Swimming pools are back in fashion, so create your own liquid asset

Therapeutic, relaxing and the bringer of holiday vibes, the backyard swimming pool has again become one of Australia’s favourite home improvements.

Liz and Phil Rutter are loving their new pool in their smallish backyard. Picture: Nick Clayton.

Change is as good as a holiday, but when you can’t – or still don’t want to risk taking that overseas trip because of Covid, you do the next best thing. You install a swimming pool and you holiday at home.

With travel budgets that well and truly went nowhere, Australian homeowners decided en masse to dig up the backyard and opt for what undoubtably was the biggest outdoor trend of the past couple of years, installing the ultimate water feature, a glistening swimming pool.

And, it appears, we were happy to pay big bucks, but also, we were willing to wait

to get one and get creative with more compact, innovative pools going into tighter backyard spaces.

It looks good enough to dive right in.

Demand for pools and spas went up 30 per cent in the past 12 to 18 months and with it extended lead times as demand created a backlog of orders, supplier issues and an industry having its biggest boom period ever, according to Swimming Pool and Spa Association of Australia chief operating officer Spiros Dassakis.

In 2021, SPASA Australia figures show there were about 71,000 new approvals for swimming pools and spas around the nation: just under 30,000 for in-ground pools, 15,000 for above ground pools, almost 17,000 for spas and 9000 for pool renovations.

Water beauty.

Spiros expects demand for pools will continue to be high this year, fuelled by a desire for water views and staycation vibes, as well as family and friends wanting to spend more time together with a new pool being the perfect backdrop for entertaining.

He says social media is also having a big impact as consumers seek out innovative ways to add pools to compact backyards.

“Everyone can have a water view, they want to be able to see the pool from inside the house or from the kitchen,” he says.

Views from the inside. This pool was built by Alpha Pools.

“People are now investing in the backyard, not just to swim in the pool, but to look at it, to gather around it and eat around it. It’s as good as a vacation. Smaller pools are very popular and you can put a pool in a 250sqm block or swim lanes down the side of a house.”

On average, pool costs start from $30,000 and can rise to more than $100,000 depending on the site, technical details and type of pool.

Smaller plunge pools, LED lighting, bench seats and splash decks, as well as pools in containers are leading the charge. Eco friendly choices and pool renovations have also been popular as homeowners opt to upgrade existing pools with new coping, equipment, lighting and poolscaping.

The Rutters relax beside their new pool family home. Picture: Nick Clayton.

STAYCATION VIBES

Among the masses who joined the pool party in 2021 was the Rutter family from Adelaide, who had been wanting to install one in their smallish backyard for years.

“We had been talking on and off about it, for about five or six years,” says Liz.

“We have tight backyard access so that made us stop and start with our planning and question whether it was even possible.

We all love to swim and we thought it would be lovely for us to entertain family and friends. Our daughter Phoebe is a very keen swimmer as well.

LED lights allow for night swims.

“The pandemic also put into focus the sanctuary of the home and inability to travel for a while and we thought, ‘Why not spend our money at home and create our own holiday vibe’.”

The family chose a 6m by 4m concrete pool for their 8.5m by 15.5m backyard, which also allowed for a small lawn for their two canoodles Ivy and Gretel to play, plus a garden shed. The tight space with no usable access meant they had to get their neighbours on side and a rear fence was pulled down for several months while the work was done.

A deep pool with a bench seat was a must, and the Rutters wanted it salt chlorinated with magnesium-based salts for added health benefits. Accordingly they opted for a product called Acquatherepe.

The glow from the lights at night-time.

“Who doesn’t love a swim on a warm day or evening? The magnesium pool salts are also great for our health and wellbeing,” says Liz.

In preparation for the pool, the Rutters pre-installed solar panels a year earlier in order to offset the running costs of the electric 12kW heat pump (Evoheat) they wanted so the pool could be used on mild days and in cooler seasons, but also so it was eco friendly. They also installed a robotic cleaner (Maytronics) which Liz says is very effective and efficient.

“He’s our pool boy, we call him Marvin,” she says.

Holiday aesthetics were high on the agenda too and blue-green tiles called Ocean Spray (from Tiles on Bradman) were chosen to create a pop of colour against the established hedging and trees, and LED lighting add a party feel when entertaining.

The alfresco was repaved in travertine. Picture: Nick Clayton.

Natural travertine stone coping around the pool was extended into their alfresco for a streamlined look, and an in-ground pool cover chosen for its neat finish, but also to maximise space around the pool on the compact site.

“It feels like we are somewhere on the Mediterranean,” says Liz. “At night time we have blue LED lighting that looks great. We absolutely love the travertine shade (Pompeii, from Stonecraft) and it’s cool to walk on, even in summer. We loved it so much we repaved our pergola area with travertine to provide continuity to both areas.”

Blue-green tiles were chosen for a Mediterranean vibe. Picture: Nick Clayton.

While year-long wait times are now becoming the norm as homeowners rush to get their own slice of pool heaven, the Rutters were lucky to have theirs completed within five months, and put it down to choosing an experienced and professional pool builder, Adelaide Classic Pools.

“We went to several pool companies and researched both fibreglass and concrete options, none of the fibreglass pools had quite the right dimensions,” says Liz.

“Concrete allowed us to tailor the design we wanted with our more compact backyard.

“We, also, really like the sense of longevity of a tiled pool. There’s something therapeutic and calming about being near water too. We are spending more time together relaxing, swimming and chatting in the pool – it’s a great decompressor after work and school.”

The pool being built.

INSTALLING A POOL ON A TIGHT BLOCK: WHAT WE LEARNED

- Plan carefully: Know where your pool will be located and the pool equipment.

- Pool fencing rules can be interpreted in a few ways and it pays to do lots of research – we had existing hedging that could not be moved that forced us into decisions that weren’t perfect for us. Electrical grounding requirements also presented some challenges.

- Check your fencing and electrical requirements (which aren’t all included in the pool contract) - some contractors will do all fencing, others do not - you will be required to arrange those aspects.

- Ensure you are aware of any underground infrastructure that could be impacted ie; stormwater / sewerage as if these are discovered during the dig it will cause delays, inconvenience and costs.

- Access to our backyard required permission from neighbours to use an easement, in addition we required some trees removed. Once in our yard, an existing shed made access to the pool site very tight. But it was all managed very well by the excavators. Also new boundary fencing needed to be negotiated with neighbours.

Safety first.

GET POOL-PARTY READY
Safety first

Pool owners are legally required to display a CPR guide. Buy one and more importantly, make sure you read it and take in all the moves. CPR pool poster, $27.

Early Settler Zali chair in Turmeric Yellow, $139.

Perfectly practical

Outdoor furniture has come a very long way. It’s now water and sun resistant and sexy too. Zarli outdoor dining chair in turmeric yellow, $139.

earlysettler.com.au

Scented frangipanis are a perfect backdrop plant.

Flirty frangipanis

These plants bring the tropical vibe and are perfect poolside as they love full sun, plus their large leaves are easy to scoop out of the pool meaning less issues with your filtration system.

flowerpower.com.au