Hiring an Electrical Contractor When Building a Pool

You’ve finally decided to build that backyard pool that you’ve always wanted. You may be up to most of the tasks yourself—but when it comes to the electrical work, it’s far better to contract out the work to a professional licensed electrician with experience in wiring swimming pools.

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A swimming pool spa and patio.

A swimming pool spa and patio.

Electrical work is dangerous if you have basic understanding, but little expertise in a particular field. That danger is multiplied when working with applications near water such as pools or hot tubs. In addition, even if you are capable of handling the job yourself, the pool could fail inspection unless you are a licensed electrician certified by your state.

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Electrical wiring of pools has specialized requirements as listed in the National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 680. This specification also covers spas, hot tubs, and fountains—almost any residential installation where water meets electricity. Article 680 requirements include:

 

  • Bonding – Pool bonding is a form of grounding, but differs from a simple grounding process. Because there is so much area of potential contact between electricity and water, and so much auxiliary equipment involved such as pumps and heaters, special care must be taken to meet the higher safety standards. #8 solid copper wire is required for bonding the pool walls, and auxiliary equipment in potential contact with water must be similarly bonded—possibly including the pool deck.

 

  • Sub-Panel Placement – Your pool will require a subpanel, presumably branched off of your main breaker box. Placement of the sub-panel and pool equipment must be within specific distances of the pool. Depending on the distance from the house to the pool, there may be complications or extra expenses for a trench to bring the power from your main house panel to the sub-panel.

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That’s just two out of many issues related to electrical installations and pools. Assuming you’re now convinced that wiring your pool is a job for professionals, how do you find the right certified electrician for your job?

 

  • Educate Yourself –A little background work is essential. Even if you aren’t doing the electrical work yourself, you should be familiar enough with Article 680 Code basics so that you can ask intelligent questions about the installation.

 

Find out more about NEC Article 680, 2014 version, at this link. The illustrations give you a chance to look over the pool site for anything you may not have considered, such as the required distances away from any underground wiring, pipes, or overhead service lines.

 

  • Plan the Project and Initiate Contacts – Keep in mind that the best-qualified electricians are going to be quite busy during the summer months. Lay out your construction plan as if you were a general contractor (because in this case, you are) and lock in your preferred electrician well in advance of the expected work dates.

 

It’s not a bad idea to contact the electrical inspector beforehand to see if he or she can supply you with a punch list of items or a guide to the inspection process. This establishes contact with the inspector, shows your interest and concerns, and helps you to verify that your electrical contractor is up to speed on current code and inspection parameters for pool installations.

 

While Article 680 covers basic codes, there may be further regional restrictions and guidelines that only local inspectors—and contractors—will be familiar with. There’s no harm in asking the inspector if local codes are stricter than Article 680, and if so, in what respect. Pool bonding requirements are a popular variation.

 

  • List Vendors – Look through listings for local electrical contractors, and focus on those who list experience with swimming pools, hot tubs and spas such as Conductive Electrical Contracting. Online reviews can help you cull the list down further, as can a quick check with your local builder’s association and the Better Business Bureau.

 

  • Seek Multiple Quotes – It’s wise to ask for two or more quotes, as costs can vary significantly by contractor.  Get a Quote from Conductive Here.  Dig into the difference between the quotes, and don’t automatically assume the higher quotes are charging in excess. The cheapest deal is not always the best deal.

 

Walk through the process with the estimator as he or she reviews your project, asking relevant and leading questions as the opportunity arises. Do they seem uncertain about requirements? Do they have helpful suggestions for code compliance or general placement based on past experience?

 

  • Ask for References – Check for experience with pool installations and ask for references. Follow-up with the references and compare the size and style of project, as well as whether the project was local (and thus subject to the same code variations).

 

Based on your findings, choose your contractor and verify cost and availability before closing the deal.

 

During the construction process, coordinate with your electrical contractor and inspector to make sure that timelines are met. Schedule your inspection well in advance and in coordination with your electrical contractor. A coordinated schedule can prevent simple mishaps—for example, filling in the trenches containing the pool wiring before the inspector has a chance to look them over.

 

After the project is completed, make sure you retain the contact information of your electrical contractor. Not only will you want to refer them to others for a job well done, but you will also want to stay in touch for any future modifications or repairs such as a pool pump replacement. You know they do quality work and will maintain the high standards that keep you and your pool party guests safe.

 

Congratulations! Enjoy your new pool with confidence. You chose wisely, and found a qualified local contractor with experience installing swimming pool electrical wiring and in-depth knowledge of local codes. Now you and your family can look forward to plenty of hot summer days lounging in the pool without a care in the world—unless, of course, you forget your sunscreen.