Swimming Pool & Spa
Retailers, Contractors & Engineers
Your choice is likely to be dictated by how much cash you’ve decided to spend, how quickly you want your pool, and who’s going to use it.
If you’re a grandparent wanting to entertain young grandchildren, then a constant-depth 2m-deep pool is likely to be a bad idea – whereas an elongated version of one of the new-generation wooden above-ground pools would be ideal for splashing around in on those hot summer days, while also providing a good swim when the grandchildren are a bit older.
On the other hand, if you’re spending the kids’ inheritance and have decided to go for a glory with an indoor heated pool accessible from the house, be prepared for the cost to go well into six figures.
For an outdoor pool, think carefully about where you’re going to site it. Try to position it so that it is in full sun from midday onwards on a summer’s day to get the maximum benefit from the sun’s natural warmth (remember to take note of where shadows from trees and nearby buildings fall later in the afternoon and early evening). Think about privacy from the neighbours, too.
Try to keep your pool as far away as possible from any overhanging trees – otherwise you’re likely to spend half your time fishing out leaves and other debris from the pool to make it an attractive prospect to swim in. That’s where a pool cover is an indispensable pool accessory (see the section on Pool Covers).
If you’re in a rural area, consider where you’re going to discharge the water from your pool if you need to empty it for any reason. Even a relatively small pool will contain several thousand gallons of water, and you won’t want that quantity of water going into a septic tank…
Your timescale may have a significant bearing on which pool you opt for. Most pool contractors who build high-quality indoor or outdoor pools will probably be booked up for a year ahead or even longer, with construction time for each project measured in months rather than weeks.
Opt for a panel pool or one-piece pool, though, and you could be up and running in days rather than weeks – a length of project that pool contractors may be able to slot in between much larger jobs.
And if you’re feeling like taking on a challenge and are blessed with DIY skills, then you might even try building a pool yourself – even if you do wisely decide to get an expert to dig the hole for you.
