The 5 Minute Guide to Pool Design

Source: Alexisrael at en.wikipedia

Thinking of getting your very own swimming pool? You have a lot of work and research ahead of you. There's no way to get up to speed in one blog post, but you can get a high (really high) level overview of what lies ahead. Here's my attempt to lay out some of the major decision points that every would be pool owner faces.

Above Ground vs. Inground vs Something Else

It might seem like a minor detail, but how your pool sits is the biggest - and earliest - decision you have to make. Above ground pools sit on top of the ground and cost a fraction of the price of inground swimming pools. Inground pools tend to look swanky, but the cost of these built-in pools can be exorbitant. In between are semi inground pools (or, depending on how you look at it, semi above ground pools) that are only partially buried. A variety of wraparound deck options also blur the lines here, as they give inground and semi inground pools an inground look and feel.

Vinyl vs. Concrete vs. Fiberglass

Nearly as major is the decision on what types of materials to use for your pool. Vinyl is the cheapest, but brings with it the most upkeep. Concrete (gunite) is much more expensive, but is also more durable and offers unlimited customization options. Fiberglass is also pricey, but offers some advantages the other types of pools don't.

Shape, Size and Placement

These decisions are all intertwined. Obviously, if you have a smaller yard, you might not have a lot of choices when it comes to size and placement - and even shape may be dictated for you somewhat. With more real estate comes more options - rectangular or freeform, large or small, close to the house or far away? There are too many questions here to even summarize properly.

Source: Tibor Végh

Fencing, Decking, and Landscaping

When it comes to dressing up your pool, you might be tempted to take the attitude of "eh, I'll worry about that later." That way lies danger, as a lot of other decisions are intertwined with your landscaping choices. What fence you decide on could also be a matter of law in your area, as most places have laws requiring pools to be enclosed with fences meeting certain specifications.

Spas, Diving Boards, and Other Optional Features

Almost every pool has optional features such as attached spas, diving boards, water slides, and many more choices. Which and how many of these things you decide on are critical not only for determining how much you enjoy your new swimming pool, but how much you have to pay for it.

Seem a bit overwhelming? The good news is, you have a lot more than five minutes to make these decisions. If you're smart, you'll take your time, read some design books, and get advice from people who know what they're talking about.

Unfortunately, there's also some bad news, which is that good pool design is only one part of a successful project. There's also financing, hiring a pool builder, and many essential details that probably aren't as fun to think about. To get through it all, you'll likely be constantly reminding yourself of what your pool will look like when it's done - one more reason to make sure your future pool is flawlessly designed.