An Allcast plunge pool fits in most small backyards and tight access sites.
Additionally, the shell is manufactured off-site and delivered in one piece, it avoids weeks of on-site trades. It arrives, gets craned into position, and is installed in under 48 hours.
Here’s what affects whether a precast pool will work for your specific site…
What makes precast pools suitable for small or awkward sites?
The key advantage is that an Allcast plunge pool arrives complete. There’s no on-site forming, pouring, or curing, which means tradespeople aren’t working in your backyard for weeks or even months sometimes. The pool is lowered in from above by crane, which means the footprint of the install process is far smaller than a poured concrete or shotcrete build.
This makes precast particularly well suited to:
- Narrow side access where a full construction crew can’t easily operate
- Compact courtyards where there’s limited room to maneuver machinery
- Terraced or sloped blocks where excavation needs to be precise
- Properties where disruption needs to be minimized
What is the smallest backyard a precast plunge pool can fit in?
The answer depends on two things: the size of the pool itself and the access available for crane delivery. Allcast’s smallest pool, the 2.5m wide round Harmony or the 2.48m square Zen, are both designed specifically for compact spaces. They are pools with smaller footprints than most other round, rectangular or square options, which makes it a practical choice for courtyards, narrow blocks, and townhouse backyards.
The access question is separate from pool size. Even a small pool needs enough clearance for a crane truck to get within reach of the install location. Allcast assesses access during a free site visit before you get a quote, so there are no surprises on delivery day.
What access does a precast pool delivery require?
The crane needs to be able to reach the install location from the street or driveway. This typically means:
- A clear path wide enough for the truck to park close to the property boundary
- No overhead obstructions, such as powerlines or large trees, directly above the delivery path
- Ground firm enough to support the crane truck’s weight during the lift
Tight access doesn’t automatically rule out a precast pool. Allcast has installed pools in sites that look difficult on paper, side access as narrow as a single gate width in some cases, because the crane does the heavy work rather than a construction crew. The site visit is how we confirm what’s possible before anyone commits to anything.
Does a small backyard affect the pool position?
Yes, in the sense that the pool position needs to work with the access route for delivery. The pool can’t be placed somewhere the crane can’t reach. Beyond that, position is about how the pool sits within your space, and that’s worth thinking through before the site visit so you can talk it through with the team on the day.
Things worth considering early: how close to the house you want the pool, where the plumbing and electrical connections will run from, and how the pool will connect to any future paving, decking, or landscaping.
Can a precast pool work on a sloped block?
Yes. Sloped blocks add engineering considerations, retaining walls and structural fill in some cases, but they don’t rule out a precast concrete plunge pool. The pool shell itself is engineered to perform in a range of ground conditions, and precast concrete is well suited to sites where the ground needs more preparation because the structural integrity of the shell is already established before it arrives.
A sloped block is worth flagging early so the site assessment can account for it and the quote reflects any additional preparation needed.
P.S. It is important to mention that our pools cannot be used as a retaining wall, due to the necessity of equilateral pressure on all sides to retain the integrity of the shell walls.
What about pools for townhouses or units?
Precast pools are a popular choice for townhouses and unit developments for the same reasons they work on tight residential sites: minimal on-site disruption, fast installation, and a compact footprint during the build process. If you’re a builder or developer rather than a homeowner, Allcast works with both.
Ready to find out if your site works?
Book a free site visit with Allcast and we’ll assess your access, talk through pool options for your space, and give you a quote that accounts for your site conditions from the start.
