Home Swimming Pools - Top 10 Tips!

1. COST: Usually the first major considerationwhen coming off the diving board! If you are
when planning to build your home swimming poolgoing to teach swimming or have private
is cost. Pools can cost anywhere from $4,000 toswimming lessons you will probably want to be
$100,000 and above. You can buy anable to stand up comfortably anywhere in the
above-ground pool very cheaply and they come inpool.
kit form that you can assemble yourself to really5. PRIVACY: If your property is over-looked by
save some money on the budget. If you live on ayour neighbours you will want to consider
slope and have the space you may well be ablescreening trees or fencing options. Take a walk
to build an above ground pool and merge it intoaround your proposed site and try to imagine
some decking so it looks like it's an in-ground pool.what will be visible and where you will need
As soon as you go to in-ground options the pricesscreening.
get a lot higher. In-ground swimming pools require6. ACCESS: How are you going to access your
a lot of engineering work and more expensivenew pool? You may need to add pathways,
materials and the larger the pool gets the greaterdecking, doorways etc. Be sure to include all of
the disparity in pricing. Don't forget to factor inthese in your budgeting.
the cost of decking when budgeting for your new7. SAFETY: Most countries now have stringent
pool!laws requiring high fencing and self-locking gates.
2. SIZE AND SHAPE: What is your pool going toMany options are available from glass pool fencing
be used for? If you are just planning on swimmingto metal fencing. Requirements vary so be sure
laps you'll probably want a lap pool (anything overto check with your local council. Make sure there
10m in length is recommended). If you have kidsare no climbable objects overhanging your pool
that will want to splash around you will need to gofence. Backyard drownings account for an horrific
for something a bit wider - a keyhole shape or annumber of child deaths each year so it's incredibly
elliptical pool. Most above ground pools come in setimportant you adhere to the guidelines.
designs but in-ground concrete pools can be8. HEATING: You can heat your pool using solar
moulded to any shape you like.heating, gas heating or electric heating. The ideal
3. LOCATION: If your pool is going to be outsidetemperature is 25 degrees Celsius. A great
you'll want to position it where it gets plenty ofcost-saver is a solar/thermal blanket which will
sunlight to help warm it during the day. Adding ahelp keep your pool warm over night. The choice
shade-sail is a nice touch and will provide a placeof heating system will vary depending on budget
to cool off in the midday sun. You will also wantand where you live. Solar is a great choice as it
to place the pool somewhere that has goodhas no on-going costs.
visibility from the rest of the house - if there is9. SALT/CHLORINE: Salt water pools are by far
an accident you will need to be able to respondthe best option as they contain no chemicals
very quickly and you should never leave children(other than salt!), they don't sting your eyes and
un-supervised in a swimming pool.they're very safe for small children. Chlorine pools
4. DEPTH: If you have very small children youcost a bit less to setup and maintain but can
might want to go for a design that ramps downirritate the skin and is dangerous to inhale.
from a zero depth to allow them to splash around10. STORAGE: You'll want to allocate an area for
in safety at one end of the pool. If you are astorage of towels, toys, pool tools (cleaning
keen diver and want to add a diving board toequipment, nets for leaves etc) and a blanket for
your swimming pool you should aim to have ayour pool. Be sure to factor this in to the design
depth of at least 3 meters. The deepest part ofof the area around your pool (and make sure it
the pool should be in the middle of the pool if it isdoesn't constitute a climbable access point!).
to be used for diving as this is where you'll land