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Date Published:
29/05/2008

Planning A Swimming Pool

If you're building from scratch - or even just doing a major redevelopment of an existing property - you've got the perfect opportunity to incorporate the greatest of all luxuries: a home spa.

By Mark Ramuz

The ultimate self-build inclusion or home improvement for many of us, a swimming pool is a great place to relax as well as keep fit. You will probably need planning permission for a large pool enclosure - check with your local authority at least two months before you plan to start work. The site also needs connection to water, electricity and possibly gas for heating. If there's no access for digging machinery, the excavation work will be costly.

Swimming Pool

As well as the pool space, you may need to plan in a changing room, plus storage for the filter unit and pump. If you, or your friends, have small children, for peace of mind, the pool will need a perimeter fence, so plan this into your design.

Today's soaring fuel prices make heating a pool an expensive business - and will play on your mind if you want your home to be eco-friendly. Talk to your supplier about solar panel heating. This can raise water temperatures by up to 5 degrees and works by pumping the water though a series of solar panels next to the pool. The panel's narrow pipes are heated by the sun and the water pumped back into the pool. Buy a pool cover with the highest level of insulation you can afford - during a really hot spell, this will mean you'll hardly need to heat your pool at all.

The Costs

The budget option is a splasher pool, a glorified children's play pool but larger (up to 15ft in diameter). Costs start from £500. Pay around £12,000 and you can have an outdoor fibreglass shell pool, ideal for smaller gardens. However, most people's idea of a pool is a blockwork excavation with a liner or mosaic tiles. This can be a conventional outdoor pool or in a luxury cabin enclosure. Prices start from £10,000 for a DIY installation or £15,000 for a company to fit.

Useful Links

www.SplashAndRelax.co.uk
www.grayfoxswimmingpools.co.uk
www.poolguide.co.uk
www.endlesssummer.co.uk
www.SeaBlueUk.com

The Pros

  • Great for a young family
  • Good for exercising
  • Year-round use if heated and sheltered

The Cons

  • Maintenance can be a chore
  • Expensive
  • Eats up precious garden space
  • You never get your money back when it comes to selling - and some buyers will see it as a negative

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Comments

  1. When considering a swimming pool, take into account the heating requirements, so don't go too big, solar panels and thermal pool covers are a great way to heat and retain the water temperature.
    Posted by J on 22/10/2009 18:41:33
    Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment

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