most of these pumps are built to be used in a pump house/room and because of this do jot have sealed electrical systems. Rain and elements will trip breaker. So either build small pump enclosure or make sure the in ground pump is rated for outdoor use.
I sunk a 24x12 above ground pool, but I dug the hole 28x17 with an area for the pump and filter on the same level as the pool. I built a retaining wall around the pool to keep the dirt a couple of feet away from the pool wall and also built a deck around the pool with access to the pool equipment. The deck is 40x24 plenty of room around the pool for lounge chairs and a table and fire pit.
If you backfill around a burried above ground pool, if you ever empty the pool it will cave in. The walls of the pool are made to hold water in not dirt out.
Great video Chad - really helpful, lots of great information that we could follow over here in the UK :-) - we will be dropping our pool in the next few months so wish us luck :-)
I am a State Certified GC in Florida and we flip some houses on the side. The video was Very informative because we run into properties where this has been done. We own one right now that has collapsed because they did not do the Slurry. Without the pool the value of the house drops $30,000.00
Rick Endicott For a above ground pool imstalled into the ground? $30k value for above ground burried pool?We are going to be selling after the summer and tossed our above ground from last year now kids and wife want another for the summer.We are selling after the summer so me being me is looking into how to add value to my property if im spending money on it when i know its going to be sold.$30k for a burried above ground?wow thats in ground pool prices.
Lucky you. In my area (upper Midwest) a pool DROPS my home value about 30k. Not that I care, I'm doing because I want one. But this really depends on your market...
A fiberglass pool starts at $30k. That includes set up. The pool itself is actually cheap. Above ground pools are not over $5k. The ones I seen. Location and pools are a great factor if it sells the house. Phoenix homes have a lot due to hot summers as well as Vegas. It's pretty hot here where I am. I would never drop an above ground pool with no proper wall. They're made to be above ground. not in the ground.
Good lesson. Also the slurry wall concept will be less corosive to the pool metal i believe. On the oval pool the sides might like a little rebar/cage so the concrete dosent shift in during liner change. I am sticking with above ground, lol , but was very interesting video
Just like a lot of other people I have no idea how I ended up here, but I watched this video all the way thru and I was completely entranced! I was even shushin my kids during their homeschool lesson so I could finish watching it, lol. I think it's the accent. Yes more videos would be awesome maybe with some actual video footage. If you do this for a living you should consider having someone record your company doing this. But before u post it you gotta add ur narration. Ur demeanor, and how thoroughly u explained everything is what held my attention. Just a thought!🤗💭 Thanx for the video
Thank You I purchased a above pool and I had to drop it like it was hot cause the HOA was burning up! I got the city to approve the pool... I just have to complete the landscaping and some kind of decking but it’s low low low!!!
These pools are excellent! I have had three on different properties. They are worth it. *****Especially after hurricanes and hard snow storms. You can use them as extra emergency water to bathe and for toilet water if your power has been cut off due to storms. These pools have saved my family a bunch of times. Love them!
Concrete is sold by the cubic yard. a concrete truck can haul usually 8 to 10 cubic yards based on local DOT weight limits for your area. Most times there is a minimum charge for concrete and could be in the form of 3 yards minimum order. I have never had to pay for a whole truck if I did not order a whole truck. Call your local provider to get pricing and ask what the minimum delivery is or what extra charges are. This slurry mix is also referred to as Flowable Fill. You can specify if you want pea gravel added and what PSI strength you want. Keep in mind that everything needs to be ready so you can place the concrete upon arrival to avoid stand by time charges from the concrete producer. The more water you add to the concrete the more you reduce the strength and set time so add water cautiously since this is a low PSI concrete already.
Loved this video! We're preparing to have a 15x30 professionaly dropped 2' in sandy soil. I hope they know what they're doing and with this knowledge I'll be sure it's done properly. It's stressful and a big investment. I know there are shady installers out there, like any industry, but your forthright honesty is much appreciated.
@@jakehager1041thanks for asking. Unfortunately between permitting delays and two separate deck builders dropping the ball on us the project hasn't begun. Here in Marion County, Florida you need permit for ANY pool over 24" deep. Also you need permit for deck over 7" high with engineered drawings included. Should break ground in about a month...
@@jakehager1041 oh, yeah. It just so happens, by coincidence, that the Melenia pool I bought was Manufacturer approved to be buried 1/2 way. 50yr warranty so pool permit was approved. Waiting on deck permit.
