What You Need To Know Before Buying a Swimming Pool
May 22, 2023
A swimming pool can be a great addition to any property. It can offer years of fun-filled enjoyment and pleasure for you and your whole family. Whether it’s cooling off with the kids in the summer afternoons or partying with the adults in the evening, a swimming pool is an excellent investment.
When considering your new swimming pool, you will be presented with a vast array of options in both materials, styles, and shapes. Understanding the benefits and deciding what’s best for you and your property is the first step in getting a final product that you and your family will love for years to come.
The first choice you will have to make when considering your new swimming pool is whether you want an in-ground or above-ground pool. Both styles have their pros and cons but are radically different in their installation, design, and life-span so it’s important to understand the differences before you make a final decision.
The main benefit of above-ground pools is their cost. They are without a doubt the cheapest option when it comes to adding a pool to your property. They are also one of the fastest designs to install.
They do, however, have many disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage cited by customers is often the look. A swimming pool is a large object, so raising it out of the ground will create a strong visual element that will dominate the sight lines of your yard. This issue can be mitigated somewhat by building a deck structure around the pool to add visual appeal, though, that reduces the cost benefits. Above-ground pools are also limited in their possible depths and shapes: generally simple circles or rectangles.
Finally, above-ground pools have a much shorter lifespan than in-ground models, even with regular maintenance. You should expect to have to replace them approximately every 5-10 years. A by-product of this is that above-ground pools are unlikely to add significant value to the property.
In-ground pools are the more traditional style of pool people will think of when considering adding a permanent pool to their property. As the name suggests in-ground pools are installed into the ground leaving a flush edge. Similar to their above-ground counterparts they have a number of pros and cons.
The main disadvantage of an in-ground pool compared to an above ground is the increased cost and installation. Install times will vary depending on your pool size, design, and any unique challenges the yard presents e.g. rocky sub-soil. See here for how long it takes to build a pool
When purchasing a pool, however, you are making an investment that should bring fun and enjoyment to you and your family for years to come and this is where in-ground pools excel. In-ground pools have a much longer lifespan than above-ground pools. Their increased lifespan isn’t the only benefit, though. In-ground pools also have a much wider variety in the shapes and colours available. They also support variable depths, which is perfect to support a shallow end of the kids and a deep end for the adults.
Concrete, Fiberglass and Vinyl
Once you have decided between an in-ground and above-ground pool, the next major decision is the material the pool itself will be made of. The three main materials pools are constructed of are concrete, fiberglass and vinyl.
While concrete is an option, at Narellan Pools we believe our fiberglass pools are the best possible investment you can make. Concrete pools are costly to install and maintain, and while traditionally they offered a much wider range of designs, using our advanced construction techniques and design experience, Narellan Pools can now offer the same design flexibility in our fiberglass models.
Fiberglass pools also have many other benefits over concrete designs. They are much faster and easier to install (which keeps costs down), are exceptionally durable, easy to maintain with very little ongoing care required, and research shows they heat up faster and maintain their temperature better.
Vinyl pools have a liner installed over a frame, while this may be a shorter install period you will have to replace the liners in 7 to 10 years. Vinyl pools suffer the major drawback of being susceptible to significant liner damage from poor chemistry over time. This will add to the overall cost of the pool in the long run as they’re a non-porous surface that inhibits algae growth, see blog here for more information on Fiberglass v Vinyl.
Shapes and Designs
Pools come in a large variety of shapes and sizes and picking the one that’s right for you will largely depend on your intended usage and the space you have. A long rectangular pool, for instance, is better suited to users who wish to actively swim regularly, whereas a circular or square design may be better suited to those who wish to use their pool as a relaxing backyard spa.
From the elegant, sophisticated lines of our best-selling Symphony design, to the modern contemporary feel of Federation, and the geometric style of Madeira, whatever your intended usage case, Narellan Pools has a style to match your needs. And if you want to break away from the traditional rectangular pool shape, the Princess range offers beautifully smooth, rounded curves to create the idea relaxation space in your yard. Check out the full range available here.
All our designs come with the same convenient tiered entry steps, child safety ledge, and graduated depth.
Pool colour
Often choosing your pool colour can be the hardest decision to make as the colour of the water in the pool don’t match the actual fiberglass shells. With our range of colours, we have the pool colour to suit any style and backyard. We recommend asking your local pool builder for images of installed pool colours in different lights. You should take into account if the pool is in full sun/shade which will affect the colour. It is also important to consider what overall look you want and what will suit your furniture and landscaping.
Narellan Pools are experts in the design, construction and installation of fiberglass swimming pools. Whatever your property size we are sure to have an option available to suit. Get in touch to find out how we can help you get the perfect swimming pool that you and your family can enjoy for years to come.
