WAHOOPool Aquatics

Our Methodology

A five-stage protocol for
commercial aquatic delivery.

Commercial aquatics leave no room for improvisation. Every project progresses through five defined stages, five formal stage gates, and continuous compliance auditing — so procurement timelines stay predictable and structural outcomes stay defect-free.

5Stage Gates
24 – 36Week Typical Programme
12-moDefects Liability
0Structural Rework Claims

The Five Stages

Every deliverable, every input, every stakeholder — defined upfront.

01

Consult

Week 0 – 2 · 2 weeks

Capability brief, site feasibility, and scope alignment before we commit to an engineering pathway.

What we do

  • Brief capture and architectural intent review
  • Desktop geotechnical and municipal overlay check
  • Preliminary hydraulic load and bather-number sizing
  • Structural approach options — shotcrete, precast, steel-reinforced
  • Cost envelope and procurement model discussion

What we deliver

  • Feasibility Memo (PDF)
  • Cost Envelope Range (Class 4 estimate)
  • Risk Register — Stage 01
  • Proposed Project Programme

What you provide

  • Site address, plans, and architectural drawings (if available)
  • Intended bather load or facility programming
  • Procurement model: D&C, Construct-Only, or ECI

Our team

  • Principal Engineer
  • Commercial Estimator
  • Pre-Construction Manager
02

Design

Week 2 – 6 · 4 weeks

Collaborative refinement of finishes, hydraulics, and integration with the master construction programme.

What we do

  • Coordination with structural engineer and architect
  • Hydraulic circuit sizing and plant room layout
  • Finish specification — tile, membrane, coping, grating
  • Safety and DDA compliance overlay
  • Services integration — electrical, mechanical, BMS

What we deliver

  • Design Development Package (DDP)
  • Hydraulic Schedule (plant, pumps, filtration, dosing)
  • Finishes Spec Book
  • Safety & DDA Compliance Plan
  • Revised Cost Envelope (Class 3)

What you provide

  • Architectural design freeze intent
  • Facility operations model — staffing, hours, maintenance
  • Preferred finish palette or precedent imagery

Our team

  • Design Manager
  • Hydraulic Engineer
  • BIM Coordinator
  • Architect Liaison
03

Engineer

Week 6 – 10 · 4 weeks

Rigorous structural modelling, compliance sign-off, and submission of documentation for municipal approval.

What we do

  • Structural calculations and load modelling (AS 3600, AS 3700)
  • Geotechnical coordination and footing design
  • Reinforcement scheduling and shop drawings
  • Building approval submission — QBCC and local council
  • Commissioning protocol development

What we deliver

  • For-Construction (IFC) Drawing Set
  • Structural Calculation Package
  • Reinforcement Schedule (bar bending)
  • Building Approval Certification
  • Method Statement + Inspection & Test Plan
  • Fixed-Sum Contract (Class 1)

What you provide

  • Executed contract and access agreements
  • Main contractor programme alignment
  • Approval of material substitutions, if any

Our team

  • Structural Engineer
  • Compliance Manager
  • Quantity Surveyor
  • Project Controller
04

Build

Week 10 – 24 · 12 – 16 weeks

On-site execution by veteran commercial foremen and specialist trades — shotcrete, waterproofing, finishes, and plant commissioning.

What we do

  • Site establishment, crane coordination, excavation
  • Reinforcement fix, shotcrete or blockwork, waterproofing
  • Tile or finish installation with specialist subcontractors
  • Plant room fit-out and services connection
  • Water balance and commissioning
  • Handover documentation preparation

What we deliver

  • Weekly Progress Reports with photography
  • Live Variation Register
  • WHS and Environmental Audit Records
  • Commissioning Test Results
  • As-Built Drawing Set
  • Practical Completion Certificate

What you provide

  • Coordination with adjacent trades and main contractor
  • Timely approval of variation requests
  • Attendance at scheduled inspection and test holds

Our team

  • Project Manager
  • Site Foreman
  • WHS Officer
  • Commissioning Engineer
  • Finishes Supervisor
05

Aftercare

Week 24 – 36+ · 12-month DLP

Documented handover, facility-management training, preventative scheduling, and rapid-response maintenance during the defects liability period.

