Building a fiberglass pool in Salt Lake City

The 10-foot fence rule helps on close city lots. Up to 6 feet the fence can be solid, for privacy. The extra height above that has to be at least 80% see-through, so think glass or slim metal pickets on top, not more boards.

Pool equipment sits at least 4 feet off a side or rear line. That's the only equipment-siting rule we found in any of our cities, and on a narrow lot it decides where the pad goes. We place it so the noise stays on your side of the fence.

Because the permit stays open until the barrier is right, the fence isn't something we leave for later. It goes on the first set of plans, gates and latches included.

Frost and freeze-thaw shape the deck. Fence posts and footings near the pool go below 30 inches, and so does the plumbing. Coping and pavers are chosen for ‘Severe’ weathering; pavers can be specified to ASTM C1645, the freeze-thaw and de-icing salt test.

With a short season, heat is worth deciding early. A heat pump struggles below about 45°F, so May and October swimming usually means gas or a hybrid heater. The automatic safety cover on every MP pool also saves roughly half or more of the heating bill.

Salt Lake City is the one city on our list that publishes its ground numbers. Frost reaches 30 inches. The weathering class is ‘Severe’. The seismic category is D2. And if there's no geotechnical report from the last two years, the design has to assume 1,500 pounds per square foot of bearing.

The county health department's water rules apply here as they do across the valley. Backwash goes to the sanitary sewer. Pool water can go on your own landscaping only when the sewer isn't possible, with chlorine under 0.1 mg/L and none of it running off your property. Fines reach $10,000 a day.

The swim season is short. Salt Lake City's 30-year normals put May lows around 50°F and October lows around 44°F, and local service companies close pools in September or October.