Choosing A Swimming Pool

Picking out a swimming pool for your place in Melbourne sounds like it should be easy, but trust us - there are quite a few things to think about. We've helped a lot of families sort through it, and it always ends up being a bigger decision than it seems at first. What looks nice in a picture can look a bit different in your own backyard, especially after you look at what fits your budget.

The first thing people tend to look at is what the pool is made of. Concrete, fibreglass, or maybe a spa instead. Each of these has pluses and minuses that aren't just about what you pay at the beginning. Concrete lets you pick any shape you want but it takes longer to put in. Fibreglass goes in much faster but you can only pick from certain, shapes they already make. Neither is the "right" choice. It all comes down to what matters most for you and your family.

How the pool is finished can affect how it looks and how fun it is to use. Those really dark pools look amazing online or in the tradeshow display, but every single leaf or bit of grass that falls in - you see it straight away. Light pools keep dirt hidden much better but maybe don't have that "fancy resort" style. We've had some people come back and say they changed their mind about what finish to use, often after living with their first pick for a while.

Salt water or chlorine is one of those things that makes people feel strongly. Salt feels much better on your skin and isn't as harsh on your eyes, especially if you or your kids swim a lot. But a salt system needs different maintenance, and if you don't keep an eye on it, things can rust. In the end, neither is the right or wrong answer - it depends how you want your pool to feel and what you're happy to look after.

The size of the pool isn't always about big being better. If you want to swim laps, that's not the same as building something for big family parties. We've seen people build smaller pools and use them every day, while giant pools go empty because they're expensive to heat, clean, and keep running. It's worth thinking about how you'll actually use your pool most of the time - not just what looks nice when it's all finished.

You do have to put in pool fences and barriers in Melbourne, but that doesn't mean they have to ruin the look of your yard. The older fences used to look pretty bad, but there are newer types now that can blend in nicely with modern homes. Glass fences cost quite a bit more when you're building but they're see-through, don't block off the yard, and can bump up your home's price down the track.

Pool covers aren't just about keeping kids or animals out. They help trap heat and keep leaves out too. What you buy here really does change how easy it is to use your pool all year round. If you're good at remembering things, a cover you roll up by hand might be fine. But most people forget, which is why automatic covers end up being a good choice - even if they're more expensive at the start.

Heating opens up your pool for more of the year, especially because Melbourne can get cold at random times. If you pop a spa next to your pool, suddenly it's something you can use all year. Of course, that means there's more pipework and wiring going in. Different types of heating cost wildly different amounts to run, so that's something that should be sorted out in the budget early on.

How much your pool costs can blow out pretty quickly depending on where you live, how easy it is to get big gear into your backyard, and how tricky your design is. Those eye-catching prices you've seen in ads probably won't cover things like difficult driveway access or rocky soil. We work with you so you know exactly what you're paying for before you start. No one likes a nasty surprise later on.

Managing water doesn't sound very interesting but it's becoming more important every year. Losing water to evaporation and running pumps more than you need to cranks up your bills. We use better gear and plan for it right at the start so you aren't stuck with high costs down the track. Sometimes this means we tweak the design as we go. Most people only notice this part after they've been using their pool for a season or two but it's still worth thinking about before we start digging.