What we do

  • Operations and maintenance training for facility staff
  • Delivery of O&M manuals and warranty documentation
  • Scheduled quarterly inspections during DLP
  • Rapid-response callout for defects rectification
  • Final Make-Good at DLP expiry

What we deliver

  • Operations & Maintenance Manual
  • Staff Training Records
  • Warranty Pack — structural, finish, plant
  • Scheduled Inspection Reports
  • Final Make-Good Certificate

What you provide

  • Nominated facility manager contact
  • Access during scheduled DLP inspections

Our team

  • Aftercare Manager
  • Service Technician
  • Commissioning Engineer

Stage Gates

Five formal approval checkpoints between stages.

No stage progresses without written client approval against defined exit criteria. Gates are contract milestones — documented, auditable, and tied to scheduled payments.

  1. 01
    Gate

    Feasibility Gate

    Consult → Design

    Cost envelope, site risk register, and procurement model signed off by client.

  2. 02
    Gate

    Design Freeze

    Design → Engineer

    DDP, hydraulic schedule, and finish specification accepted. No further scope changes.

  3. 03
    Gate

    Permit Approval

    Engineer → Build

    Building approval certified. IFC drawings released. Fixed-sum contract executed.

  4. 04
    Gate

    Practical Completion

    Build → Aftercare

    Commissioning passed. As-builts issued. Defects list agreed. Handover signed.

  5. 05
    Gate

    Defects Liability End

    End of Aftercare

    DLP expired. All defects rectified. Warranty pack handed to facility operator.

Typical Programme

A 36-week critical path with defined overlap.

Commercial vessels at standard complexity follow this sequence. Overlapping stages reflect parallelised activity where the critical path allows.

W0
W4
W8
W12
W16
W20
W24
W28
W32+
01 · Consult
2 weeks
02 · Design
4 weeks
03 · Engineer
4 weeks
04 · Build
12 – 16 weeks
05 · Aftercare
12-month DLP

Compliance Matrix

Which standards apply at which stage.

Compliance is not a handover checkbox. It is audited continuously across stages by our compliance manager and external certifiers.

Standard0102030405
AS 1926.1/2/3
AS 2610
QBCC Act
DDA / AS 1428
FINA FR5
WHS Act
AS 3600 / 3700

Method Statement

What we do differently inside the build.

Stages and gates define the frame. These six methods define the substance — the structural and finishing decisions that separate a commercial vessel from a residential upsell.

Monolithic Shotcrete Shell

Single-pour structural concrete to eliminate cold joints and substrate weakness — industry best practice for vessels at commercial scale.

Acoustic Isolation Jointing

Neoprene and epoxy isolation details prevent plant-room vibration transfer into neighbouring tenancies in mixed-use buildings.

Commercial-Grade Membrane

Polyurethane or cementitious fully-bonded waterproofing systems rated for 25-year commercial cycles — never residential epoxy paints.

Precision Tile Setting

Epoxy grout laid to sub-millimetre tolerance by specialist tilers certified for FINA-grade finishing on Olympic-class vessels.

Commissioning & Balancing

48-hour continuous-run test under commercial bather-load simulation, with documented hydraulic balance and chemistry sign-off.

Documented Handover Pack

Full O&M manual, warranty certificates, as-built CAD, and training records delivered in structured format for facility teams and auditors.

Process FAQ

Procurement questions, answered.

Do you operate as Construct-Only, or Design & Construct?
We routinely deliver under both models. For complex vessels we recommend D&C or Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) so structural and hydraulic value-engineering lands before the design freeze. For tender-ready projects we operate as Construct-Only against your consultant's documentation.
How early in the project lifecycle should we engage you?
As early as feasibility. Our preliminary memos have reshaped site-selection decisions for developer clients — catching fatal structural or access issues before land purchase or DA lodgement.
How do you coordinate with our main contractor?
We operate as a specialist trade partner with our own programme integrated into the main critical path. Our site foreman reports to your PM daily; our commissioning engineer coordinates with your services consultants.
What is covered during the Defects Liability Period?
Standard 12-month DLP covers structural, plant, and finish defects attributable to our workmanship or specified materials. Extended warranties for waterproofing (up to 10 years) and structural (25 years) are available as separate packs.
Do you handle the building-approval submission?
Yes. We coordinate with your architect or lodge independently for standalone aquatic projects. Our compliance manager manages QBCC, local council, and health-department submissions as part of Stage 03 — Engineer.
Can you compress the programme for fast-track projects?
A typical 24 – 36 week programme can be compressed to 16 weeks with overlap and parallelisation if site, procurement, and approval paths allow. Feasibility is assessed during Stage 01.

Ready to build?

Partner with Wahoo Pool Aquatics for uncompromising commercial construction. No residential scale, no pricing games. Just rigorous engineering.

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