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I just bought a 15' x 42" quick set up pool with the steel frame from Walmart. My neighbor just mentioned that I should find out if I need a permit to put it in my backyard. It's not like a real pool I had professionally installed. Please help....my 5 yr old is harrassing me about getting it up right now, but I need to have an answer first.
I just bought a 15' x 42" quick set up pool with the steel frame from Walmart. My neighbor just mentioned that I should find out if I need a permit to put it in my backyard. It's not like a real pool I had professionally installed. Please help....my 5 yr old is harrassing me about getting it up right now, but I need to have an answer first.
Hi all, I just bought a 15' x 42" quick set up pool with the steel frame from Walmart. My neighbor just mentioned that I should find out if I need a permit to put it in my backyard. It's not like a real pool I had professionally installed. Please help....my 5 yr old is harrassing me about getting it up right now, but I need to have an answer first. Thanks so much
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Paolella
You need a permit. Call the town.
And you may also need a 4' fence surrounding it.
(Required when I installed my pool twenty years ago.)
I learned this lesson the fun way. ANY "pool" in NJ that is deeper than 12" and is designed to be a permanent or semi-permanent installation needs to have a permit and meet all necessary safety guidelines.
This $200 Walmart pool...
...requires the exact same permitting and safety features as this $20,000+ inground pool...
My wife wanted to get one of those cheap pools with the filter and a cover for the kids to play in. We figured we could set it up and it would be good for them for the summer. If we only got one year out of it, that would be fine with us. We bought a $300 version from Toys R' Us. My wife picked it up and thankfully had the presence of mind to not open the box when she saw some fine print stating "Local laws may require permit. Check with local government before setting up."
She called me and I called the Township. According to them every town in NJ must at least meet the base standards established by the state. My town uses the base standards and that means that for anything greater than 12" deep that is a permanent or semi-permanent fixture you need a permit. In order to get the permit you need an appropriate fence, self-locking gate with latches at a certain height, a site survey showing the layout of the pool and you need to have the electric certified for the filter.
We have a 6' fence and changing the latches wouldn't have been a big deal, but getting a site survey and electrical contractor out would have been. All told, the permit process would have taken at least several weeks and ended up costing me as much as the pool. Failure to get a permit and just putting it up carries some very hefty fines if you're caught.
We were thankfully able to return it to Toys R' Us since it was unopened. They were of course fully aware that permits were needed, but there was no signage in the store, online or warning given at checkout that this was the case. We ended up buying an inflatable water slide with splash down pool that the kids have had a blast with. It was a little more expensive than the pool, but I think they are liking it more. The splash down area has an 18"-24" pool, but since it is taken down every night, no permit is needed.
Until the township happens by, finds the pool, slaps you with a $500 fine and forces you to immediately take it down. I'm sure you would hold off the onslaught of inspectors with your AR-15 while screaming "Remember Ruby Ridge!!!", but some of us would rather just not deal with the potential hassle.
Until the township happens by, finds the pool, slaps you with a $500 fine and forces you to immediately take it down. I'm sure you would hold off the onslaught of inspectors with your AR-15 while screaming "Remember Ruby Ridge!!!", but some of us would rather just not deal with the potential hassle.
Anything in plain view of the public is tough. My neighbors in Hawthorne had one up and the town made them take it down( they didn't hit them with a fine though). You can take a lot more liberties with work inside your house than outside. I'm not advocating not getting permits for work, I'm just saying that it's easier to skirt the system with things not outside( like decks, roofs, siding, pools, fences and driveways) since town inspectors drive around regularly looking for this stuff.
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And a fence?
