You have decided to invest in a pool. Building a pool has a lot of benefits. It is an expensive and long-term investment. Therefore, it requires careful planning. Lack of proper planning can turn your pool into a lifelong liability.
Ideally, you would want a pool that serves your family for a lifetime. This is the tricky part. Your family size and structure will not remain the same. With the passing of time children grow up and young people become old.
Children love the pool. If you build a shallow-sized small kids pool, they will be delighted. But what happens when the children grow up? The pool will become useless. If you build a deep pool, it will be dangerous for the children. This is one reason most pools have deeper and shallow ends. But is it as simple as building a pool with deep and shallow ends? No. It is not. You need to build a pool that can accommodate the needs of various age groups. How do you build such a pool? Let’s look at some factors which influence this decision.
Size and shape
The size of the pool is the most important factor determining its suitability for children. Too large a size and it will be dangerous for children. Too small, and the children will outgrow them. A small-sized pool will be useless for adults. The shape of your backyard also plays an important role in determining the size of the pool. You will also want to leave some space for your children to play. A large pool may end up consuming a major area in your backyard, leaving little or no space for other outdoor features.
The following pools are considered ideal for families.
Lap pools
Lap pools are long and narrow with a rectangle shape. As their name suggests, they are ideal for swimming laps. They are a safe choice for children as they are narrow and not very deep. When the children grow up, they can swim laps in the pool.
Family pools
Family pools are huge-sized pools that can accommodate the entire family on a hot summer day. They have plenty of safety features, and they are designed to cater to families. You never have to worry about your children outgrowing them. They are suitable for people with large backyards.
Plunge pools
Plunge pools are ideal for those having small backyards or those constructing indoor pools. Plunge pools are easier to install and clean. They require less water and have less heating and filtration costs. Kids will love the plunge pool. They can also be designed to have seating space on the sides. There are plenty of affordable fibreglass plunge pools. Plunge pools can be installed above ground or in-ground.
Seating spaces
Installing tanning ledges and benches is a good idea. The benches give the children and elders space to relax between laps. Tanning ledges provide a shallow part in your pool for kids to play. When they grow up, they can use it for tanning. Adequate seating spaces are useful when holding parties or family gatherings.
Water features and accessories
Adding water features like fountains, waterfalls and jets will make the pool more exciting for kids. The sound of the water features can have a calming effect on adults. A well-lit water feature can give an attractive look to your backyard and pool. Be careful to choose a water feature that does not require too much maintenance. You can also add pool accessories like noodles and pool balls to make the pool more fun for children.
Pool heating
If you live in a cold area, then pool heating becomes a necessity. Even if you don’t live in a cold region, it is always a good idea to make provision for a pool heater. Children and old people have less tolerance for cold water. Warm water relaxes the muscles and helps those who have joint pains.
Adequate lighting
Make provision for adequate lighting inside and outside the pool. You may not be planning to use the pool at night, but at a later stage, some members of your family may want to swim at night. It is always better to make provision for surface and underwater pool lights. Choosing LED lights will save you the hassle of constant replacement and also save your energy bills. Lighting makes the pool safe. Changing the lights underwater is difficult. Long-lasting LED lights save you the bother of replacement.
Fencing and other safety features
If you have children, then installing fences is necessary. Fences prevent children and pests from entering the pool area. Anti-skid steps are necessary to keep the pool safe. Algae stick to the sides of the concrete pool and make them slippery and the water unsafe. Fibreglass pools do not attract dust or algae. Fibreglass pools come pre-fitted with anti-skid steps and railings.
Cost of installation and maintenance
You have to take into account the cost of installation while building the pool. You don’t want to break the bank during the pool construction. Pool building should come within your budget. If you cannot afford all the outdoor features simultaneously along with pool construction, then there is no need to despair. You can leave space for them in the pool design and install them at a later stage. Maintenance is another factor that requires careful consideration. The swimming pool requires regular maintenance. This is important if children are using the pool. A fibreglass pool is easy to maintain. You need to remember that you may not have the energy and financial means in the future to undertake extensive swimming pool maintenance.
Quality and warranty
You need to select a good quality fibreglass pool from a reputed manufacturer. A bad-quality pool may be cheaper, but it will wear out within a short time. Installing or renovating a pool can be costly. Concrete pools need resurfacing after some years. Fibreglass pools do not have this problem.
Reputed fibreglass pool manufacturers offer a warranty of up to 20 years on their products.
