There is a number of criteria regarding the preparation of plans and engineering when pulling a permit for a swimming pool, width, length and depth of the pool, set-backs from property lines and structures, adjacent slopes, soil integrity, retaining walls near pool wall, footings from patio covers and weight surcharges for structures on or near the pool walls.
The first step in pulling a permit for a swimming pool is to prepare a plot plan to scale showing property lines, structures on the property and slopes. The pool and any features, i.e., waterfalls, etc., are drawn in their location showing the necessary setbacks, normally five-feet to water from all property lines and the house or structures.
The next step is to send the plans to a licensed engineering company with all of the details about the pool, elevations around and near the pool along with any object that might bear weight on the pool walls and vice versa.
For instance, if there is a slope that is deemed too close to the pool wall, the engineer can design the pool with what is called a freestanding wall, which basically means the wall is built with stronger steel reinforcement. If there is an existing patio post and or footing within a certain distance of the pool wall the engineer might have to design that part of the pool wall with extra steel reinforcement to offset the weight. When waterfalls or grottos or masonry slides are built on or near the pool walls, they have their own specific set of engineering with footings and steel reinforcement and the wall of the pool around those areas need to be designed to bear the additional weight.
The pool engineer upon approval, wet stamps (two) original sets of plans and attaches original wet-stamped engineering details for any additional structures, i.e., reef ledge or beach entries into the pool, grottos, slides, retaining walls, slope details and returns them to us.
Once we have all of the necessary stamped plans and engineering details we prepare checks made payable to the appropriate municipality and go to pull the permits. Our company pulls permits in the City of Santa Clarita, The County of Los Angeles, The City of Los Angeles, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Beverly Hills and Ventura County. All of these municipalities are basically the same with respect to pulling a permit. The biggest difference is the amount of time it takes to get the permit and the cost of the permit.
When we are building a pool in the County of Los Angeles, so long as we arrive at the Department of Building and Safety before 10 a.m. to receive the necessary stamps from the fire and encroachment department, the permit can be pulled over the counter after approval and original stamps from the plan checker and paying for the permits.
Look for the continuation on of this article in the January 2010 issue of The Magazine. To view some of the most amazing pools in the world, visit our elaborate website at www.scvpools.com or our design center at 17831 W. Sierra Highway in Canyon Country. You may also call 661-250-4900.