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Yes, you will need building permits for an inground pool, and your pool installation company should pull them for you. The permit filing fee will usually sit between $400 and $1,800, and it should appear on your contract or invoice. You may want to confirm with your contractor that they will pull all necessary permits. You might also need a permit for a new fence, as many municipalities have special fencing requirements for properties with pools. A fence permit costs between $50 and $500. This expense may not be included in your pool installation estimate.

No, shock and chlorine are not the same thing, though they are related and both are used for pool maintenance. Regular chlorine, often in the form of tablets, is a sanitizer used for routine, day-to-day maintenance to keep a steady chlorine level. Pool shock, however, is a highly concentrated dose of chlorine used periodically for a more intense cleaning. It rapidly raises chlorine levels to fix issues like cloudy water or algae growth and also eliminates chloramines, which are byproducts of regular chlorination. Because their purposes and concentrations differ, they are not interchangeable, and proper pool care typically requires using both.

Pool chemical levels should include a pH between 7.4 and 7.6, alkalinity between 80 to 120 ppm, and chlorine from 1 to 3 ppm. The size and type of your pool determine additional chemical levels, such as stabilizers and pool shock, but you can get to know these numbers using our pool maintenance 101 guide.

Yes, adding a pool to your property will almost always increase your homeowners insurance premiums. This is because pools are considered hazardous, which increases your home's liability risk. The replacement cost of the pool itself is also factored into your home's rebuilding cost when determining coverage limits. The amount of the increase can vary from as little as $50 to several hundred dollars more per year, depending on your insurance company, location, current coverage, and installed safety features. It is best to contact your insurance agent before installing a pool to get an estimate, understand their specific guidelines, and factor the ongoing cost into your budget.