Master plan or custom pool
At a glance: In the City of San Diego a master plan pool is built exactly to a pre-approved design, retains no more than 6 feet of soil and sits in native soil; everything else is a custom pool. In 2024 to 2026 master plan pools were issued in a median of 44 days and custom pools in 98[1][2].
What is the difference between a master plan pool and a custom pool?
The City of San Diego has registered “master plans” for certain pool designs so that standard pools can be reviewed faster. A pool that meets every master plan condition can be permitted from the pre-approved plans; any pool that does not is a custom pool[1]. The table compares the two, with timing and valuation from the city’s permit data[2]:
| Master plan pool | Custom pool | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Built exactly to a city-registered, pre-approved plan | Any design that departs from a master plan |
| Retained soil | No more than 6 feet, bottom of pool to top of adjacent grade (bond beam included) | Any depth, if designed for the loads and site |
| Soil | Native soil; expansive soil or fill found later needs a geotechnical report | Geotechnical report may be required depending on depth and design |
| Drawings | Master plan sheets with the site plan and sections; unused details marked “Omit” | Full plans, specifications and structural calculations |
| Stamps | Engineer or architect of record stamps all sheets | Engineer in responsible charge stamps plans and calculations |
| Median days to issue, 2024 to 2026 | 44 | 98 |
| Median permit valuation | $47,937 | $60,000 |
What are the master plan conditions?
Information Bulletin 712 lists eight conditions[1]. The retained soil must not exceed 6 feet. The cover sheet must state the master plan used and its project number. Every sheet must carry the stamp of the engineer or architect of record. The pool must be site-specific, with depths on every side and unused details crossed out. It must be built exactly as the master plan specifies, or it becomes a custom pool. The site must match the plan’s assumptions on setbacks, distance to daylight, distance from structures and soil properties. It must be in native soil. And the standard soils and foundation notes must be added.
Which one will my pool be?
The decision is made in plan check by the City of San Diego Development Services Department, but it depends mostly on the site. A flat lot with native soil and a pool of ordinary depth is a good candidate for a master plan. A hillside lot, a deep diving pool, a raised pool and spa wall, a vanishing edge over a slope, or a site with fill or expansive clay will usually push the design to custom. Master plans are established through a separate city process described in Information Bulletin 114a, so the options also depend on which plans have been registered and which a contractor uses.
How common is each type?
Of 751 new residential pool permits issued in the City of San Diego from January 2024 to early November 2026, 397 (52.9%) were described as master plan pools[2]. The master plan share slipped from about 55 percent in 2024 to about 51 percent in 2026. Of the permits naming San Diego Pools or Crown US as holder, most were master plan pools.
Why are master plan permits faster?
Because the structural design has already been reviewed once, plan checkers only need to confirm the site conditions and that the pool matches the plan. Custom pools need a full structural review and often a geotechnical report. Over 2024 to 2026 that showed up as a median of 44 days to issue for master plan pools against 98 days for custom pools[2].
What if conditions change during construction?
If excavation finds expansive soil or fill under a master plan pool, the bulletin requires a geotechnical report as a construction change[1]. That can mean redesign, delay and extra cost, which is one reason the San Diego Pools packages list substandard soils as an excluded item[3].
Questions readers ask
What is a master plan pool?
A pool built exactly to a design the City of San Diego has already reviewed and registered, which speeds up the permit.
Can a master plan pool be any depth?
No. The soil retained behind the pool wall may not exceed 6 feet, measured from the pool bottom to the top of adjacent grade.
Are master plan pools cheaper?
Their permit valuations are lower on average, but the main saving is time: about half the median days to issue.
Related articles
Notes and sources
- ^ a b c d Information Bulletin 712: Swimming Pools and Spas (June 2021). City of San Diego Development Services Department. Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ a b c d Development permits: approvals issued (2024, 2025 and 2026 files). City of San Diego Open Data Portal. Retrieved 9 November 2026.
- ^ Starting Price Point (Get Started). San Diego Pools (sandiegopools.com). Retrieved 9 November 2026.