In NSW, every pool and spa needs a child-resistant barrier under the Swimming Pools Act 1992, and every pool has to be on the NSW Swimming Pool Register. A deck changes how the fence works, so it is planned with the deck:
- The pool fence is at least 1.2 m high, measured from the deck or ground the child stands on.
- A 900 mm zone on the outside of the fence stays clear of anything a child could climb, such as a step, a deck edge, a planter or a rail.
- Gates swing away from the pool and close and latch on their own.
- A deck that sits higher than the ground around it needs a balustrade where you could fall 1 m or more.
A pool deck can also need council approval, depending on its size and height. I check it against the NSW rules when I measure up, and your pool certifier or City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland or Cessnock council has the final say on the barrier.
What changes the price of a pool deck?
Every pool deck is priced on site. These change the cost the most:
- Height
- A deck up to the rim of an above-ground pool needs taller posts and stairs.
- Decking
- Merbau, other hardwoods and composite all cost different amounts per metre.
- Shape
- Building around a round pool or spa takes more cutting than a square deck.
- Fence and steps
- Where the pool fence and gate sit, and the steps on and off.
- Access
- Getting materials past the pool and into the yard.
The quote is free, and you get the price before any work starts. Residential building work over $5,000 also needs a licensed contractor and a written contract under NSW law, as NSW Fair Trading sets out. Every job over that amount comes with one.
