Structural Engineer for Portable Pool?!

• 

  Hybroid on 29/11/2022 - 17:20

  +5

  The pool safety laws apply if your portable pool or spa meets any of these criteria:

  • can be filled with water to a depth of more than 300mm
  • has a volume of more than 2,000L
  • has a filtration system.

  In this case, you need to:

  • Get a pool safety certificate from a licensed building certifier stating that your pool complies with the pool safety standard, before filling the pool or spa with more than 300mm of water.
  • Obtain a building approval.
  • Register your pool or spa.

  Queensland's pool safety laws don’t apply to a portable pool or spa that meets all of these criteria:

  • can’t be filled with water to a depth of more than 300mm
  • as a volume of less than 2,000L
  • has no filtration system.

  https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/buying-owning-home/pool-safet…

  • Bestway 5.49m x 2.74m x 1.22m Power Steel Frame Pool with 1500gal
  • 5.49m(L) x 2.74m(W) x 1.22m(H), (18'x9'x48")
  • Water capacity (90%): 14,812 L, (3,913 gal)
  • Comes with 1500gal Cartridge Filter Pump

  https://www.bestpoolsupplies.com.au/product/1083/bestway-5-4…

  Seems pretty clear.

• 

  Jimothy Wongingtons on 29/11/2022 - 17:22

  +1

  Do I really need a structural engineer for a $900 portable pool?

  Well the value of the pool is irrelevant actually but according to this mob ( no affiliation , simply one of the first relevant results on google ), it looks like portable pool does still need approvals. Check it out:

  https://www.rapidapprovals.com.au/pool-approvals

  Edit hybroid beat me to it and with a government source!

• 

  Drakesy on 29/11/2022 - 17:32

  Seems like don't cheap out on the pool costs because the certification/additional works will quickly add up.
  If you can prove its a temporary instalment is there a way to bypass it?
  Just fill the pool to 295mm or class it as a pond and chuck some fish in there?

  Bit rough tbh, but the measures are there for a reason :(
  I personally wouldn't bother telling the council if it's temporary.

  • 

    indemnity on 01/12/2022 - 14:59

    All good suggestions that surprisingly QLD politicians have covered and will reject.

    The height is determined by the container wall - not the actual fill level.

    Temporary doesn't exist. Simply just setting up an empty container that even slightly looks like it can hold water and a person requires a fence.

    In QLD, a fish pond that fits the pool measurements is still regulated as a pool. "Capable of being used for swimming, bathing, wading, paddling or other human aquatic activities." You really need to do a lot of work to prove it's not a pool.

    OP should have just done it without asking and lived with the consequences later. $550 on the spot fine with a later court date to get another ~$17,000 penalty - but requires someone dobbing and then a council officer still takes a week to visit and inspect.

• 

  bargaino on 29/11/2022 - 18:06

  +2

  I am trying to jump through all the hoops in QLD and it just seems insane.

  That's because it is insane. The time-honoured way we deal with stupid laws in Australia is to ignore them.
  My local council says I need a building permit for an even smaller temporary pool.
  Well, what the poor guy actually said was something like "I am required to tell you that you need a building permit."

  It is the same with plumbing and electrical regulations in Australia. Nowhere else on Earth is one supposed to call out a tradesman for such a trivial task as replacing a faulty light switch or tap. What a country!

• 

  Seraphin7 on 29/11/2022 - 18:53

  Annastacia doesn't want the workers to enjoy summer fun for cheap.

  • 

    Mad Max on 30/11/2022 - 18:36

    +1

    It is all part of the overreaching and controlling nanny state. Common sense has disappeared, especially in government. The government has to justify somehow all those people that they keep hiring. So not only it will cost more in taxpayers money, but it will also cost a lot more in unreasonable and unnecessary compliance costs. That pretty much sums up Australia right now.

    • 

      Seraphin7 on 01/12/2022 - 09:02

      +1

      Australia is happy and carefree place … where there is a law, regulation, by-law, or ordinance (with corresponding draconian enforcement and penalties) to cover ever conceivable facet of human behaviour.

      • 

        Mad Max on 01/12/2022 - 18:02

        All of that is irreparably ruining the country.
        We are just lucky Australia exports mountains of coal, iron ore, etc. Otherwise we would be a paupers country.

• 

  Switchblade88 on 29/11/2022 - 19:00

  Get a pool under 2000L.

  Return the current one.

  Problem solved…?

• 

  AndyC1 on 29/11/2022 - 19:11

  Call the local council and ask them what can be done to get it approved as it seems too hard.

  • 

    Jimothy Wongingtons on 29/11/2022 - 21:18

    +1

    In my experience I have never got a straight answer out of my local council…

  • 

    Seraphin7 on 01/12/2022 - 14:10

    Council will just point you to what you have to do and specifically the penalties for non-compliance.

    Then schedule a compliance officer to rock up to your house by week's end.

• 

  bloom on 29/11/2022 - 19:26

  +2

  Your first mistake was trying to get it certified…
  That’s like asking the council for advice before it trimming a tree, opening a can of worms

• 

  PandaExpress on 12/02/2023 - 22:22

  So in the end I got it sorted. You do not need a structural engineer for a portable pool. My guess is the private certifier did not read half of the correspondence.