11 Popular swimming pool designs & cost of building them in India
A place to hang out with friends, a place to enjoy summer vacations for kids, or a tranquil place to be lost in ones’ thoughts, a Pool in your backyard can provide you with a multi-utility space and add the much needed oomph into a home.
There are a number of swimming pool designs, depending upon the most preferred usage, users and of course budgets.
Based on functionality, they can be as follows:
1. Wading pools
2. Lap pools
3. Athlete’s pool(Olympic pools)
4. Spa/sauna pools
5. Jacuzzi pools
6. Plunge Pools
Wading Pools
These pools are easier to maintain owing to their smaller size.
These pools are available in ‘above the ground ‘configuration as well, which can be installed in any backyard garden.
The smallest wading pool can be as small as 500sqft in area and 2ft deep, and can cost approximately Rs. 8-10 lakhs, depending upon the filtration system installed.
Lap Pools
A lap pool is primarily installed for fitness and health purposes. These pools are a good solution for narrow residential plots wherein the pool can be used as an exercise activity. In major cities, as residential plots are becoming smaller, lap pools are a viable possibility to add a usable pool to such constrained spaces.
Optimal lap pool depths are 3 feet at the shallow end, 4 feet in the middle, and 5 feet to stand up in the deep end. Price will be Rs. 18-20/ Litre
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Athlete’s Pools (Olympic pools)
An Olympic-size swimming pool is usually built to international standards of pool sizes.
These pools are usually 50mts long, also referred to as “Long course” pools.
These are not so popular for residential applications, but used in Public sports complexes and stadiums.
Cost: Rs 10 – 12 / litre
Spa/Sauna Pools
These pools cost anywhere between Rs.10 lakhs to upto Rs.25 lakhs, depending upon the capacity and features added in the pool.
Jacuzzi Pools
Unlike the Spa/Sauna pools, Jacuzzi pools are much smaller and are meant for massages and leisure experiences. These are smaller in size and are usually fitted with electronic controls like speaker systems, lighting and water jets to provide a pleasurable water experience.
These pools can be custom made to suit any requirement and sizing with maximum level of luxury and hence has no upper limit to costs. Price start from 10 lakhs to 35 Lakhs based on the models.
Plunge Pools
Plunge pools are usually smaller than regular pools and are designed for wading or lounging only. These are a great option for people who like to host pool side parties or get together without spending too much on larger sized pools.
A typical sized Plunge pool can be around 8×8 feet to 8×16 feet.
Owing to lesser water depths, the average cost of constructing these pools is about half of the cost of a standard-sized pool. Price will be around 3000/sft.
1. Infinity pools,
2. Natural pools,
3. Rooftop pools,
4. Free form swimming pools,
5. Endless pools,
6. Elevated pools
Infinity Pools
An infinity pool or infinity edge pool, also known as a reflecting pool is where the water flows over one or more edges, producing a visual effect of water with no boundaries. Such pools are often found in luxury resorts and hotels, overlooking larger water bodies or infinite visual stretches of nature or skylines.
Infinity pools are usually more expensive and require extensive structural, mechanical, and architectural detailing. These also require elaborate structures around the main pool to act as balancing tanks as the water is allowed to overflow from the edges at all times.
Prices will vary from 2000/sft to 900/sft based on the size of the pool.
Natural Pools
A natural pool is specifically designed to imitate natural ponds with irregular shapes, along with rocks, cascades and waterfalls, and wildlife including varieties of flora and fauna.
These pools are usually built with another pool called a regeneration zone, which is where the water enters either through a gravel filter or a constructed wetlands made of plants that clean the water.
These pools recreate the process by which aquatic plants clean ponds in nature and results in a pool with water as clean as chemically/mechanically cleaned pools.
The natural pool and its regeneration zone is like a small ecosystem that attracts animals or insects and supporting plants to sustain them, which are an essential part of the filtration process.
Natural pools require much less maintenance than a conventional pool owing to no use of chemicals and zero power requirements; however, they might require frequent de-silting and de-weeding of plants to keep the water from attracting algae.
Roof-top Pools
Roof top pools are simply pools on roof tops of buildings. These are medium sized pools, either wading pools, Jacuzzi pools, or even an infinity pool, which are usually designed with a lot of structural considerations. These are again found in luxury resorts or penthouses wherein the homeowner would want to have an undisturbed water experience.
A few key things to consider before building a Roof top pool are:
- Permission and permits to build a pool on the roof.
- Structural requirements with foundations and roof slabs.
- Privacy and nuisance issues with neighbors.
- Waterproofing and leak proofing existing roofs and other structural elements.
These pools are more expensive in case special modifications are needed on the rooftop to accommodate such a pool. However, maintenance costs are similar to an in-ground pool.
Free form swimming pools
Freeform pools are lagoon style or natural style, similar to natural pools and incorporate rock features, waterfalls and decking.
Freeform pools are usually installed in farmhouses and estates, wherein the pool usually takes the form of the contours and nature around it.
This swimming pool style is relaxed and allows for private, cozy corners built into the form of the pool.
Owing to their undefined sizes and shapes, these pools are highly customized and costs are as per site conditions.
Endless pools
These pools cost anywhere between Rs. 22 lakhs to Rs.55 lakhs for a basic residential endless pool. Depending upon the equipment and fittings, the cost and size can be customized.
