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Ah, summer. Its warm temperatures and seemingly endless blue skies provide a
perfect setting for outdoor entertaining of all kinds. No matter what your
summer wish list may include—creating a fabulous outdoor living space, finding a way to spend more quality
family time with your loved ones, or living a healthier lifestyle—the solution could be the same. Namely, building an in-ground pool.
After all, a pool offers hours of refreshing family fun and can be the perfect
backdrop for home entertaining.
What’s more, an in-ground pool will add thousands to your home’s resale value when you choose to sell.
What could be more perfect?
Choosing The Right Pool for Your Home
Much like any other home remodeling project, choosing the right pool is a matter
of deciding on a pool that complements your personality, individual style and
budget.
Start by discussing your options with a professional builder. He, or she, will
need to know how you plan to use the pool—for family pleasure, for exercise, for entertaining or for all three—as well as the amount of space available in your backyard to accommodate a pool.
“When choosing a pool, consider the elevation of your property, the proposed
location of the pool, and the ground conditions,” says John C. Romano, president and CEO of All American Custom Pools and Spas in
Norwalk, Conn.
Your specific location may limit your options or encourage the selection of a
specific size or shape of pool.
Romano stresses that choosing the right contractor who has the capability to
meet your needs, desires and budgets is important.
“Make sure the builder is a CBP, or Certified Building Professional,” Romano suggests.
CBPs are certified by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, the world’s largest international trade association for pools and spas.
“An APSP member, particularly a CBP, is trained by the APSP and has access to its
standards, which are the hallmark to building safe pools,” adds Romano. “APSP members who use the APSP standards are building not only wonderful backyard
environments, but are also building a safer product with the latest up-to-date
technology.”
As for the pools themselves, they are available in a wide variety of designs,
shapes and sizes, as well as landscaping options and special features, such as
decking and fencing, water treatments and fiber-optic lighting. Truly, if you
can imagine it, a pool builder can likely create it for you.
Building materials for in-ground pools include vinyl, fiberglass and gunite,
which is a blend of concrete and sand that is sprayed into place. Vinyl pools
have re-enforced walls and vinyl liners, and can come in a variety of shapes
and sizes, although rectangular shapes are most common. Fiberglass pools, on
the other hand, are one-piece and are built in a factory, which makes them a
popular choice among many homeowners because of their shorter build time.
Gunite pools are usually more expensive, but they’re well worth the added expense because they lend themselves beautifully to the
addition of special features,
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such as waterfalls, custom steps and beach entries.
“All pools are great if built properly,” reminds Romano.
And don’t forget to maintain your pool after its installation to ensure you reap the
benefit of years of enjoyment.
Conduct your own investigation of pools to see which type of in-ground model
best suits your family’s needs.
“Don’t be swayed by a builder who builds just one of these type pools or who knocks
the quality of one type over the other,” cautions Romano. “Be more concerned about the ability and reputation of the builder. After all,
any type of pool with the right equipment package will give the family years of
enjoyment.”
Adding the “Wow!” To Your In-Ground Pool
After you’ve selected the type of in-ground pool you want, take the same care with
choosing your additional features for a beautiful poolscape. Water features,
such as waterfalls and fountains, add drama with the sound of
moving water and can make a bold statement when used as a focal point.
Water features are versatile, too. If your landscape supports a view, you can
maximize its impact by using a negative edge application for your pool, which
creates the illusion of having no visible pool wall. By contrast, having
running water spill over a raised rock wall will create a dazzling focal point
for your poolscape.
When it comes to lighting your pool, follow the same basics you use for lighting
your home. That means, play with light; use it to add interest, to set a mood
or accentuate a specific feature of your poolscape.
Underwater pool lights, whether clear or colored, can add a dash of drama to
your nighttime entertaining, while fiber optic lighting is perfect for
emphasizing water features, such as fountains or waterfalls. Landscape lighting
can highlight trees, shrubbery and the pool itself. The proper lighting can
help you add a romantic ambiance for a moonlight swim for two, or transform
your backyard into a water-filled paradise for a nighttime poolside party.
Of course, all of these features can be added after the initial build, but the
best time to incorporate the “wow!” into your new pool project is when your pool is being installed.
“Far too often, homeowners miss opportunities to make the most of their pool
installation by limiting their focus to their ability to swim,” says Romano of All American Cus tom Pools & Spas. “You can lose the ‘wow!’ factor by not considering upgrades to the pool that are more cost effective to
have done
during the initial construction, like up graded equipment or fiber optic
lighting or some sort of water feature.”
With summer on its way, temperatures in Texas already set to soar, we don’t want to miss any opportunity for some cool pool-side fun. Best of luck with
planning your new pool and backyard paradise.
By Christie Craig
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