@@rickcarson9423 oh man, hope you get it going. Keep me updated. I’m here in Tennessee looking to add one to my backyard soon. Got a one year old getting ready to swim
One more thing that I think would come into play would be the ground the bottom of the pool is going to sit on and how well it drains off water, especially for a pool being set all the way in the ground. You set it on top of clay or a big piece of sandstone, the water is going to sit under the pool. I think it would be a wise idea to dig a little deeper than the pool and and put 6 to 8" of gravel down and 3 to 4 inches of sand on top of it, and then set the pool on it, and get a plate packer to go over the sand to make sure you settle the sand into the gravel well. That's my opinion. You get a good rain gusher, and you get 2 inches or more of water, and that water is going to build under that pool. That's my reasoning behind it, and it just seems smart to do something to help avoid a problem or catastrophe down the road.
very informative! thanks so much. you surely gave me a lot to think about. now I just need to see if it would be more cost effective to put in an in ground pool or drop an above ground. great video.
Love the video and thanks for the information. We are going to be developing a pool project next summer and knowing that sinking the pool only 1 foot isnt a huge deal. Thanks!
The biggest issue other than burying thin metal will rot it quicker is liner replacement. Liners go bad. Once that waters drained someone has to walk on the ground around the pool and that's what will cause the ground around it to push in the wall. Especially if you backfill with gravel to run a French drain around the bottom track. It'll be OK till you drain the water for any reason. And even then it might be OK. They sell pools now that can be above, partially inground or fully buried. 10k I think... rather than 5k n won't collapse if drained unless you mess up the install.
Yeah I get what your saying. I dropped my 16x32 AG steel wall into the ground 36".. I did not think about concrete but was aware of the side pressure so I coated the steel with roofing tar, I built a 'retaining wall out of 2x6 PT lumber (also with roofing tar) and it held up for 10 years and 2 liners before I moved to another state. Thinking about building one of these again so watching your vid my friend! DMAX
Hi! I'm thinking of drop a steel pool, is need for a wooden wall around the pool or does the ground pressure and the internal water balance each other out?
I’ve seen this done back in the 80’s so it’s nothing new. They had partial in ground pools available back then with differing depths at each end. The bigger question most people here have is whether it can be done to a particular brand or style of above ground pool. If it’s a cheap INTEK Walmart pool I would not bury it more than 1/3 the sidewall depth. If your yard is not level and you don’t want to change the grade too much due to water run off this is a great alternative. Take an old pool liner and lay it down first and wrap it over the legs and up to the edge of the dirt. Keeping in mind you also have poles that can rust so consider wrapping them at the base in thick yard bags. This will help if you plan to leave some water in the bottom during the winter. If you completely drain the pool and it is buried deep than there is a good chance the dirt packed against the pool will push in. This has other benefits including two thermal and overall ascetics. So if you want it buried more than 18” I’d recommend just buying a pool liner designed for it. Like he mentioned the deeper you go the more work to replace the liner. 6” all the way around will give the pool a lot of extra stability you will also appreciate.
Excellent Chad!!! You saved me a lot of money, a lot of headaches and a lot of wasted time. Brilliant video as many many others have already commented.
I had my neighbor use his backhoe to dig a 2 foot deep hole for my pool. There was a one foot clearance from the dirt to the pool wall all the way around. He got it to 1/4" level. Added a 2 foot deck to the edge of the pool half way around. Worked great. Absolutely no dirt against the pool wall.
live in florida and my first pool was a 24 foot round above ground that was in ground for 18 years before the the walls rusted..and it had a hopper liner (deep in the middle) 6 feet. then i put in a 28 foot round above ground back down ,after digging for the bigger size . all the pool pluming is for a in ground pool. tip rust proof walls on the outside . bottum prep is the most imported step ...if you are handy . you can do this . have someone with backhoe to do the digging...after a few years the earth around the pool walls well be rock hard...i found this out when we took down the old pools . so the walls well never gave in. ......tip watch a lot of videos .....tip get the biggest pool you can affort bigger is better...............this guy is making harder then it needs to be ....you well save a lot of money............shop shop shop for your pool .
chillin after a workout, had my snack already, peanut butter , apricot jelly w/ extra pecans on texas toast, now im watching pool videos, summers in the air 👀
my family did this in mid 90s good storm came while on vacation messed up all the plumbing and pumps took a chainsaw to it broke it down and refilled the hole. was fun while it lasted more work then it was worth.
Nice video and explanation, I would disagree with your statement that you must get an in ground pump and filter if you bury your above ground pool in the ground. I just used a good quality check valve after the skimmer and before the being above the water level, as long as you have no water leaks in your pipe/hoses it works great, 7+ years this way.
