Top 3 Design Considerations for a New Pool

By Jon Solomon

It’s the dog days of summer, but thankfully swimming pools in Tampa can be used virtually year round. With summer’s unbearable heat creeping in on us, now may be a good time to dive right in, and learn what really goes into designing the perfect pool for your custom home. Here are the top three things home builders in Tampa must consider.

1. How Are You Going To Use It? – “This is the most important thing to consider when designing a new pool,” according to Matt Lent with Tampa Bay Pools. Is it going to be for entertaining or exercise? Matt suggests that if it’s for exercise the design should be more linear for swimming laps and have a center deep end to allow for pool volleyball and other sports. If your pool will mainly be for entertaining, then a more free form resort style pool shape makes sense. This type of pool will incorporate more benches and water features as well. Don’t forget about the possibility of an attached hot tub for those few chilly winter months.

2. How Deep Should My Pool Be? – Ideally 3’ at the shallow and 5’ at the deep end. As Matt says, “Diving is for the Y and the Country Club, not your backyard”. Bottom line, a deep pool requires a lot of slope and a larger size pool that often doesn’t fit in many backyards.

3. How Will The Pool Fit In With The Rest of the Backyard? – Certainly the backyard space and what you’re looking at will drive the design. If facing west without a view obstruction, you’ll want to maximize the space for those beautiful Florida sunsets. If a firepit, spa, hammock or outdoor kitchen is in the mix, Matt points out that, “The body of water is the focal point, but the rest of these items all need to be maximized in the overall backyard space”.

Pools are more than just a place to take a quick dip, so it is important to consider these three design points for your pool. A pool is a gathering place for friends and family, as well as a great design opportunity for your home’s exterior style. One of the many benefits of building a custom home is that you not only get to choose interior selections, but you also get to customize exterior design elements. New home builders in Tampa have had customers enhance their pool with bubbling fountains, rock formations, infinity walls and even water-slides. The possibilities are endless.

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