Customisation
at your Fingertips
Purchasing a pool is a serious investment and it can be tiresome going through showrooms and trying to decide which standard, cookie-cutter design will work best with your home and compromising on which accessories are most important. Instead, consider visiting a custom pool builder. Custom pools come in any size and shape and can be tailored specifically to your needs. In conversation with Andrew Good, founding director of Lap of Luxury Pools, Sydney Pool + Outdoor Design’s Emily Axford unpacks what a custom pool is, the process behind creating one, and why everyone should invest in one.
With 24 years of experience, Lap of Luxury Pools is a torchbearer in the custom pool building industry. The company specialises in custom concrete pools that can range from anywhere between backyard plunge pools to infinity edge pools to suspended pools. As Good simply explains, Lap of Luxury Pools can create “basically anything you can dream up”. The business prides itself on working with its clients to create their ideal pool, providing expert advice along the way, and delivering exceptional results within the timeline and to your budget.
YOUR POOL, YOUR WAY
Good defines a custom-made pool as something that “you can pretty much have what you want to meet your requirements. You are not limited to what the manufacturer or pool company can offer”. There is so much customisation opportunity at your fingertips when designing a custom pool where the only constraint is your own budget.
There are many elements and options to consider when designing your custom pool which ultimately comes down to your requirements and intended use. Key considerations include size, shape, cleaning solution, automation, swim jets, covers, heating and interior finish. Unsurprisingly, the most important consideration is size. “The size, shape and position of the pool will be determined by the available space and the client’s intended use. Some of Lap of Luxury Pools’ most spectacular projects have utilised tight spaces,” Good details.
The interior finish is another big consideration. Good explains that “the ultimate interior is a fully tiled pool, completed in a high-quality mosaic tile; however, a render-based interior such as Beadcrete can also provide a fantastic look and feel”.
It all comes down to budget and design. Good recommends that you “should get a budget for the project during the design phase and consult with a pool builder like Lap of Luxury Pools to assist with the process”. This ensures that you can get the best products and accessories that are within your budget.
GETTING TRENDY
In 2023, Lap of Luxury Pools saw a “growing shift towards fully tiled, heated and automated pools” with many of their clients. “It would be rare for Lap of Luxury to now build a pool without a heat pump or gas heating supplied and installed,” Good states. One can only speculate why this is the case, but the most obvious answer is that, after spending a lot of money on it, people want to be able to get use out of their pools 24/7, 365 days a year. With climate change creating unpredictable weather, a heated pool is a no brainer.
Another trend Good highlights is “more and more customers asking for pool automations solutions”. This is not surprising with the boom of technology advancements that is increasingly becoming commonplace in our homes. Equipment such as pool covers, and pool cleaners are another consideration to make when creating a custom pool as some products can add thousands of dollars to the overall project.
‘A’ FOR AESTHETIC
Not only can a custom pool be created to your specifications, but being a large feature of your home, it can elevate the space it is in. As Good explains, “by carefully designing a custom pool and incorporating it into a living space, it is likely to significantly improve the overall aesthetics and appeal of the space”. Pools generally generate a sense of luxury and relaxation, depending on the style. For instance, choosing a customised infinity edge pool gives your home a high-end, opulent aesthetic; or a kidney-shaped plunge pool can give a resort-like feel. This will be carefully considered in the design phase of creating your pool to ensure your pool reflects the aesthetic that you desire.
The materials used to build your custom pool are also key to the look and aesthetic it gives your home. As with any product, the better the materials, the better the look and longevity. Lap of Luxury Pools has a particular focus on locally manufactured quality materials and products, however, if this is not possible, the business will use industry leading companies that only supply the best products.
THE DIRTY WORK
So, you’ve finished making the tough decisions about the design and accessories for your pool. What comes next? Once the clients and pool builders are on the same page, an architectural drawing will be created for an already existing house – new builds will usually have the pool already integrated into the house designs.
Then the dirty work begins. Literally. The site will be marked out which involves “building profiles to ‘string out’ the pool to the exact measurements on plan”. Next comes the excavation which can take a couple of days to a week or more depending on factors such as size, complexity and ground conditions. After excavation, formwork and steel fixing is then completed. Here, plumbing requirements, filtration, spa jets, heating and lights need to be added to the project.
“Generally the whole process can range from about three months or longer, depending on the size and detail of the project,” Good concludes, going on to give an example of a behemoth, extremely detailed infinity edge pool and spa that is only up to the formwork and steel fixing stage five weeks after commencement. Good claims that it is “custom at its finest!”.
Images courtesy of Lap of Luxury Pools