I bought a 14 by 48 and dropped it by 2 feet, no side and I could walk around it and at eye level, it was nice because It didn't stick out like a sore thumb. This next summer I'm getting an 18 by 52 and also making the center deeper. Now that I have the confidence to handle the pool, Next summer I hope will be fun for fur baby and grand children.
Great video. I'm doing this in PA. I want to sink mine about 2ft so I don't have a tall deck. I want to just do a sleeper deck in Trex on my patio and extend it out to the pool. We used to have an above-ground pool and a deck for a 52" high pool is a height that is too low to have much function (underneath) but high enough that it is kind of ugly. I want to keep it all low to the ground with a fence around it.
My plan was to set up pool Mark the edges Use ditch witch to cut lines Set posts at corners Maybe some rebar Pour concrete into 4" trench Dig out center Install pool into slightly larger hole Done
What an excellent informative video! I didn't even think about the dirt type... Thank you... I also wanted a rectangular pool and now I see I have to go oval if I want it in the ground. So if I put in only 2 feet in the ground, I don't have to worry about what type of dirt I have??? That's what I understood.
Me too! No idea why I watched this all the way through - I agree with Treia Saint below - not the charming voice in my case, but more the passion, obvious knowledge and attention to detail this guy has for his pool building!
i dont know how the hell i got here but i know why i stayed. the guy in the video is a trip. definitely a used car salesman i would think. based on all the finger pointing. great video.
![Someone Drained Our Fiberglass pool! This is not good!!! [Fiberglass Pool Installation]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gYi8JTuCdmA/mqdefault.jpg)
23 yrs ago I bought an 18ft round 4’ tall above ground pool at WalMart for $150.00.. live in south Florida.. sandy soil.. dug a hole with shovel and my 3 yr old granddaughter and her shovel🥰 til we hit water (about 40” deep) and big enough around that we could walk around the outside of the pool while putting it together down in the ground (metal walls) by the time we were done digging the hole my husband was done with another project and he helped build the pool.. we filled dirt in around the outside of the pool as we filled the water in the pool.. keeping the pool water higher than the dirt we were filling in.. as we filled the dirt around the outside of the pool we watered the sandy dirt to pack it down.. we put an in ground Hayward pump and filter about 25’ away up by the house.. beautiful!!! The pool has lasted 23 years and still going (over the years 4 different liners.. I don’t take them out just empty pool and add the new liner fill back up.. 3 different pool pumps) built a deck (ourselves) around the pool.. so $150 pool got a $12,000 deck around it, we got a beautiful backyard, my granddaughter and I had more fun than you can imagine and I have memories that fill my heart beyond measure!!! I highly recommend a buried pool for every yard!!
This video answered EVERY QUESTION I had for considering dropping my above ground pool below ground..and in layman terms that I fully understood..if there was an award ceremony for UTUBE videos he would have an Oscar .. thanks from the bottom of my pool..I mean ❤️
The video might be six years old but it's the most comprehensive and informative that I have seen to date. This is a topic my wife and I have been talking about and this really helps in the decision ... Thanks and Cheers from Eastern Canada
The best part is about the pile of the dirt - "way more than you think" and "whoa...that's a lot more dirt than I thought", that's so good and true :-). Excellent video, helped a lot!
I have to tell you, I have zero plan of ever doing this & somehow accidentally ended up here. I watched this video through to the end! LMAO! You do a good video, seriously, I sat here like I was watching an actual movie! I just wanted you to know this because I was impressed. I don't have the biggest attention span anymore yet I was glued! I was actually weighing the pros and cons...I mean we do have some good packing soil, then I remembered I have zero interest in getting a pool! Good job!
George Gary
I have installed 4 above ground pools so far in my lifetime. Now I am going to install a 15x30x52 semi-inground (36") . This instructional video is a must watch for this investment!
The explanation of key contruction elements, Slurry mix and self-priming pump is not a sales pitch, it is a lesson in the pressure of dirt and the gravity of water flo. I saved this to review again before my installion in 2 weeks. Well done!!
Did you go with an inground pump or above for your install of 36" inground? My install is soon and we're supposed to dig down 36" and have an above ground pool pump for our 52" pool and we're not sure if that's going to be fine
Watching in 2021 and I’m amazed at how thorough and well prepared this video is! The host presented himself in such a way that I felt compelled to watch from start to finish and rewatch some of the topics that pertain to my upcoming pool installation. Buddy can you come up to New York and handle my semi in ground install?? Lol! Serious props for this vid!!
I have no idea why I watched this. I don't even have a pool nor am I getting one but just the explanation is fascinating lol. I was hooked the whole time for no reason except the charming voice.
omg I know EXACTLY what you mean. It's almost spell-binding. Maybe bc I'm from the south but haven't lived there in years, but his voice is like a lullaby haha
It's that ASMR effect.
