Footing options for pool deck with posts within 1-foot of pool wall

[joshl]

Hi All,

I purchased the prefabricated pool deck in the link below. Our city inspector is requiring 4-ft deep x 12" diameter footings under the posts. Unfortunately, 3 of the 8 posts will be within 12" of the pool wall itself. I e-mailed the inspector to see if there was an alternative, as I'd prefer not to auger a hole right next to the pool, and he recommended "1-full footing" instead. Anybody know what that means? I'm waiting to hear back from the inspector with clarification, but he's not very responsive. I figure someone on here may have an idea. The specs on the fabricator's website do not require footings, only concrete blocks under each post.

Model FD | Vinyl Works Canada

Any help would be appreciated...thanks!

 

[magiteck]

I’m not familiar with the term, but giving you a bump.

I’m not sure where in Wisconsin you are, but at least in my city frost-depth footings are not required for a freestanding deck; a minimum 1-foot depth is acceptable.

I would ask the inspector to clarify what he means by “1-full-footing” and also confirm whether they require the 48 inch depth even though the deck is freestanding, not attached to a structure and not serving as a dwelling exit.

 

[Newdude]

I wouldn't worry about the holes at all. Chances are they would be a good deal more than 12 inches away from the posts, and within a couple of hours, the cement would be harder than the ground around it.

Can you send them the link to see if this deck applies to the traditional reasons for footers, like Magitek is suggesting ? The inspector probably doesn't see many of these and likely had a different idea in his head.

 

[joshl]

I realize I didn't respond to this one at all. I convinced the inspector to allow me to use a concrete block under the posts, instead of footings, for the posts adjacent to the pool. Which is good since a couple of the posts ended up a few inches from the pool itself. And there's also concrete blocks buried under the pool posts that would have conflicted.

 

[tim5055]

Thanks for checking back in.

Did he explain what he meant by “1-full-footing”

 

[joshl]

Thanks for checking back in.

Did he explain what he meant by “1-full-footing”

Yes, he meant a full trench across, but it still had to be 4-ft deep and 12-inches wide...so I don't know how that would have helped my situation by making an even bigger hole that would have undermined the pool.