At home, in your swimming pool: How to splash in this luxurious indulgence

Imagine you had a place to exercise, relax, spend time with family and let your worries float away. We are talking about building a swimming pool at home

By Namrata Kohli 

With the right architectural intervention and petite, new-age pool designs, it is possible to lap-up happiness on any budget now and create a nice swimming pool at home 
Credits: Adobe Stock

 

Building a pool opens up a world of possibilities for an individual – the health benefits of swimming are immense and floating around in a pool will help in clearing your mind plus it’s an enjoyable way to spend time with your family, hold pool parties with friends.  People looking to buy houses will always see a residential swimming pool as an added bonus for a home and it can shore up the value of your property.

Says Gurugram based architect Rachna Agarwal, Founder Studio IAAD, “A well-designed outdoor swimming pool doubles as a fluid centerpiece for the home and converts the backyard into a decadent escapade. During the pandemic, such private outdoor pools were a rejuvenating oasis for homeowners and a great way to soak in the sun and get some exercise.”

 

Pool In Your Resources

 

Can you build a pool at home on a shoestring budget? The answer is yes. But what is the minimum investment one can make. Says Rishabh Kapoor - Founder & Interior Designer, Design Deconstruct, a Delhi based design firm, “We recommend a minimum budget of Rs 10 lakhs for a pool of dimensions 15 feet by 20 feet. This should take care of the pumps, the balancing tank, recirculation pumps, lights and tiles of recommended quality standards."

The best bet is using a turnkey contractor who does the excavation, waterproofing, tiling and equipment and also provides after-sales service. Otherwise, there are specialized companies who build and install pools for you such as Millennium Pools, Infinity Pools, Aquarius Construction Projects, Swimwell etc. On an average, it takes anywhere between 8 to 12 weeks to build a swimming pool, considering time for design, excavation, services, finishing, and landscaping/decking. Basics for both pools include having the right vendor and contractors who can provide the right equipment like pumps, heat pumps, balancing tanks, nozzles, lights, anti-current machines and tiles.

According to Mukul Choudhary- founder Infinity Pools, "A decent concrete pool where you can swim and you can sit should be ideally of size 30 feet by 15 feet with 4 feet depth. This would cost you Rs 13 lakhs plus GST. This is the best size for small homes. If you have more space, go for 40 feet by 20 feet."

In North India, where there is a shortage of water, majority of the people fill up the water in their swimming pool on their own, either with borewell water, water from tankers or water from municipality. If you maintain the pool well, you don't need to change the water for as long as one and a half year. Otherwise, there is one time filling and every month a little bit of top-up is required. As far as maintenance is concerned, the cost comes to around Rs 10,000 per month and you have to provide chemicals like alum, chlorine. In areas near Maharashtra and Goa, people can use water from the sea directly into their pools and there is a technology that can convert sea salt to chlorine.

Building a swimming pool is only half the job done. The other half is maintenance. Says architect Rachna Agarwal, “Though a swimming pool is an exciting addition to any home, regular cleaning is essential to keep it clean and uncontaminated. While once-a-week cleaning may suffice for indoor pools, the outdoor ones could require frequent maintenance as they get dirty faster because of external conditions such as dirt and debris. Pool maintenance items include test strips, pool rush, covers, high-pressure pumps, robotic cleaners, and skimmers that help improve swimming pool hygiene. One should use a net skimmer daily to eliminate dry leaves, hair, insects, etc. In addition, high-pressure cleaning pumps are recommended at least once a month. Ensure the pool's water's pH levels are between 7.4 and 7.6. Also, check and adjust free available chlorine levels, which should range between 1.0 and 3.0 per million (PPM).”

Swimming pools are a high maintenance choice, and you need to maintain outdoor pools every two weeks to ensure that the chlorine levels are adequate, and also keep adding cleaning salts. Indoor pools should be maintained at least once in 40 days. The right way to maintain is to hire professionals who have a good reputation and subscribe to their annual maintenance contracts (AMCs).