I'm not exactly sure why I watched it either - I already own a pool, and it is above ground. I never knew it could have been placed INTO the ground in the first place. Believe him when he says the dig results in a LOT of dirt though. The dig in our yard uncovered a rock the size of a VW Beetle when the pool was being installed.
I didn't find his voice appealing or unappealing. I am really not sure why this showed up in my TH-cam feed, and more important why I watched it. It just made me think back to when I was a kid and my aunt burried a above ground pool in her yard, and the walls bulged. She had a dickens of a time trying to sell her house like that.
It is the accent.
Never felt that I should comment on a TH-cam Video before, but I thought this was a great video - even 7 years later. Super informative and full of great information - nice one!
I hope you make/made all your customers watch this once you made it, because I can't imagine having to "teach" through this with every customer that considers this type of setup. Great, informative video!
Just purchased a Coleman 16x10x42 above ground. I think it will stay above ground after watching this video. Thank you for the great detailed video😊
Fascinating! You'd make a great teacher. I just installed our first above ground pool. I had a time leveling. We had about a 5-6" difference from the low side to the high side of the circle we marked out. So we decided to dig down about 3" on the high side and use that dirt to back fill the low side. We did this with shovels (and blisters lol) and didn't really have equipment tamp the backfill dirt well. So I tried to account for that and deliberately left it higher so it would even out with settling. I got it pretty close to level! There's about a 2" difference in the water level from one side of the pool to the other. NOW I'm just trying to learn how to keep the water balanced. I've lowered the pH to an acceptable level. Added stabalizer to keep chlorine levels right. So far, I'm showing low on. chlorine and just added more. Gonna have the water tested tomorrow to see if I'm low on stabalizer or just didn't add enough chlorine to start with. I'm going to go look for more videos on water balance on your channel. I'm loving learning about pool maintenance!
this is awesome, we just bought an oval pool to place below the ground.. and I'm so glad we watched this first!! wish us luck as we are digging the hole and the rest of the process ourselves.. my husband owns a tractor and has started the digging... there is a lot of dirt already!! hope we can find a place to dump it..
Did you need a permit?
Anyone else wish this guy was teaching their hardest classes in school!!? 😂 This is the best "how-to" video I've ever watched on here! No wonder it has so many views. We are installing a doughboy agp next month, hoping to be fully in ground. Excellent video!
😊😊
I appreciate your honesty here and you have completely changed my mind about putting my above ground pool in the ground.
This was the most informative and logically developed presentations I've watched on TH-cam.
Glad I found this video, thinking about dropping my above ground and learned about slurry mix and the fact that my current pump and filter won't work. When I contact someone to do it, I'll know what questions to ask and will be able to tell whether the person is qualified or just spouting bs. Also as the work is being done, I'll be informed enough to know that the job is done right! Thank you for a great presentation and education in this video.
Great video...we are considering doing this as the finally of our back yard reno project. Very informative with all the right information taking the right amount of time to explain. Made aware of things I hadn't even considered. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
I'm not planning to get a pool but I am completely fascinated with this guy
Great tutorial video. I just wanna add a perfect solution to the dirt “problem” you just put it on offer up or other local selling app for free and someone will come and haul it that same day or so! I’m serious! You won’t have a problem finding someone that needs it! And that with everything else! Want a plants rock pave etc removed? Do not pay someone! Someone needs it for a project and they will remove and hauled😅 it’s. Winn Winn for both ends! You might know this but some people don’t so there you go✌🏼🙋🏻♂️❤️
Hey I like that idea. I'm constantly doing new projects and need random items. What app is this?
@@michealbarnes66 I would use freecycle or Craigslist. robert Garcia is 100% right though. SOMEONE is going to come get that dirt, I guarantee it!
Seems like some how we all ended up here by some crazy accident and we all enjoyed it. Groovy video guy.
Yeah thank God for playback speed, I watched it in half the time..
No, I was actually searching this. I have plans for doing this, didnt know how. The video is a 10👌!!
For some reason I thought this was recent, never bother to look at dates. Anyway, this is the idea my wife saw on Pinterest and was telling me about on our upcoming pool install, no no no... you can't do that..
We'll I was completely wrong and glad I am. Our deck is 6 inches higher than the pool will be so this is a perfect idea to blend the two.
Also, this guy is a born teacher, I agree with the others he should be teaching all forms of math.
Very impressed.
awesome video with a great amount of detail. this would allow some DIY people to know their limits and some to be able to do it. Either way this guy is allowing people to benefit from his knowledge. He is a blessing to man kind.
