New pool construction in Cape Town
A new pool is a big project and a long-term commitment. We refer you to a pool builder who covers your suburb, and this page sets out what to think about before the first spade goes in.
Start with how you will use the pool
The right pool depends on who will swim in it and how. A family with young children may want a large shallow area and wide steps. Someone who swims for exercise wants length. A small garden may suit a plunge pool that is mostly for cooling off. Write down how you expect to use it before you talk about shapes and finishes.
Think about where the pool will sit. Sun is your friend for water temperature; trees are not, because leaves and roots add work and risk. Consider the view from the house, the route children take to the water, and where the pump and filter will go so that they are accessible but not noisy next to a bedroom.
Fibreglass, concrete or gunite
Fibreglass pools are factory-made shells that are delivered and set into a prepared hole. Installation is usually quicker, the surface is smooth and non-porous, and day-to-day maintenance tends to be lighter. The trade-off is that you choose from the shapes and sizes the manufacturer makes, and the shell must reach your garden by road and often by crane.
Concrete and gunite pools are built on site. Gunite (sprayed concrete) or hand-packed concrete is formed over a steel framework, then finished, often with marbelite. The shape and size are flexible, which suits awkward or sloping sites. Construction takes longer, and a marbelite finish will need resurfacing at some point in the pool's life.
Our guide to fibreglass versus concrete pools in Cape Town goes through the differences in more depth.
Ground, water table and access
What is under your garden matters. Parts of Cape Town, especially low-lying areas near the coast, have a high water table for part of the year. Groundwater can flood an excavation and, once the pool is built, can push an empty shell upwards. Builders in those areas plan for dewatering during the dig and may fit a hydrostatic pressure relief valve.
Other areas sit on clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, or on rock that is slow to excavate. A good builder will ask about the ground, and may recommend a site check before quoting firmly. Access matters too: excavators, concrete, gunite equipment or a fibreglass shell all have to reach the site, and rubble has to leave it.
Building plans, boundaries and safety
In the City of Cape Town a new swimming pool generally needs approved building plans before construction starts. Rules on building lines and servitudes affect where a pool may go, and estates and sectional title schemes may have their own approval process. Check the current requirements with the City and your body corporate or home owners' association, and ask your builder who prepares and submits the plans. [CONFIRM: current City of Cape Town plan requirements for swimming pools, to be checked by the contractor]
Safety must be designed in, not added later. The national standard SANS 10134 deals with safety barriers around pools, and a fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate, a safety net or a rigid cover is a sensible requirement wherever children may be near the water. Pool pumps, lighting and heat pumps need electrical work by a qualified electrician, with a certificate of compliance for that work.
Time the build for summer
Most people decide they want a pool in summer, which is the worst time to start one. Builders are at their busiest from spring onwards. Planning, plan approval and construction all take time, so if you want to swim by December, start talking to builders in winter.
Winter rain can also slow excavation and curing. A builder who has worked through several Cape winters will plan the sequence around the weather.
Water: filling and running the pool
Cape Town has lived through serious drought, including the 2017 to 2018 crisis, and the City has restricted pool filling in the past. Check the current water rules with the City before you plan the first fill. A cover reduces evaporation, which saves water and chemicals. Ask your builder about filling options and about pump and filter equipment sized for the pool, because an oversized pump costs more to run for no benefit.
What happens when you send us your project
Tell us your suburb, roughly what you have in mind (size, type, timing) and anything you know about the site, such as slope, access or wet ground. Photos of the garden help. We pass the enquiry to an independent pool builder who covers your area. The builder contacts you, visits the site and quotes directly.
We are a referral service. We do not design, build or guarantee pools. The builder is responsible for the design, the plans, the build and any guarantee. Ask for these in writing.
Pool builders in your suburb
What moves the quote
We do not publish prices. The contractor quotes you directly once they understand the job. These are the factors that usually make the difference:
- Pool type: a fibreglass shell, or concrete or gunite built on site.
- Size, depth and shape, including steps, benches and ledges.
- Ground conditions: rock, clay, sand and the water table.
- Site access for machinery, materials or a crane.
- Plans, approvals and any engineer's input.
- Paving, coping, fencing and safety covers.
- Equipment: pump, filter, chlorinator, lighting and heating.
- Rubble and soil removal from site.
Our guide to what moves a pool repair quote in Cape Town explains how to compare quotes fairly.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need building plans for a pool in Cape Town?
Generally, yes. A new pool in the City of Cape Town usually needs approved plans before construction. Check current rules with the City and ask your builder to handle the submission.
Is a fibreglass pool quicker to install than concrete?
Usually. The shell is made in a factory, so site work is shorter. Concrete and gunite pools are built on site and take longer, but offer more freedom of shape.
When should I start planning a new pool?
In winter, if you want to swim by summer. Builders get busy from spring, and plans and approvals take time.
Does my pool need a fence or cover?
Safety barriers are strongly advised wherever children may be near the water. SANS 10134 covers pool safety barriers. Ask your builder to include a compliant option.
Do you build pools?
No. We are a referral service. We pass your enquiry to an independent pool builder who covers your suburb, who quotes and builds.
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