Understanding Your Vision: Laying the Groundwork for a Custom Pool Design

Every great pool starts with a vision. The initial stage involves discovery—understanding the client’s lifestyle needs, site potential and preferred style. Builders take this opportunity to listen, ask questions and capture your ideas.



What’s discussed during this phase:

• Purpose of the pool—fitness, entertainment, or family fun
• Aesthetic preferences—shape, depth, style and colour
• Budget range and optional features like lighting, heating or spas

This foundational discussion helps align expectations and enables your pool builder to develop a realistic and uniquely suited concept for your home.

Site Assessment & Planning: Turning Concepts into Practical Layouts

Following the consultation, builders perform a detailed site assessment. They measure and evaluate the terrain to ensure the design fits your land conditions while complying with regulations.

Key assessment points include:

• Soil type, drainage and slope of the block
• Accessibility for excavation equipment
• Sun orientation for natural heating and shade placement

Planning around these site-specific elements allows your pool to be optimised for comfort, efficiency and visual harmony.

Navigating Approvals: Securing Local Permits & Compliance

Installing Wagga pools involves more than just digging and pouring concrete. Every project must meet building codes and council regulations. Professional builders manage these details on your behalf, reducing delays and administrative stress.



Compliance-related responsibilities:

• Preparing detailed construction plans for council approval
• Ensuring adherence to local safety laws, including fencing and access
• Coordinating with certifiers for inspections and sign-offs

By managing approvals correctly, the project stays on track and fully compliant from start to finish.

Custom Pool Design: Blending Form, Function & Lifestyle

Design is where your pool vision becomes a tangible concept. Using sketches, 3D models and material samples, your builder visually represents the pool and helps you refine the details.

Style Considerations

Designs range from modern geometric shapes to natural, freeform styles, depending on space and preferences.

Material Options

• Concrete: Customisable and durable, ideal for unique shapes
• Fibreglass: Smooth finish, quick installation and low maintenance
• Tiling: Offers a luxe finish with a wide array of colours

This stage ensures that your pool’s design complements your property and suits how you plan to use it.

Excavation & Groundworks: Preparing for Precision Construction

Excavation is the first stage where your pool begins to take physical shape. Once the design is finalised and approvals are in place, construction teams bring machinery to transform your backyard. Accurate excavation is vital, laying the groundwork for every following stage. Even a small deviation in depth or slope can impact drainage, structure, or finishing.

During this phase, experienced builders follow precise measurements to ensure the dimensions match the approved plans. Attention to site conditions, such as soil composition and surface gradient, helps prevent future complications like shell movement or poor water balance.



Typical groundworks activities:

• Marking the pool boundaries with spray paint and pegs
• Excavating to the correct depth with precision
• Removing and disposing of soil and debris
• Stabilising the ground, especially for sloped or soft terrain

Though this stage can be noisy and messy, it’s completed efficiently by experienced teams anticipating common challenges.

Pool Shell Construction: Building Structural Integrity from the Ground Up

With the excavation complete, the next phase is constructing the pool’s framework—arguably the most crucial step. The pool shell is the backbone of your installation and is responsible for bearing the pressure of water, soil, and surrounding landscaping over time. Whether your pool is built from concrete or fibreglass, precision in this stage is essential to ensure structural integrity and long-term performance.



For concrete pools, this involves carefully assembling a steel reinforcement cage that defines the pool’s shape and supports the shotcrete or sprayed concrete. In fibreglass installations, the shell arrives pre-moulded, carefully lowered into place, and levelled.

Important quality control checks include:

• Verifying steel reinforcement spacing and ties
• Ensuring even application of concrete or fibreglass
• Allowing proper curing time to avoid structural issues

This is one of the most critical stages, as it forms the solid base that determines the pool’s longevity and durability.

Pool Plumbing & Filtration: Ensuring Safe & Efficient Water Management

Behind the scenes, a network of plumbing lines and filtration systems keeps your pool safe and sparkling. These systems are carefully installed and tested before finishing work begins.

Typical inclusions:

• Pipework for water returns, skimmers and drains
• Energy-efficient pumps and filtration systems
• Salt chlorinators or mineral systems for sanitisation
• Optional extras like heaters, water features or spa jets

Once installed, each element is pressure-tested to avoid leaks and ensure efficient water flow.

Finishing Touches & Handover: From Aesthetic Detailing to Client Education

With the structure and systems in place, your builder moves on to the final stage: bringing your pool to life with beautiful finishes and safety elements.

Final Styling

• Interior surfacing with tiles, pebblecrete or gel-coat
• Pool coping, paving and surrounds
• Lighting, landscaping and fencing

Client Handover

• Detailed explanation of filtration and sanitation systems
• Demonstration of lighting, timers, heating or automation
• Maintenance tips and warranty information

A thorough handover ensures you know how to care for your pool properly and enjoy it confidently.

Ready to Dive In?

At Freedom Pools & Spas Riverina, we’re here to bring your dream pool to life. Whether you’re planning a contemporary entertainer’s space or a family-friendly retreat, our end-to-end service covers everything from design and permits to handover and aftercare. We specialise in building exceptional pools in Wagga Wagga that match your vision and add lasting value to your property.

Give us a call for more information or to book a consultation. Let’s start building your perfect pool today.