Chad, Insightful documentary. All concerns I’ve had since beginning my project). I’m well educated, Physical/Mechanical engineer. You did a fantastic explanation of ALL of my concerns. It was nice to see it explained through experience instead of my educated guesses. Well done sir, well done.
This is a great presentation. Here is another reason why you should take your pool construction seriously and listen to what he is saying. He is right about the collapsing earth, and that you would need a soil expert to examine your soil before you dig a hole for a pool, who could tell you specifically what you might need to do. A pool that holds water in the ground for a certain amount of time creates pressure as it settles in with all that water. A neighbor had drained their pool, and not long after that, the entire pool lifted up out of the ground. With all the work you're going to be doing to make the walls for your pool, you may as well do it right and not worry about the expensive problems later. Thank you so much for your free advice.
Excellent videos. You helped me tremendously in setting up my intex 24x12 pool. I spent hours and didn’t attach the straps to the liner. I just attached the supports to the liner. I FAILED. Good thing I didn’t fill it. I saw your video about 5 hours later and realized my mistake. I must have just skimmed through the instructions and the warnings on the pool haha
Chad's company installed our above ground pool (semi- buried in order to be level with our deck) about 10 years ago. They really do a great job and pay great attention to detail. Our pool is still up and running with only minor maintenance and repairs to be done.
What kind of maintenance and repairs?
He needs to teach like organic chemistry or something. I feel like this guy could teach anything
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A good tip on packing the dirt for backfill is to do it 8 inches at a time. If it's sandy dirt, then it probably isn't a good Idea to back fill with it, but if it is a good packable dirt, then you can do it 8" at a time. Go rent a gas powered packer from a local equipment rental place; something like this could be done in a few hours if you have a skid steer to move the dirt. You're looking at about a half days work with equipment like this, and make sure to dampen the soil as you pack it. You don't want mud; you just want damp to pack it. On the low side, I would suggest landscaping stones to make a wall, and if you do that, you need to put some small all purpose gravel that packs well, not pea gravel! If a person follows these guidelines to doing a backfill to bring a low side up on a sloped yard, it will turn out structurally stable for life. Doing this method does require some skill, though! If you don't do it properly, it will not stand up to the test of time with rainfall etc. Hope the info helps someone! This guy gives some great pointers for putting an above ground pull in the ground, either partially or all the way. They all have a little different design, so you need to know how the one you are going to use is designed, especially when it comes to accommodating for the skimmer etc. Also, 4" to 6" is a good space to maintain around the pool frame! If you leave it too small you will have problems filling that with dirt or the slurry mix he mentions. Also, you would want to cover the pool with some type of tarp when you are filling in around the pool.
Excellent video. This video is filled with great and valuable information on what to consider when dropping an Above ground pool. This video saved me hours of internet searching. Thanks.
Phenomenal detailed informative video. So many things I did not think about. I must admit when I first saw the video how long it was I was going to bypass it but I’m glad I didn’t. This is great information especially with someone considering to do it themselves thank you so much for this if you ever come to New York please let me know I too would like to have a good pool installed
Thank you so much. That's good it's helpful.
man you are the smartest, most particular, the best detailer and the smartest person online that explained and answered all my questions. that was exactly what I wanted to do and you just had it all. Thank you thank you so much.
I watched this whole video - beginning to end, and found it very interesting and very informative. The funny thing is... I live in an apartment... That my friend is "too much time on my hand" Lol...
Dano C. Lol the funny part is your friends right buddy
Thank you so very much for making this video. I was planning on dropping my above ground pool all the way down in my Colorado yard and you have definitely kept me from making a very long and very expensive mistake.
Put my down payment yesterday on a 24ft round, dropping it 2 ft. And this video answered so many questions and really all the videos were very informative. Including the salt water system which I ordered as well! Thank you so much for making this available!
I hope you read the part where salt water will eventually rust your metal frame...if you use salt your pull must be made of resin only
Good teacher
I want to put our 25’ x 5’ft above ground pool, about 2 feet underground and then I want to put planting boxes around the pool and a set of stairs. I usually use the extra dirt for my garden/back of my property for grading. Good video!!
You could also turn the extra dirt into bricks that you let dry in the sun. I think you might be able to hide the pump under some access stairs built-in on the side partially under ground. Create a door in the Side of the stair unit to access pump etc.
Hi, that's what I'm thinking. How did it work out. I'm in Atlanta
Excellent information. I was already aware of most of information, until you mentioned self priming pump and it isn't an option, it is required. When I researched prices I also learned something some might miss when buying new in ground pump. Most of these pumps are built to be used in a pump house/room and because of this do jot have sealed electrical systems. Rain and elements will trip breaker. So either build small pump enclosure or make sure the in ground pump is rated for outdoor use.
