I’m sure you all stare longingly at large bodies of water when it’s so hot outside and you can’t cool off—I know I do. If you live hundreds of miles from the ocean or a swimming lake, you have probably considered having a swimming pool built in your garden. I, for one, think it’s a great idea, and I will be extremely jealous if you do it. If you are considering taking the plunge, you might want to read this first.
Pre-Design
Before you talk to a pool builder about the design stage, you’ll need to think about a few things.
Design
You’re going to want to do some homework on the latest trends in swimming pool design so that you know the type you want when it comes to speaking to your pool builder.
Cost
Building a pool isn’t a cheap endeavor, especially not for a good one. Once you’ve settled on a design, you’ll be able to get a better idea of how much the whole build is going to cost you. You also need to bear in mind the costs of keeping the pool running for years, which, although not massive, is still money that you might need for something else.
Area
An important factor to think about is where you live and the weather in your county or state. If you live in Texas, then it makes sense to have a pool, and anyway, a lot of homes for sale in Austin come with a pool already, so you could always just move house to one with a pool (don’t do that; I was joking). If you live in New York State, it might not be the best idea, but it depends; you’ll just have to get used to only using your pool in certain months (unless you get an indoor, heated one)
Pool Type
There are three main types of pool, and you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these three types and the pros and cons of each one. You’ll also need to understand the likely cost of them all. Below are the three types, and here is where you can find out the information on them all.
- Concrete
- Fiberglass
- Vinyl
The Pool Builder
As with any type of builder, you have to make sure that they are honorable and have your best interests in mind. It’s so easy to be conned by so-called ‘cowboy builders,’ so interview more than one and always ask for references, which you must follow up on. If a builder doesn’t give references, then you’d better run in the opposite direction as fast as possible.
Post-Design
Once you’ve designed your pool, there are still things you need to think about.
The Environment
Pools aren’t always energy efficient, so make sure you have the pump and lights on a timer and a pool cover, and if it’s heated, turn that off during the winter months if you’re not going to be using it. Pools used to be a massive blight on the environment; however, the industry has come a long way in a few short years, and the impact is far less than it used to be. HomeImprovementFox has an awesome selection of solar pool covers that are worth checking out.
Home Insurance
You will need to let your home insurance company know, just in case the pool changes your policy. You won’t want to find this out, and then you make a claim and find you aren’t covered for something because of the pool.
That’s it. Make sure you find a good builder, and you’ll be in safe hands and having pool parties in no time.