What is the minimum space that one must have in the open area for accommodating a decent pool? Small pools usually, on an average, are around 10'x 15' or 10' x 12', and can be easily built in an area of 500 sq ft. According to Amit Khanna- Design Principal, AKDA, a Delhi based design firm, “The size of a pool depends on the need and the available size. A lap pool should be at least 8 ft wide and around 40 ft long. Depths vary, but a minimum of 4 ft is essential. For square-shaped ornamental pools, 30ft x 30ft is a good size. The size of the pool can vary depending on the size of the plot, the house and the specific requirements of the family and can be anywhere between 150 sq ft and 500 sq ft.”

Indoor Versus Outdoor

Till recently, outdoor pools were more popular for farm houses, however newer constructions are seeing an increase in the number of indoor pools especially in bungalows. Is it better to have an indoor pool or an outdoor pool? Experts advise that an indoor pool is something which needs to be a part of the plans from the very beginning and it is much harder to incorporate once the structure is complete.

Talking about an indoor pool, Design Deconstruct’s Kapoor says, “Indoor pool is much easier to maintain in terms of cleaning and day to day maintenance and can add a dash of luxury to the interiors.”

These pools provide the dual advantage of privacy and easier maintenance as completely covered areas means less intrusion from external elements. They are often temperature controlled, which means all-season access -- irrespective of monsoons or winters. However, indoor pools work often out costlier than outdoor ones considering lighting, ventilation, temperature regulation, and similar factors. Also, you don't get that outdoorsy feeling, which can be a deal-breaker for many. Moreover, they can lead to a significant increase in humidity indoors, and one might need to install a dehumidifier. So, while both have pros and cons, the choice is entirely personal.

A pool outdoors has a much lower cost of construction, and can be constructed as an afterthought also, as long as one has space. It is also easier to maintain in terms of access by the maintenance team, since it's separate from the housing area. But then, its usage is limited as weather can play a role. A pool cover is needed at all times when not in use for longer periods. Grouting in the tiles gets damaged due to exposure to the sun, which may lead to leaks.

Pool accessories are a must if your pocket permits-from lights to ladder, floating trays, and pool beds, there are any number of accessories that can beautify the pool area.

Price Chart

 

Feature	Detail	Cost (Rs)
Gunite Pools	Oldest and popular pool building method with a stable concrete structure built to last	The average cost of building such a pool along with a water filtration system is Rs 1,400-3,500 per square feet of the floor area. For a small pool (24ft x 12 ft) for your backyard, it will cost around Rs 10-16 Lakh.
Fiberglass pool or Ready-made pool	It is a ready-made shell with steps and benches built inside only. Comes in various shape and sizes and installing such pools takes 2-4 days only	The average cost is Rs 2,000-3,500 per square feet depending on the size of the pool. For a fiberglass pool of (24ft x 12 ft) for your backyard, it will cost around Rs 7 lakh -10 Lakh.
Vinyl Liner Pool	They are built up from an excavated hole using concrete or a metallic supporting structure over which vinyl-liner sheet is installed. Takes 2 weeks to install such pools	The average cost of installing the vinyl pool Liner pool is Rs 1,200-3,500 per square feet depending on the quality or thickness of the sheet. For a Vinyl pool of (24ft x 12 ft) for your backyard, it will cost around Rs 6 lakh -10 Lakh.
Wading pools,	Wading pools are underground pools with very little depth, mainly meant for kids to practice and learn swimming, or in places with space constraints.	If it is 500 sq ft in area and 2ft deep, this can cost approx Rs. 8-10 lakhs, depending upon the filtration system installed.
Spa/sauna pools	Usually an above ground pool fitted with heating and cooling systems to provide a relaxing experience. May also be custom fitted with jacuzzi and water jet systems	These pools cost anywhere between Rs.10 lakhs to upto Rs.25 lakhs, depending upon the capacity and features added in the pool.
. Plunge Pools	Plunge pools are usually smaller than regular pools and are designed for lounging - a great option for people who like to host pool side parties or get together without spending too much on larger sized pools.	A typical sized Plunge pool can be around 8×8 feet to 8×16 feet. Owing to lesser water depths, the average cost of constructing these pools is about half of the cost of a standard-sized pool. Price will be around Rs 3,000/sq ft.

Source: OLS- Olive Lifestyles