Pool Building & Steel Inspection Guide
Show the pool shell, reinforcing steel, clearances, bonding and structural conditions before gunite, shotcrete, concrete or other work conceals the installation.
Show Us the Pool Shape, Steel and Connections.
Start with wide views so the inspector understands the complete pool, then move closer to reinforcement, spacing, clearances, laps, bonding, penetrations and special structural details.
Pool designs vary. Your project may have different steel sizes, spacing, beam details, benches, steps, shelves, plumbing, bonding or other structural conditions. Follow the approved pool and structural plans for your specific project.
Keep the reinforcement, clearances, connections, bonding, penetrations and embedded conditions visible until the required inspection evidence is complete.
Templates may be used to build the steel cage, but the inspector still needs to see actual measurements from the installed reinforcement. Use a measuring tape to show representative steel spacing, separation between reinforcing bars where applicable, clearance from the ground or excavation surface, laps and other dimensions that need to be verified.
You do not need a tape measure in every photo. Take enough measured photos throughout the pool to clearly establish the installation pattern. If the steel layout or spacing changes in another area, include measurements from that area too.
Show us the entire pool.
Start with a slow walkthrough showing the full pool excavation, shell shape and reinforcing steel.
Make sure we can see:
- The complete pool shape
- Shallow and deep areas, where applicable
- Walls and floor
- Steps, benches or shelves
- Perimeter beam area
- Enough context to understand the overall layout
Show us the reinforcing steel throughout the shell.
Show the steel installed throughout the pool walls and floor before it is covered.
Make sure we can see:
- Wall reinforcement
- Floor reinforcement
- Horizontal steel
- Vertical steel
- Transitions between walls and floor
- Different reinforcement conditions, where applicable
Do not rely on one close-up. Show enough of the pool for the inspector to understand the reinforcement pattern throughout the shell.
Show us the steel spacing and clearances.
We need actual measurements from the installed steel cage so the inspector can compare the reinforcement with the approved structural plans.
Use a measuring tape to show representative measurements of:
- Steel spacing across the pool floor
- Steel spacing along the pool walls
- Spacing in the perimeter beam area
- Separation between reinforcing bars where applicable
- Clearance between the reinforcing steel and the ground or excavation surface
- Steps, benches, shelves and other reinforced features where applicable
- Any area where the reinforcement pattern or spacing changes
A tape measure does not need to appear in every photo. Take enough measured photos in representative locations to establish the reinforcement pattern throughout the pool.
If another area has a different steel configuration, measure and photograph that condition separately.
Steel templates alone are not enough to demonstrate spacing. The measurements should be taken from the reinforcement as it is actually installed in the pool.
Show us laps, ties and steel connections.
Show where reinforcing bars lap, tie together or connect at changes in the pool structure.
Make sure we can see:
- Representative lap conditions
- Tied reinforcing steel
- Wall-to-floor transitions
- Corner reinforcement
- Special connections shown on the plans
If lap length or another connection dimension needs to be verified, include a measuring-tape photo.
As with spacing, you do not need to measure every lap if the same condition repeats. Show enough measured examples to establish the pattern, and separately measure any different condition.
Show us the perimeter beam and top steel.
Show the reinforcement around the upper perimeter of the pool and how it connects to the rest of the shell.
Make sure we can see:
- Perimeter beam reinforcement
- Top bars
- Connections to wall reinforcement
- Corners and changes in direction
- Special beam conditions shown on the plans
- Representative steel spacing and clearances
Where beam reinforcement spacing or another dimension needs to be verified, include representative measuring-tape photos.
Show us the steel in the special features.
Show the reinforcement in any steps, benches, sun shelves or other structural features included in the pool.
This may include:
- Steps
- Benches
- Sun shelves
- Raised walls
- Spas connected to the pool
- Other structural features
If the steel pattern or spacing is different in these areas, show those conditions separately and include representative tape measurements.
Show us penetrations and embedded components.
Show plumbing, fittings and other components that pass through or will become embedded in the pool shell.
This may include:
- Main drains
- Returns
- Skimmer connections
- Pool light niches or conduits
- Other piping through the shell
- Special embedded fittings
Show enough surrounding steel so the inspector can understand how the penetration relates to the shell reinforcement.
Show us the bonding before it is concealed.
Show the bonding components and connections that are required to be visible at this stage of construction.
Make sure we can see:
- The bonding conductor
- Connections to the reinforcing steel
- Representative bonding connections around the pool
- Connections to applicable metallic components installed at this stage
- Any bonding connections that will become concealed
- Other bonding details required by the approved project documents
Start with a wider photo so the inspector can identify where the bonding connection is located, then provide a clear close-up of the actual connection.
Show enough representative locations for the inspector to understand the bonding pattern around the pool.
Show us anything different or unusual.
If part of the pool structure is different from the typical shell, make sure your inspector can clearly see it before the steel is covered.
This may include:
- Different reinforcement sizes or patterns
- Different steel spacing
- Raised walls
- Attached spas
- Special structural details
- Unusual penetrations
- Field modifications
- Anything else shown differently on the approved plans
Show the full area first, then take close-up photos of the special condition. Include measurement photos where the inspector needs to verify spacing, clearance or another dimension.
Before You Submit
Only check the items that apply to your approved pool design.
- Can we see the entire pool shell and reinforcing steel?
- Did you show the reinforcement pattern throughout the walls and floor?
- Did you include enough tape-measure photos to establish the steel spacing pattern?
- Did you show measurements anywhere the steel spacing or configuration changes?
- Did you show required separation between reinforcing bars where applicable?
- Did you show the clearance between the reinforcing steel and the ground or excavation surface?
- Did you show representative laps, ties and steel connections?
- Did you show the perimeter beam and top reinforcement?
- If the pool has steps, benches, shelves or other structural features, did you show their reinforcement?
- If plumbing or embedded components pass through the shell, did you show them?
- Did you clearly show the bonding and representative bonding connections required at this stage?
- Did you show any special or unusual structural conditions?
- Is everything still visible before gunite, shotcrete, concrete or other covering is placed?
That's It.
Submit the photos, videos and representative measurement evidence for the pool conditions that apply to your project through Permit Rockstar. Your inspector will compare the installed reinforcement, clearances, bonding and structural conditions with the approved pool and structural plans.
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