Things to Consider When Designing a Pool for Your Home

Making a pool is an ambitious project, but it does hold the potential to completely transform your home. It requires you to figure out the position and size of the pool, choose the material and find the right contractor. However, these are just three main tasks and many other decisions will impact the appearance and purpose of the pool. Overall, designing a swimming pool for your home is a huge issue, and you need to figure out how to best approach it. Here are the top seven things to consider.

Consider the purpose

The first thing you need to take into consideration is the purpose of the pool. For instance, you can make a lap pool as a healthy source of cardio. While the alternative of getting other fitness equipment may seem more frugal, swimming is unique in this regard.

You can also build one to transform your home into a luxurious property and make a proper outdoor resort. Then, you can do it to increase the value of your home, stay cool during the summer or create a place where you can consistently host events for years to come. The purpose of the pool will help you make numerous decisions later on. It will allow you to figure out the best course of action when choosing a size, budget and extra features.

Check out the site

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the site itself. The soil, the layout of the backyard and the shrubbery on the site will play a major role in the project, as well as maintenance in the aftermath. For instance, landscaping around the pool might determine the available space for surrounding constructs. It may also determine how often you’ll have to scoop the pool for fallen leaves. Keep in mind that landscaping around the swimming pool takes a bit more specialized approach than regular landscaping, which is why contacting specialists might be a good idea.

Determine the size

Another thing you should take into consideration is the size of the pool. Now, this will directly determine the price of the construction project and the cost of maintenance. First, you need to consider your real needs and the amount of space available. Then, you need to think about the surrounding area. A pool can't occupy your entire backyard. You might also want to leave some room for the deck, etc. It is also vital to take into consideration before shopping for contractors and considering pool materials. That is because these prices go by the square foot.

Budget of the project

The next thing you need to do is set the budget for the project. Keep in mind that this can be quite expensive, which is why you need to try and figure out what is the maximum amount of money that you can spare for it. Remember that while the pool provides value in terms of lifestyle improvement and increase in resale value, this is something that will pay off far in the future. It will also be a reality check for those who do want a pool but can't afford it (or for those who have too ambitious ideas for their pool).

Choose materials

Another thing you need to figure out is the material that you'll use for the pool. The most popular choices are concrete, fibreglass and vinyl. Each of them has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

For instance, concrete pools are customizable and durable, but they're also high-maintenance.
Fibreglass, on the other hand, is low-maintenance and never needs resurfacing. On the other hand, they cost more than vinyl liner pools and are not that great for pools wider than 16 feet.
Finally, vinyl liner pools are cost-effective, smooth, fast to install and are low maintenance. However, these liners need to be replaced every ten years and are more susceptible to algae growth.

You must understand all of this before committing to a single material.

Consider special features

Finally, you must consider special features that you need your pool to have. For instance, you could get some lighting to illuminate the pool in the evening hours. It is great for those who intend to use the pool at night or host night gatherings around it. Then, you could get a waterfall (to keep the water fresh, provide audio stimulus and keep things more interesting). For those who want something more unique, a swim-up bar is usually a great choice. Each of these features adds more cost to the project.

Shop around for contractors

Just because you already have an idea of what you want and need from this pool, this doesn't mean that the price is set in stone. Different contractors will offer different prices, and some are even willing to negotiate to get the deal. You see, this is a highly competitive field, which is why shopping around is generally a good idea. Just keep in mind that here, it all comes down to the effort you’re willing to invest and the research that you’re willing to make.

In conclusion

The very last thing you need to understand is that this is not something you do to boost the value of the home but a quality-of-life upgrade. Therefore, aside from some more objective metrics, it's also important that it passes your criteria. You need to like the idea yourself. That is all there is to it.

Author bio:

Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, and her ultimate passion is art and architecture. She is also a bibliophile and her favourite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.