Fantastic video. If I would be in the US I would certainly call this guy for a quote. Unfortunately that is not the case for me.
I sunk a 24x12 above ground pool, but I dug the hole 28x17 with an area for the pump and filter on the same level as the pool. I built a retaining wall around the pool to keep the dirt a couple of feet away from the pool wall and also built a deck around the pool with access to the pool equipment. The deck is 40x24 plenty of room around the pool for lounge chairs and a table and fire pit.
What happens if you allow dirt/concrete against the pool?
If you backfill around a burried above ground pool, if you ever empty the pool it will cave in. The walls of the pool are made to hold water in not dirt out.
What an awesome and informative video. The presenter clearly knows his stuff!
Great video Chad - really helpful, lots of great information that we could follow over here in the UK :-) - we will be dropping our pool in the next few months so wish us luck :-)
I am a State Certified GC in Florida and we flip some houses on the side. The video was Very informative because we run into properties where this has been done. We own one right now that has collapsed because they did not do the Slurry. Without the pool the value of the house drops $30,000.00
Rick Endicott For a above ground pool imstalled into the ground? $30k value for above ground burried pool?We are going to be selling after the summer and tossed our above ground from last year now kids and wife want another for the summer.We are selling after the summer so me being me is looking into how to add value to my property if im spending money on it when i know its going to be sold.$30k for a burried above ground?wow thats in ground pool prices.
Lucky you. In my area (upper Midwest) a pool DROPS my home value about 30k. Not that I care, I'm doing because I want one. But this really depends on your market...
A fiberglass pool starts at $30k. That includes set up. The pool itself is actually cheap. Above ground pools are not over $5k. The ones I seen. Location and pools are a great factor if it sells the house. Phoenix homes have a lot due to hot summers as well as Vegas. It's pretty hot here where I am. I would never drop an above ground pool with no proper wall. They're made to be above ground. not in the ground.
Good lesson. Also the slurry wall concept will be less corosive to the pool metal i believe. On the oval pool the sides might like a little rebar/cage so the concrete dosent shift in during liner change. I am sticking with above ground, lol , but was very interesting video
This video was awesome. Answered all of my questions for my pool project. Thank you for taking the time to make this!
I dont have a pool but was curious. I love how detailed he is! Awesome vid.
Just like a lot of other people I have no idea how I ended up here, but I watched this video all the way thru and I was completely entranced! I was even shushin my kids during their homeschool lesson so I could finish watching it, lol. I think it's the accent. Yes more videos would be awesome maybe with some actual video footage. If you do this for a living you should consider having someone record your company doing this. But before u post it you gotta add ur narration. Ur demeanor, and how thoroughly u explained everything is what held my attention. Just a thought!🤗💭 Thanx for the video
Thank You I purchased a above pool and I had to drop it like it was hot cause the HOA was burning up! I got the city to approve the pool... I just have to complete the landscaping and some kind of decking but it’s low low low!!!
These pools are excellent! I have had three on different properties. They are worth it. *****Especially after hurricanes and hard snow storms. You can use them as extra emergency water to bathe and for toilet water if your power has been cut off due to storms. These pools have saved my family a bunch of times. Love them!
Haha yeah we have had to flush toilets using pool water many times over the years
Concrete is sold by the cubic yard. a concrete truck can haul usually 8 to 10 cubic yards based on local DOT weight limits for your area. Most times there is a minimum charge for concrete and could be in the form of 3 yards minimum order. I have never had to pay for a whole truck if I did not order a whole truck. Call your local provider to get pricing and ask what the minimum delivery is or what extra charges are. This slurry mix is also referred to as Flowable Fill. You can specify if you want pea gravel added and what PSI strength you want. Keep in mind that everything needs to be ready so you can place the concrete upon arrival to avoid stand by time charges from the concrete producer. The more water you add to the concrete the more you reduce the strength and set time so add water cautiously since this is a low PSI concrete already.
this video cured my husband's insomnia tonight thank you it's hard to get his mind to settle down
Cured mine too lol.
This guy should do relaxation videos. Just a calm, slow, delivery of his thoughts.
Loved this video! We're preparing to have a 15x30 professionaly dropped 2' in sandy soil. I hope they know what they're doing and with this knowledge I'll be sure it's done properly. It's stressful and a big investment. I know there are shady installers out there, like any industry, but your forthright honesty is much appreciated.
How did it go Rick?
