When it comes time to sell your home, an in-ground pool could be a real negative factor in this market, says Zillow. It is definitely a negative if the pool needs substantial maintenance or renovation. Take care of those pool renovations early, both for your enjoyment of the pool and for the potential home sales in the future. Make sure you find the best concrete contractor so you can be confident that the changes you make will last a long time until you want to sell your house. Make it an easier project by following these tips for getting ready for the contractor.

Clear the Way

Many people build a pool and then spend the next year or more landscaping and building fencing around it for privacy. The pool remodeling company will need to get to the pool, perhaps with heavy machinery and trucks. Find the best route for them and clear any landscaping in the way. You may have to relocate a few plants so they won’t be damaged. If you have sectional fencing, it will be easy to remove the portion that’s in the contractor’s way. If not, then you may have to tear down part of the fence and repair it later.

Making Way for Waste

If the remodel will require removal of concrete or tile, you or the contractor will make arrangements for a container for the material. A company like Next Day Dumpsters can deliver a container and place it in the street, your driveway or the yard by the pool.

If it is on the street, get permission from the city to put signs up restricting parking around the dumpster. If it is to sit in your yard or driveway, ask the service how best to protect those surface so they are not damaged. A couple of 2 inch by 10 inch planks laid down parallel for the dumpster to rest on can prevent big holes in the yard or a chipped driveway surface.

Good Communication Prevents Surprises

Pool remodeling can be quite noisy. Let your neighbors know what you are planning and the dates. Tell them about the dumpster and any heavy machinery that may get unloaded on the street. Projects that will take several days could mean trucks and machinery are left parked in the neighborhood overnight and the weekend. The more heads-up you give your neighbors, the more understanding they will be.

Again, make sure you communicate with the local city officials, especially if there is big machinery involved. Anything that potentially obstructs traffic may need the cooperation of the police to manage. Large trucks that deliver concrete could stop traffic – having someone there to direct traffic will keep everyone safe.

Be Aware of Hazardous Materials

American Pools Resurfacing says that for certain procedures, fiberglass and other resins may be used to seal or resurface a pool. Put signs up around the pool when chemicals are being used warning neighbors to stay away. Keep your doors and windows closed. Anyone who is especially sensitive to chemical should stay far away from the pool when this work is being done.

Preparing for the Contractor

A few days before the work crew arrives, drain your pool. Follow the city guidelines for emptying the pool into the city drainage system. If you have not contracted for a pool surface cleaning, then wash all of the surfaces with a mild bleach solution and let them to dry in the sun.

Move all pool furniture out of the way. Make sure the access is clear through fences and landscaping as discussed earlier. Take photos of the pool, the pool surfaces and surrounding area. This will help you if the contractors damage those surfaces in the process of doing their work.

The day before the work is to start, put up “No Parking” signs where appropriate and prepare the spaces where a dumpster may sit. The work can be dusty if tile and concrete need to be torn up. Cover the landscaping and windows on the side of the house facing the pool to help with clean up later.