Building a new home with a pool: plan the glass pool fence early

The pool fence is easiest to get right when it is planned with the house, not added at the end. Here is what to settle early.

Why the pool fence belongs in the design stage

The pool fence sets how people move between the house, the yard and the pool. Deciding it early lets the levels, steps, paving and landscaping work with the fence, instead of around it.

Levels and the 1200mm height

The QBCC says the minimum fence height is 1200mm, measured from finished ground level. Finished ground level is set by the paving, turf or deck, so the fence height depends on decisions made late in a build. Plan the finished levels first and the fence height follows.

Why late changes cause problems

If paving or landscaping changes after the fence goes in, the height or the gap under the barrier can change with it. The QBCC says the gap under the barrier should be 100mm or less. See the glass pool fence requirements for the numbers.

The Queensland pool safety rules that affect your plan

Height, gaps and ledges

The QBCC measurements for glass fences cover height, the gap under the barrier, outside ledges and stairs. On stairs, the QBCC says to measure from the tread nosing so the fence stays at least 1200mm high, which matters if the plan has steps beside the pool.

The inspector and the certificate

A licensed pool safety inspector checks the pool and, if it complies, can issue a pool safety certificate. A certificate is also needed when a property with a pool is sold or leased. See how the pool safety certificate works. Ask your builder and your certifier which approvals your own pool needs, because those depend on the job.

Frameless or semi-frameless: decide before the slab

Frameless fences are fixed at the base, and semi-frameless fences use slim posts, so each needs different preparation of the ground or edge. Compare them in frameless vs semi-frameless glass pool fencing, and tell the builder your choice before the pool surround is poured or paved.

Working with your builder on the pool fence

A builder coordinates the trades and the approvals on a new home, and the pool fence is one of the jobs to fit into that sequence. Some builders bring a pool fence supplier in at design stage. CKS Projects, custom home builders in Wollongong and the Illawarra, prefers Glass Pool Fencing Team Brisbane as a pool fence supplier. CKS works in NSW, where pool rules differ from Queensland, so check the rules for the state you are building in.

Questions to ask your builder about the pool fence

• Who supplies the pool fence, and who installs it?
• What is the licence number of the person doing the work? The QBCC says a contractor's licence is required when the value of the work and materials is $3,300 or more, and you can check it with the QBCC.
• When is the pool safety inspection booked, and who arranges it?
• Is the fence price a total or a price per metre, and what does it include?
• What happens to the fence if the finished levels change?

Common questions