@@jakehager1041thanks for asking. Unfortunately between permitting delays and two separate deck builders dropping the ball on us the project hasn't begun. Here in Marion County, Florida you need permit for ANY pool over 24" deep. Also you need permit for deck over 7" high with engineered drawings included. Should break ground in about a month...
@@jakehager1041 oh, yeah. It just so happens, by coincidence, that the Melenia pool I bought was Manufacturer approved to be buried 1/2 way. 50yr warranty so pool permit was approved. Waiting on deck permit.
@@rickcarson9423 oh man, hope you get it going. Keep me updated. I’m here in Tennessee looking to add one to my backyard soon. Got a one year old getting ready to swim
@@rickcarson9423 so it’s better to buy one that is approved to be buried for easier permitting?
Enjoyed the video but would have liked to see some of his installations.
One more thing that I think would come into play would be the ground the bottom of the pool is going to sit on and how well it drains off water, especially for a pool being set all the way in the ground. You set it on top of clay or a big piece of sandstone, the water is going to sit under the pool. I think it would be a wise idea to dig a little deeper than the pool and and put 6 to 8" of gravel down and 3 to 4 inches of sand on top of it, and then set the pool on it, and get a plate packer to go over the sand to make sure you settle the sand into the gravel well. That's my opinion. You get a good rain gusher, and you get 2 inches or more of water, and that water is going to build under that pool. That's my reasoning behind it, and it just seems smart to do something to help avoid a problem or catastrophe down the road.
very informative! thanks so much. you surely gave me a lot to think about. now I just need to see if it would be more cost effective to put in an in ground pool or drop an above ground. great video.
very informative, well explained and clearly laid out. thank you bud. Youve made me think seriously about an inground pool..
greetings from Spain
Awesome video! About to start this project at my own home in Pa and this video was very informative! Gave me a great bit of tips, thank you!
Love the video and thanks for the information. We are going to be developing a pool project next summer and knowing that sinking the pool only 1 foot isnt a huge deal. Thanks!
If I ever buy a pool it will be from this guy
Thanks for the info!! We live on a slope and dropped our pool in the ground. We have great Indiana clay!!!
Thanks for the info. I've been so undecided what I wanted to do with my pool. You've answered so many questions i had.
Great video. Can you update it including consideration for Semi in-ground pools using extruded aluminum?
This video answered a lot of my questions. Wish you guys were in Los Angeles. Thanks for your putting this video together! Awesome video
this video is very informative. whether you want a pool or not
pool guy you need to do more videos you will have a big following. keep up the good work
Really enjoyed this and it was so informative! Thank you!! Yes, I agree you should do more videos! Your voice and demeanor are made for it! :)
The biggest issue other than burying thin metal will rot it quicker is liner replacement. Liners go bad. Once that waters drained someone has to walk on the ground around the pool and that's what will cause the ground around it to push in the wall. Especially if you backfill with gravel to run a French drain around the bottom track. It'll be OK till you drain the water for any reason. And even then it might be OK. They sell pools now that can be above, partially inground or fully buried. 10k I think... rather than 5k n won't collapse if drained unless you mess up the install.
Yeah I get what your saying. I dropped my 16x32 AG steel wall into the ground 36".. I did not think about concrete but was aware of the side pressure so I coated the steel with roofing tar, I built a 'retaining wall out of 2x6 PT lumber (also with roofing tar) and it held up for 10 years and 2 liners before I moved to another state. Thinking about building one of these again so watching your vid my friend! DMAX
Hi!
I'm thinking of drop a steel pool, is need for a wooden wall around the pool or does the ground pressure and the internal water balance each other out?
I’ve seen this done back in the 80’s so it’s nothing new. They had partial in ground pools available back then with differing depths at each end. The bigger question most people here have is whether it can be done to a particular brand or style of above ground pool. If it’s a cheap INTEK Walmart pool I would not bury it more than 1/3 the sidewall depth. If your yard is not level and you don’t want to change the grade too much due to water run off this is a great alternative. Take an old pool liner and lay it down first and wrap it over the legs and up to the edge of the dirt. Keeping in mind you also have poles that can rust so consider wrapping them at the base in thick yard bags. This will help if you plan to leave some water in the bottom during the winter. If you completely drain the pool and it is buried deep than there is a good chance the dirt packed against the pool will push in. This has other benefits including two thermal and overall ascetics. So if you want it buried more than 18” I’d recommend just buying a pool liner designed for it. Like he mentioned the deeper you go the more work to replace the liner. 6” all the way around will give the pool a lot of extra stability you will also appreciate.
