Winter has arrived pretty quick this year and you may already be dreaming about the warm weather returning. And that’s fine because we are too!
With summer comes the ability to spend more time outside enjoying the weather, being more active, and even relaxing. There’s so much more to do during the summer, including what we’re here to discuss in this article.
You see, swimming pools are a “want” for a lot of people because they combine the ability to do what we just mentioned: enjoy the weather, be active, relax, and much more! But, in order to be able to do that, you have to build the pool first.
Many may think that inground pools can only be built in the spring or summer, which actually isn’t true.
What is true is that the conditions are much better in the spring and summer for building an inground pool, but you can still build one in the winter. Sure, the conditions may cause some bumps in the road, but it can still be done—and that’s what we’re going to discuss in this article.
Advantages of Building a Pool in the Winter
It’s definitely more common to build an inground pool in the spring or summer, especially here in the Midwest. So, if you CAN coordinate with your pool builder to build your new pool during the winter (most builders do not build in the winter), you may reap some benefits that you otherwise wouldn’t if you build your pool during the spring or summer.
Decreased Cost
Probably the greatest advantages of building a pool in the winter is that it is less expensive to do so than in the spring or summer. You see, the spring and summer are the prime months for building inground pools because many families are considering options for summer fun. Therefore, the demand is higher, making the cost higher.
But, if you build a pool in the winter, you may see decreased costs because it is the “offseason.”
The winter months aren’t exactly the prime times for pools to be built, but it can still be done as safely, correctly, and efficiently as it would during pool season—the decreased cost is a bonus!
More Time to Repair Property
It’s no secret that your backyard with be in disarray during the construction process of your brand new pool, but if done in the winter, you’ll have more of a grace period to get your yard back to good condition.
Under conditions like those of the spring and summer, you’d likely want to use your pool as soon as possible after the construction process is completed. So, you may be enjoying your pool in a yard that is recovering from the process (not exactly the sight you’d want guests to see).
However, if you build a pool in the winter, there is plenty of time between the completion of the project and the beginning of pool season to get your backyard looking as good as new.
No one is really going to be in your backyard for an extended period of time during the winter so it’s as good of a time as ever to get construction done. Plus, it might be covered by snow here in the Midwest!
Ready to Use by Summer
As we said earlier, there’s plenty of time separating the completion of a pool project in the winter and the beginning of pool season. And that means that even though it may take longer to complete a pool project during the winter because of weather delays, your pool will be ready before it’s time to open for the summer.
So, instead of waiting for you pool to be ready for you to use during the precious time you could be using it, you’ll already be using it!
Disadvantages of Building a Pool in the Winter
Pretty much the only disadvantage of building an inground pool in the winter is the weather.
Cold weather may not be the most ideal to complete construction in because of the conditions we’re about to list. However, they are only bumps in the road and can be maneuvered around to get to the finish line!
Frozen Earth or Snow
As we know, temperatures below freezing and snow are fairly common occurrences here in the Midwest. Both make it difficult to continue construction and may delay the process.
Snow does so for obvious reasons as it may stick to the ground and build up quickly, causing the pool builder to hold off on excavation.
On the other hand, frozen earth would prohibit the builder from excavating the hole because the final dimensions would not be correct and the hole likely wouldn’t be level.
So, it’s a good idea to plan according to weather forecasts or wait for the ground to melt if it happens to freeze right before the excavation is planned.
Equipment Can Freeze
Freezing temperatures can also take a toll on important pieces of equipment needed to complete an inground pool.
For example, if your builder attempts to construct the plumbing of the pool in freezing temperatures, the piping can freeze. Therefore, it can become brittle and possibly break, creating more work and extra expenses. And since the plumbing leads to the filter systems, it can experience damage as well, increasing the expenses for repairs or even replacements.
Is the Risk Worth the Reward?
There is a definite risk to building an inground pool in the winter, but there are rewards that come with that risk. Like we said, you’ll save some money, have enough time to complete the project, and be able to swim by the next pool season.
However, you shouldn’t have your inground pool built in the dead of winter when conditions are the worst.
You learned about the possible risks—and they’re no joke. This is why we at Royal Pools and More halt our construction around the end of November to avoid the times when winter is the harshest. The end of November here in the Midwest sees temperatures around the 40s-50s—warm enough to continue construction safely.
Once December comes, we usually see temperatures drop below 40 degrees and even below freezing, so we don’t book any pools for that time because the conditions are not appropriate for our construction crews or the pool itself.
And don’t even get us started about January and February.
So, in the end, we continue construction until we know it is not safe to do so. We don’t want to damage your investment or your checkbooks, and we know you don’t want to either!
As we all know, weather is always fluctuating here in the Midwest, so we take all of the necessary precautions and possible situations into account when booking for the year.
If you have any further questions about booking a pool, give us a call at (219)-322-2797!
