Adding a pool after the house is built: planning the fence

Adding a pool to an existing home means fitting the fence to what is already there.

Start with what is already there

An existing house has fixed levels, paving, steps and garden beds. The pool fence has to work with them. The QBCC says the minimum fence height is 1200mm, measured from finished ground level, so look at the finished levels around the pool position first.

Order of works

1. Get advice on approvals before you commit. Ask your certifier or council what applies to your pool.
2. Agree the pool position and the finished levels around it.
3. Dig and build the pool, then set the paving or surround.
4. Install the fence once the finished levels are known, so the height and gaps are right.
5. Book the pool safety inspection.

Choose the fence style before the surround

Frameless glass is fixed at the base and semi-frameless glass sits between posts, and each needs different preparation of the edge or surround. See frameless vs semi-frameless glass pool fencing and decide before the paving is laid.

Gaps and footholds

The QBCC says the gap under the barrier should be 100mm or less and there should be no accessible ledge greater than 10mm on the outside. Existing walls, steps and planters near the pool position can create footholds, so look at them early. See the glass pool fence requirements.

Talk to your builder first

If a builder is doing related work, such as an extension or a new deck, bring them into the pool plan early so the finished levels line up. CKS Projects (Wollongong builders) is an example of a builder that takes on renovations and extensions in NSW, where pool rules differ from Queensland, so check the rules for your own state.

Common questions