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

If you have the space and the money, add this place to relax and exercise

A swimming pool at a large house is a luxury worth indulging in. It is a place to unwind, hold parties and it shores up the value of a property.

“A well-designed outdoor swimming pool doubles as a fluid centrepiece 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,” says Rachna Agarwal, Gurugram-based cofounder and principal architect at Studio IAAD.

Pool in your resources

Small pools of around 10'x 15' or 10' x 12' can be built in an area of 500 sq ft. “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,” says Amit Khanna, design principal at AKDA, a Delhi-based firm.

"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," says Mukul Choudhary, founder of Infinity Pools.

Water supply is an issue that can be fixed. "In North India 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 the municipality. If you maintain the pool well, you don't need to change the water for as long as 1.5 years. Usually there is one-time filling, and every month a little bit of top-up is required," says Choudhary.

Building a swimming pool costs multiple bills. “We recommend a minimum budget of Rs 10 lakh 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," says Rishabh Kapoor, founder and interior designer at Design Deconstruct, a Delhi-based firm. (A balancing tank maintains water depth in a pool).

Employ a turnkey contractor for excavation, waterproofing, tiling, equipment and after-sales service. Infinity Pools, Millennium Pools, Aquarius Construction Projects, and Swimwell are among the companies that build and install pools. It takes eight to 12 weeks to build a pool depending on design, excavation, services, finishing, and landscaping. The vendor and contractor should provide the pumps, tanks, nozzles, lights, anti-current machines, and tiles.

Building a pool is half the job done though: the other part is maintenance. “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," says Agarwal, the Gurgaon architect.

Outdoor pools should be cleaned every fortnight and indoor ones at least once in 40 days to ensure adequate chlorine levels. The right way to maintain is to hire professionals who have a good reputation and subscribe to their annual maintenance contracts (AMCs).

Indoor or outdoor

Experts say an indoor pool should be planned when a house is being constructed. “(An) 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,” says Design Deconstruct’s Kapoor.

Indoor pools provide privacy but they are costlier for their lighting, ventilation, and temperature regulation. Indoor pools can lead to a significant increase in humidity, and one might need to install a dehumidifier.

An outdoor pool is cheaper to construct and easier to maintain, but its usage is dependent on the weather. It will need a cover when not in use and its tiles are damaged due to weather exposure.

From lights to ladders, floating trays, and pool beds, there is any number of accessories to beautify a pool.