Here in South East Queensland, where long summers and backyard living are a part of our everyday life, a swimming pool often becomes a centrepiece of your home. But since a pool is probably going to be one of the biggest investments you can make for your property, it’s worth taking the time to make sure you’re choosing the perfect option for your family.
Many homeowners start by asking how much space they have available, but the better question is how they want to use the pool: a family that wants to keep the kids entertained on weekends or over the summer will naturally have different priorities from someone who might want to swim a couple of laps before work. Likewise, a pool that’s perfect for a young family now may not suit the same household ten years down the track.
All this means that it’s worth taking a moment and thinking about what size and type of pool actually reflects how you see yourself using it, so that you can get the best value for your investment and make sure your pool is one you and the family will enjoy for years to come.
What to know before choosing your pool
Your family’s lifestyle
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a pool, especially when every family uses their pool differently and has a different-sized property to work with.
For families with young children, for example, features like shallow entry areas and plenty of room for supervised play will be a safety priority. Families with older children and teenagers might also need more open swimming space – especially if friends will be coming over as well. And think beyond your immediate needs, as well: children grow quickly, and a pool that feels generous today can start feeling cramped a few years later.
The size and shape of your backyard
Not every Queensland backyard is large and flat, but that doesn’t mean your pool options are limited. Custom concrete pools can be designed to suit narrow blocks, unusual shapes and sites with access challenges.
In plenty of cases, homeowners can be a little surprised by what can be achieved when a pool is designed specifically for the property rather than selected from a standard range. And if your block presents challenges, Queensland Family Pools & Spas can even create solutions for challenging sites, making sure that families make the most of the space they’ve got available.
Match your needs to our pool types
Once you’ve considered how you’ll use the pool and the space you have available, it becomes much easier to identify the perfect size and style. Let’s look at which pool types tend to suit different households and lifestyles.
For small backyards or casual relaxation
Let’s dispel the notion that homeowners need a full-sized pool for it to be considered a “family pool”. That’s just not the case, especially if your goal is just to have something outdoors to help cool off during summer or create a relaxing outdoor space that your whole family can still enjoy.
Smaller plunge pools or spa pools are becoming increasingly popular on Brisbane’s newer suburban blocks, where every square metre of outdoor space counts.
If you’ve got a smaller backyard to work with or are looking for something a little more casual, then a plunge pool can still provide you with plenty of room for relaxing while leaving space for entertaining areas, gardens, and your lawn. Or if you’re focusing primarily on comfort and relaxation, a spa pool can create an easy private retreat that can be enjoyed throughout the year, too.
For the active, all-rounder family
When people think of the classic Aussie backyard pool, they’re thinking of a family pool of between 7 and 9 metres long. This offers one of the best balances of space and practicality, since it’s large enough for children to play and adults to swim in without overwhelming your entire backyard.
This classic family pool tends to work especially well for growing families because it can adapt as needs change. Young children have room to play, while teenagers and adults still have enough space to swim comfortably. If you’re looking for a design that can handle a little bit of everything, then a custom family pool is often the most sensible choice.
For fitness fanatics
If regular exercise is a priority, lap pools are designed to maximise your swimming distance while making efficient use of your available outdoor space. These kinds of pools work especially well on long, narrow blocks and can often even fit into areas where a traditional family pool might feel oversized.
For the ultimate in luxury
Some families want the best of both worlds: a swimming pool for recreation and exercise, along with a dedicated spa area for relaxation.
But did you know you can have your own specially integrated pool and spa combination for your own resort-style experience right at home? While these combos can require more careful planning to ensure the right balance of swimming and spa space, the upside is that they deliver the most exceptional versatility, comfort, and luxury you’ll find for your outdoor space.
For sloped or difficult terrains
Plenty of Queensland properties have sloping terrain or site conditions that make constructing a traditional in-ground pool more challenging. But that doesn’t automatically mean you have to settle for a more modest or less impressive pool.
In fact, our custom concrete construction allows pools to be designed around the landscape – instead of forcing the landscape to suit the pool. Out of ground pools are often an excellent solution for properties if you’ve got elevation changes or challenging terrain to deal with.
Already have a pool that’s the wrong size?
Not every homeowner might be starting from scratch, either. Plenty of older pools were built decades ago when family needs, design trends, or construction methods were different, which means that what might have suited a young family twenty years ago doesn’t fit the way you use your backyard today.
In that case, choosing to renovate your pool instead of a new space will be far more practical, without the cost of a completely new installation.
So if perhaps your pool feels outdated, or the layout doesn’t work, or you might simply want a more modern design that better complements your home, then we can help transform it into a space that better suits your lifestyle.
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The next steps toward your perfect pool: start with a professional assessment
When it comes down to it, there isn’t one universal “best” pool size. The right dimensions will depend on you, your family, your property, and the way you plan to use the space. If you and the kids have somewhere to have fun over the summer, without it taking up your entire backyard space, then that’s the perfect pool for you – no matter whether it ends up being full-sized, half-sized, lap-sized, plunge-sized, or anything in between.
If you’ve gone over your options and decided which size of pool is perfect for you, you can get started right away with the team at Queensland Family Pools & Spas. With over 5,000 pools built for homes across Brisbane, Caboolture, Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas, we know exactly how to help homeowners create an ideal pool tailored to the exact dimensions of their backyard, as well as the way their family lives. With offices in Geebung and Caboolture, our team is conveniently located to help homeowners across the region bring their pool vision to life. Reach out to us today for a free consultation.
