There are so many different aspects to consider when you are preparing to build a new gunite swimming pool in your backyard. For now, I am only going to cover three things you need to take into consideration during the preparation stage. The location of where you will be building is a key factor. The size and depth of the pool needs to be considered. And lastly, you must take into account the shape of the pool. There are many more things you need to worry about, but these three are very important and should be heavily considered before you move forward with the building stage.
The location of the pool is a very important factor. First you should think about whether you want it in your backyard or in your house. Gunite swimming pools work well in both areas but pools like above ground vinyl liners do not. Having your swimming pool inside eliminates weather factors such as winter storms or leaves and bushes clouding up the water, but you need the room in your house to have it inside, most people don’t have this kind of room. So if you are going to have it in your backyard, you need to consider where in the backyard it is going. You need to take into account where in your yard gets the most sunlight during the summer (and if you live in a warm climate, you need to know which area gets the most sunlight in the winter). Swimming pools that are shaded from the sun all the time are no fun to be in. You can also get rid of any objects that are obstructing the sunlight from hitting the pool such as a tree or large bushes. You also need to be aware of what kind of ground you are building on. Whether its soft, hard, clay, dirt, sand… this is very important for the pool contractors to know.
Next you need to think about what size and depth you want. Obviously you won’t be building a pool that is too big for your backyard, but the question you need to ask yourself is do you want the absolute maximum size you can get? Or do you just want a medium size pool that is big enough for your family and friends to enjoy on a hot summer day? When thinking about the size, remember that most Gunite swimming pools are built with natural stone decks surrounding them. This can affect the overall size you choose. When considering the depth you need to know if you and your family want a diving board or not. Normally, you are only allowed to have a diving board if the deep end of your pool is deeper than 6 feet. This is for safety reasons. Also if you and your family play a lot of water games like water volleyball, you are most likely going to want one flat depth so that everyone is on the same level when playing. A couple other reasons you want to think about what depth you want is money and child safety. If you have very small children, you might not want a 10ft deep end. Young children can fall in and not be able to get back out. And it also costs more to dig a deep end for the pool.
Finally, the last thing is the shape of the pool. There are many different shapes to consider. You can go with a general shape like square, rectangle, oval, or L-shape… or you can go with something very exotic and custom. Something that nobody has ever done before, or you can copy the shape of your favorite pool from a magazine. It is completely up to you and your family. Just remember, a more intricate shape is going to cost you more and it also has to be able to fit into you property line.