Excellent Chad!!! You saved me a lot of money, a lot of headaches and a lot of wasted time. Brilliant video as many many others have already commented.
his voice!!!! and his manner so sincere and real
I had my neighbor use his backhoe to dig a 2 foot deep hole for my pool. There was a one foot clearance from the dirt to the pool wall all the way around. He got it to 1/4" level. Added a 2 foot deck to the edge of the pool half way around. Worked great. Absolutely no dirt against the pool wall.
Other Optionm is to build a nice treated wood deck around the pool above ground next to the garage..
I have an in ground pool I'm not sure why I watched the whole video. Lots of great info here .
Thank you very much for sharing. I purchased a round 12' Tiffany with stainless panel and I would like to sink it two feet.
m2t
This is a very informative video. Sure wish I saw this before partially burying our above ground pool.
live in florida and my first pool was a 24 foot round above ground that was in ground for 18 years before the the walls rusted..and it had a hopper liner (deep in the middle) 6 feet. then i put in a 28 foot round above ground back down ,after digging for the bigger size . all the pool pluming is for a in ground pool. tip rust proof walls on the outside . bottum prep is the most imported step ...if you are handy . you can do this . have someone with backhoe to do the digging...after a few years the earth around the pool walls well be rock hard...i found this out when we took down the old pools . so the walls well never gave in. ......tip watch a lot of videos .....tip get the biggest pool you can affort bigger is better...............this guy is making harder then it needs to be ....you well save a lot of money............shop shop shop for your pool .
This video just saved me a ton of headaches and potential purchase of the wrong equipment.
Years ago I put the above ground pump into the ground by putting a big plastic reservoir into the ground next to the pool. It worked just fine.
Quieter too.
Amazing video! So informative and complete. Thank you!
chillin after a workout, had my snack already, peanut butter , apricot jelly w/ extra pecans on texas toast, now im watching pool videos, summers in the air 👀
Hey, thanks so much for your video. I do plan to put in a pool but that aside, your video was just simply great to watch.
Excellent. You are a great teacher and communicator.
my family did this in mid 90s good storm came while on vacation messed up all the plumbing and pumps took a chainsaw to it broke it down and refilled the hole. was fun while it lasted more work then it was worth.
Nice video and explanation, I would disagree with your statement that you must get an in ground pump and filter if you bury your above ground pool in the ground. I just used a good quality check valve after the skimmer and before the being above the water level, as long as you have no water leaks in your pipe/hoses it works great, 7+ years this way.
Hmm good point. Are there any disadvantages? If the check valve ever leaks what will happen?
Could you use 2 in series in case 1 leaked?
Greetings from New York! Love your videos! I've learned so much from you. Thank you!
I have no idea how I got here, but I watched and I liked
This is by far the best video and this guy is on is game and very informative. Great job man
I bought a 14 by 48 and dropped it by 2 feet, no side and I could walk around it and at eye level, it was nice because It didn't stick out like a sore thumb. This next summer I'm getting an 18 by 52 and also making the center deeper. Now that I have the confidence to handle the pool, Next summer I hope will be fun for fur baby and grand children.
Foxie Dog what type of pool did you use?
I like the way he says the word 'dirt'.
Great video. I'm doing this in PA. I want to sink mine about 2ft so I don't have a tall deck. I want to just do a sleeper deck in Trex on my patio and extend it out to the pool. We used to have an above-ground pool and a deck for a 52" high pool is a height that is too low to have much function (underneath) but high enough that it is kind of ugly. I want to keep it all low to the ground with a fence around it.
Yep learned all this on my own the hard way Wish I would have found this vid first
My plan was to set up pool
Mark the edges
Use ditch witch to cut lines
Set posts at corners
Maybe some rebar
Pour concrete into 4" trench
Dig out center
Install pool into slightly larger hole
Done
Need to include ground water issues as well! Great video!!!
Thanks for the video. Definitely help solidify the decision I was going to make.
What an excellent informative video! I didn't even think about the dirt type... Thank you... I also wanted a rectangular pool and now I see I have to go oval if I want it in the ground. So if I put in only 2 feet in the ground, I don't have to worry about what type of dirt I have??? That's what I understood.
Thank you so much.You are a natural instructor. I enjoyed this video.
This was super informative. Thanks for all the GREAT information!
Me too! No idea why I watched this all the way through - I agree with Treia Saint below - not the charming voice in my case, but more the passion, obvious knowledge and attention to detail this guy has for his pool building!
i dont know how the hell i got here but i know why i stayed. the guy in the video is a trip. definitely a used car salesman i would think. based on all the finger pointing. great video.
For the filter, I dug in the ground about two and a half feet and put the intex pump at that level. Pump worked fine
Probably saves electricity being a little higher than the base of the pool too!