Houston, as the fourth largest city in the United States, about 50,000 Americans did not waste time moving to Bayou City, especially young professionals.
Even in 2019, the population of the city of Houston keeps growing; it represents more people buying properties. With a total of over two million habitants in Houston, many are in the market for swimming pools. Therefore, it is imperative to request a building permit.
Requirements for Requesting a Swimming Pool Permit
The city of Houston requires the builder to submit two complete sets of plans. The layouts must have:
- Name of a construction company on each page of plans
- Name of the pool owner on each page of plans
- Skimmer location
There are other requirements to request a building permit, including:
Drainage
Make sure your builder gets a copy of the plan of your home. It must include a drainage layout. In that way, they can submit a blueprint of the drainage system for your swimming pool.
Engineered Proximity Letter
As the same in Harris County, a proximity letter from a licensed engineer is required. If the construction is less than five feet away from the foundation of a building or structure, the document will determine if it is in good standing to proceed with the project.
Overhead Electric Line
If you live in an area in Houston with many posts with power lines, ensure that it is over 22.5 feet from the water’s edge. (Recommended by the National Electrical Code (NEC)).
Electric and Gas Blueprint
A layout of all wiring and gas connections, as well as other essential elements, is required for approval.
Autofill
The city of Houston requires swimming pool builders to indicate the backflow device and line size to help maintain the water level in your swimming pool.
Filter and Pump Equipment
Must be at least three feet within the pool area.
Utility Variance and Utility Easement
If you moved into a brand new, recently built home, most probably there are underground cables. Those are in a utility easement located along the fence line. When it comes to constructing a pool, builders must remember that they cannot place any plumbing, gas, drains, electrical cables, or hardscape in the easement. If they are looking for a utility variance, it may not be easy to get approval.
Topographical Survey & Drainage Plan
If your home is in a 100-year Flood Plain area, a topographical survey and drainage plan is required. The process can take up to two weeks for the engineer to prepare and two additional weeks for the city to review.
Topographical Survey and Detention Plan
If the lot coverage is more than 65% or more extensive than 15,000 sq ft, the engineer may suggest swaling and inlets on a property, which will require an additional charge.
Fill
If the property is in a flood zone, note on the plan that all FILL must be removed & hauled off to a non-flood zone dumpsite.
Hose Bib with Anti-Siphon
The hose bib with anti-siphon prevents water from siphoning through an outside faucet, helping to avoid contamination of drinking water used in your home. Therefore, the city requires for swimming pool builders to indicate which device will be in use.
VGB Compliant Drains
Check for certification markings on the cover of the drain. All drains must be in compliant with VGB requirements. If you are not sure or cannot confirm, the best solution is to replace the drain cover
Wind Velocity
If any structure in the plan is more than two feet high, it will require a Structural Engineering Report that includes Wind Velocity.
Piers or Footers
If the swimming pool will be close to a footer or a pier, it requires a Structural Engineering Report to indicate that the building is in good standing.
Overflow & Backwash Run
It is not allowed to let hyper-chlorinated water flow as per the National Plumbing Code. However, pools can connect to the sanitary sewer by an indirect drain line. No direct physical connection is allowed.
Steel Schedule on Plan
All in-ground swimming pools require steel bars to give shape to an oasis. The schedule provides information such as length, width, thickness, and the total number of bars based on the square footage of the pool.
Self-Closing/Latching Gate
As required by law in the state of Texas, the gates must be, at least, 48″ tall, self-closing and self-latching. It means that it must fully close and latch without any human intervention.
Overflow & Backwash Run to Storm Sewer
The storm drain system or storm sewer prevent flooding of streets and highways by transferring water into bayous, creeks, rivers and Galveston Bay.
Don’t miss our blog next week. We will keep you up to date with the requirements needed to have the pool of your dreams in Sugar Land. Remember that Platinum Pools has a team of experts ready to assist you in building your staycation. Call us at 281.870.1600 or visit our website for a free quote.