A good pool starts with a good hole. We dig in-ground pools for homeowners and pool builders across the valley, cut to the plan, with the dirt either hauled off or spread and graded on site.
Swimming Pool Excavation in Boise
Summers in the Treasure Valley are hot and dry, and a backyard pool gets a lot of use from June through September. That's why spring is the busy season. If you want to be swimming by the Fourth of July, the planning usually needs to start in the winter.
We dig pools for homeowners and for pool companies. One of our customers wrote this: "They do a fantastic job digging pools for us. Always flexible with schedule, professional, and great communication." We work in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna, Nampa and nearby towns.
Pool Types and How the Dig Changes
Fiberglass pools
A fiberglass shell is made in a factory, so the hole has to match its shape and depth closely, with room for a leveled gravel base underneath. Too deep or too shallow in one spot and the shell won't sit right.
Gunite and shotcrete pools
Concrete pools are shaped on site. The dig follows the pool builder's layout, with extra room around the walls for steel and forms. These pools can be free-form, with steps, benches and shallow ledges, so the dig has more depth changes to follow.
Vinyl liner pools
Liner pools need a flat, smooth floor and walls dug to the panel layout. The floor shape matters more than on most pools. A rock or lump left in the floor can show through the liner, so we clean up the bottom before the pool crew puts down their floor base. Whatever the type, we work from the pool builder's plan, stakes and paint marks. If you're a homeowner buying a fiberglass shell or a kit pool directly, have the model and the install specs on hand so we dig to the right shape and depth.
Backyard Access
Most Boise and Meridian backyards weren't built with an excavator in mind. Before the dig we look at:
- Gate and side yard width
- Fences that may need a panel removed
- Sprinkler lines, irrigation mains and power to the yard
- Trees and landscaping you want to keep
- Slope and how far the dirt has to travel
Planning the route in and out ahead of time saves your yard and keeps the dig moving. A machine crossing the lawn will leave tracks, and soft, freshly watered ground leaves deeper ones. We'll walk the route with you during the estimate.
Soil Conditions in the Treasure Valley
Pools go deeper than most backyard digs, so soil matters. What sits a few feet down decides how fast the dig goes and whether the walls of the hole hold their shape. Here's what we run into around the valley.
- Caliche and hardpan are common in Meridian, Nampa and Kuna. It takes time to break through.
- Rock shows up in parts of Southeast Boise and Kuna.
- High groundwater can be a problem near the Boise River in Eagle and Garden City, especially during irrigation season.
- Foothills lots often mean cutting into a slope, which can need a retaining wall.
If we expect something like that, we'll tell you before we start, not halfway through. Sandy or gravelly soil can cave at the edges, which matters most on a fiberglass pool where the hole has to match the shell.
What Happens to All That Dirt?
A pool produces a lot of dirt. Some of it can be used on site to build up a low spot or shape the yard around the pool. The rest gets hauled away. We can handle both. See our dirt hauling page for more.
Spreading dirt on site saves trucking, but only if there's a good place for it. Piling it against a fence or the house, or over a sprinkler system, causes new problems. Subsoil from deep in the hole is often caliche or clay that won't grow much, so it works better under a raised area than on top as planting soil.
Permits, HOAs and Setbacks
In-ground pools in Boise, Meridian and most nearby cities need a building permit, and your pool builder usually pulls it. Many subdivisions in Meridian, Eagle and Star also need HOA approval before work starts. There are setbacks from property lines and easements, and homes on septic need the pool kept clear of the tank and drainfield. We call Digline (811) before every dig so buried lines get marked.
After the Dig
Once the pool is in, the yard around it needs to be graded so water drains away from the pool and the house. We can come back for grading and site work when you're ready for decking and landscaping.
Get a Pool Excavation Estimate
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) with a 5.0 rating on Google. Homeowners and pool builders can call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate. For a quick estimate, have the pool size and type, the builder's layout or a rough sketch, and a few photos of the gate and side yard.
