Why You Should Design Your Swimming Pool This Year
As Central Pennsylvania’s go-to design/build firm for custom gunite swimming pools and spas, we’ve seen first-hand the skyrocketing demand for swimming pools in the last few years, especially since the onset of COVID. While it’s a great “problem” to have, this does mean a longer process from design to completion for customers.
We understand that when the dog days of summer set in, you may realize you want a swimming pool almost immediately, but the process can take a year or more and is impacted by several factors. Right now, delays are occurring due to high demand, a backlog of materials, and labor shortages. So even if you know exactly what you want in a swimming pool and are ready to break ground immediately, you may still incur a longer wait than what you anticipated. But we promise the result is worth the wait – especially for a quality swimming pool that will stand the test of time!
Our best advice, if you’re even casually throwing around the idea of building a swimming pool, is to begin exploring the process right now. There is no harm in reaching out to pool companies to see who is the best fit for your vision and budget. Furthermore, you can learn what their timeline currently looks like for new pool projects. If they’re booking far enough out, it would be wise to get your name on the list. Keep reading to learn our best advice for beginning to design your pool project this year!
Design takes time. Even if you’re convinced what you want is a very simple swimming pool, there is still a great deal of thought and detail that goes into every pool design. You need to consider the size and slope of your current property, any elements that need to be cleared or leveled, as well as how you plan to utilize the space – beyond just the pool. When working with a quality pool company, this will result in at least several rounds of design and revisions to get things just right. It’s always better to have more time to think through the design process because it’s arguably the most important thing you want to get right!
You may have some “homework” to do. Before you design your pool, and especially during the design process, you are likely to want to research ideas and solutions you wish to implement. You don’t know what you don’t know, so you’ll want to give yourself time to have conversations and do research well in advance of starting the construction of your pool. This will help to streamline your conversations with your pool company and move the design process along as smoothly as possible. Another important area of pre-design research is that you should make yourself aware of any limitations that your local municipality has in place such as easements, stormwater management requirements, etc. that may limit your design parameters or require time consuming variance applications.
on in the industry. Say you know you want to build a pool in the next 18-24 months. This may seem like a long way off, but really it’s the right time to start having conversations around pool designs, styles, and costs. Choosing between a custom gunite swimming pool versus fiberglass or a liner will have a big impact on the timeline and cost. Through your early conversations with pool professionals, you will gain an understanding of the various costs, benefits, and construction processes of each type of pool. You will also get first-hand knowledge of what’s going on in the industry that could impact the costs and timeline of your project in the future.
Planning ahead is always a good idea. We don’t run into many (if any) customers who look back and say – we really wish we would have had less planning time for our pool project. More commonly the sentiment is we wish we would have started the process sooner. With more time to plan, there are fewer surprises when it comes to the timeline for completion, project costs, and those unexpected issues that need to be addressed. Plus you’ll be able to sit with your design longer to ensure it’s really the backyard of your dreams. This gives you more time to refine the details, even down to what landscaping or pool furniture you want to invest in. Simply put, you will always find a use for the added time, so there’s no harm in starting on your pool design early!
If you’re ready to “dive” into the design process for your custom gunite swimming pool, we can say with certainty that your future self will be grateful you didn’t wait one day longer! Learn more about the steps to get started by contacting Aquavisions today! Click here to begin.