Many homeowners dreams of owning a pool in their home at some point – not only does it add to the aesthetic appeal of your home, it provides a good relaxation and entertainment spot you can enjoy for years to come. However, designing a pool is no easy task; it must be done after a lot of consideration to ensure that your experience is not marred by unanticipated hurdles. Below are the most important points to think about and go over with your pool designer:
1. How much space do you have?
You should have sufficient space to house a pool in addition to the other outdoor necessities you have such as a parking space, driveway and anything else you need. If you have an irregularly-shaped lot, you should consider designing a freeform pool (rather than the conventional geometric-shaped pool) which makes the most use of the space. However, freeform pools typically need a larger space to give a sizeable usable area. Even if you think your lot is too small, talk to your designer about having a small pool customized for the space that you have.
2. Where will you place it?
If your house is already built and you have limited space, you may not have many choices regarding the placement of the pool. However, if you ever intend to own a pool, consider its placement in the property before planning your home (if building), or when acquiring the home (if buying). Ideally, your pool should be in a place that maximizes sun exposure. If you have young kids, you may want the pool in a place that can be monitored from inside the house. Bear in mind locations of septic systems and property boundaries to ensure you don't interfere with either. You can draw a map of your yard and what's in it to determine the best pool location.
3. What's your budget?
Designing, constructing and maintaining a pool will take up a considerable chunk of funds. It's a good idea to build a pool that fits into your budget, but it may be wiser to save for a little longer so that you can get the exact pool that really suits your property. It is far better to get a smaller pool than to skimp on construction-material quality and labour costs just to get a big pool.
The cost of your pool will be determined by depth, size and shape, accessories to be fitted (e.g. slides for children and therapy features for the elderly) and condition of the lot prior to installation (e.g. uneven land with lots of tree stumps would have a higher installation cost).
4. Safety considerations
If you have children or pets, you should think about securing the pool when it's not in use. Australian regulations demand that you have a continuous barrier that children can't climb over or crawl under to access the pool unnoticed. The pool design should therefore allow for the perimeter fence. This is an expense that must be factored in. Depending on intended use, you may need more space around the pool before the barrier e.g. if you intend to do a lot of poolside entertaining.
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