It’s been on your mind for months, maybe even years, but now you’re ready to build your pool. Even an in-progress project can be improved. “ There’s no finish line in the race for quality.”
Defining your pool project makes sense, right?
It’s mostly what every future pool owner wants: fun, enjoyment, and adding value to the home. But they also know what they don’t want: a pool should not be a hassle. With a professional’s help, you can conduct a technical and aesthetic search.
““So, we aim to create a balance between your dreams and the constraints of the environment.””
Swimming pool design process
Knowing the plot and the surroundings is crucial for designing a pool. You can do this by visiting the site, of course. This can also be done with a plan, preferably a topographical one, and pictures of the house, the site, and the view.
Future owners’ needs and desires must be considered in the project. The success of the pool design depends on these discussions between the designer and the owners.
Once that’s done, it’s up to the designer to get creative. Inspiration usually comes right on the first try, but sometimes you have to rethink it.
Who should you hire to design your pool?
Several professionals can assist future pool owners in finding a suitable compromise and making their dreams a reality.
- In the context of a global house/pool project, an architect might be able to provide this service. Although few architects possess the necessary expertise to design a customized swimming pool,
- In some pool companies, there is a design department capable of developing a project. There is a good chance that they will perform this service for free, but only if you trust them with the construction of your turnkey project. Consequently, projects are generally constrained by the company’s imperatives, habits, and professional capabilities.
Have you ever heard of a pool designer? It is a profession that is little known in France, but is widely practiced in the United States. Future owners may seek assistance from pool designers to make sure their project is as successful as possible.
These designers charge additional fees on top of the pool construction budget, as is the case with any specialized design studio. The good news is that some of them can provide all the execution plans as well as valuable advice regarding the types of materials to be purchased. In this way, you will be able to save money when constructing the pool.
Preliminary project: a checklist to help you define your pool
It is rare for pool builders to provide you with a preliminary project proposal. However, it possesses all its senses, just as when constructing a house.
The plot of land
This is undoubtedly the most important criteria. A variety of overflow types can be created depending on the profile of the land: infinity, zero-edge, or mixed overflows, for example.
Available space
Taking this criterion into consideration prevents the pool from being oversized when compared to the plot and terrace size. The objective is to preserve open space around the pool so that it can “breathe”.
House - pool distance
There’s no rule about how close or far a pool should be from the house. There are advantages and disadvantages to each option. Don’t make a decision until you’ve thought it through.
Home's architecture
There are times when the style of the swimming pool does not match the style of the house; whether it is due to the style, shape, or material, this often happens.
Your personal requirements
They’re unique to each of us and should be considered when designing a pool. For example:
- Is the pool just for summer or all year round?
- How many people will use the pool?
- Are you going to use the pool for recreation, sports, or both?
- Is there a plan to install an underwater cover?
- In the pool, do you plan a submerged deck, a bench with or without massage nozzles, stairs, etc.?
- Are there any exterior features (terrace, pool house, etc.)?
And after the preliminary project
A preliminary project only makes sense if the designer can actually execute the plans. As a result, we provide our clients with a full service, including construction plans (ground plan, sections, and execution details) and hydraulic plans. Along with these documents is a file of construction advice.
What we've done for homeowners and professionals
There’s more to preliminary projects than just getting ideas. Every so often, our team modifies existing pre-projects to make them more functional, aesthetic, or easier to build.
Example 1 – Lap pool
Our client wanted to build a long swimming corridor with a depth of 2.50 m at the end.
The town planning department approved the project, so it couldn’t be changed. Our problem was the profile of the bottom of the pool (red) suggested by the architect. This involved:
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Excavating the whole pool to more than 2.80 m
- The pool would have a slope inside that would be hard to build but also not very enjoyable to use
So, we modified the profile of the bottom of the pool to allow a more reasonable excavation (in accordance with the bottom) and a softer slope, especially in the first section of the pool.
Exemple nº2
Un projet de piscine avait été réalisé par un architecte au Mexique mais les clients américains n’étaient pas satisfaits. En arrière-plan de la piscine se trouve un mur pour protéger contre le vent et le sable, au-delà la mer. Le but était donc de voir depuis la terrasse de la maison la piscine et la mer sans voir le mur. Nous sommes partis du plan de l’architecte et nous l’avons modifié en créant un débordement visible depuis la maison, des escaliers pour créer des niveaux, etc.
Example 2 – Infinity pool
Mexican architects completed a swimming pool project, but American clients weren’t happy. There is a wall in the background of the pool to protect it from the wind and sand, and beyond that, the sea is visible.
From the terrace of the house, we wanted to see the pool and sea without seeing the wall. From the architect’s plan, we made an overflow visible from the house, stairs to create levels, etc.
Example 3 – Pool and jacuzzzi
For an English-speaking client in Canada, we created this pool with a Jacuzzi and shallow area for kids. Creating an original idea wasn’t about the shape, but about the multiplicity and types of overflows.
The shallow pool and jacuzzi are therefore flowing into the main pool. On two sides of the pool there’s a raised overflow, and on the third side there’s a deck-level edge.
Read our articles to find out more
Here's what we do
Our 30 years of experience building infinity pools and deck level pools has taught us that plans aren’t always enough.
Therefore, we’re here to help you all the way through.