Hi all
This is my first post although I have been lurking for a while. Please forgive me if this is a bit long winded but I figured that writing it down may clarify things for me (if no one else). We are in ‘sunny’ Wales live on site and have a swimming pool that is in our garden and currently not available to guests. We are debating if it would be worth offering the use of the pool to our guests and if we could charge any extra for it and if so how much.
The downsides as we see them are:
1. The money /time we would have to spend fencing the pool, writing depth signs and installing safety equipment and heating as it currently unheated plus the extra it would add to our insurance.
2. Would people be willing to pay a premium for the use of a pool when there is no guarantee that due to the vagaries of the weather in this country that they would be able to use it?
The options that we could consider would be just to bite the bullet put the prices up and see what happens which could result in lost bookings. Put some sort of a temporary structure over it (Poly tunnel sort of thing) which would look terrible (sorry if I am offending anyone but I hate those over pools) which would extend the season and we would at least then be able to guarantee the use of the pool, not offer the pool at all as is the situation at the moment or for the next year not mention the pool in any advertising but tell guests on arrival that it is there for them to use if required (with the fencing etc in place) and see what the take up would be.
Thanks for any thoughts you may have.
Swimming pool in uk
Welcome to the forum halfpint!
You would definitely be able to charge more with a heated pool, ours is in Brittany but the temps aren't that much different and we advertise it as heated from Easter to end of October, 27º (depending on ambient temperature). You will need a decent heating system though. The biggest problems we have with the house over there are always with the pool but that's because we're not on site, so it would be easier for you.
What are the laws re pools in the UK, would you need to fence it? We have an alarm which suffices under French law. You don't need to write depth signs, that could all be in the house notes although mine isn't, what other safety equipment do you mean?
You would definitely be able to charge more with a heated pool, ours is in Brittany but the temps aren't that much different and we advertise it as heated from Easter to end of October, 27º (depending on ambient temperature). You will need a decent heating system though. The biggest problems we have with the house over there are always with the pool but that's because we're not on site, so it would be easier for you.
What are the laws re pools in the UK, would you need to fence it? We have an alarm which suffices under French law. You don't need to write depth signs, that could all be in the house notes although mine isn't, what other safety equipment do you mean?
Kathy
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Waterfront location in Le Faou
"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
Re: Swimming pool in uk
I agree, I think they are horrible so I have one that can be rolled back completely so in nice weather the pool is completely an outdoor pool. I'm afraid in a climate like the UK that the heating would cost you a fortune and without something like a 'polytunnel' you are unlikely to ever keep the pool to a decent temperature (i.e. over 26°C). If I didn't have mine the pool would be 8°C colder than it is. An abri may not be aesthetically pleasing, but guests really appreciate being able to use the pool in all sorts of weather under cover.half pint wrote:Put some sort of a temporary structure over it (Poly tunnel sort of thing) which would look terrible (sorry if I am offending anyone but I hate those over pools)
But I much prefer the cover rolled off (weather permitting!).
If you live on site - in England the legislation governing swimming pools is under the Health & Safety at Work act. You can get a guide from ROSPA which gives loads of information. I expect that the legislation for Wales is similar if not identical.
I agree about the indoor pool thing. We have an indoor pool available 52 weeks a year. When it was installed 7 years ago, our occupancy increased by 30% over a year.
Obviously, an outdoor, unheated pool will not be available all year (unless you have some hardy types and, do you really want to be cleaning the pool in chilly November??) So I guess you need to work out costs etc for yourself (chemicals, cleaning, heating costs, maintenance, fencing, pool alarm, locks etc etc etc) and estimate how much more you need to charge for your cottage to cover this. You could also poll your guests....
As a guide, we envisage breaking even on the installation of our indoor pool in 2013! That's 8 years and we have 2 cottages, sleeping 8 and 10.
I have a friend who has one of those retractable pool covers that looks a bit like a marquee. I know that it was really expensive to install, and there is a problem with condensation sometimes as they don't have fans fitted, but it does mean that they can use their pool all year round.
I agree about the indoor pool thing. We have an indoor pool available 52 weeks a year. When it was installed 7 years ago, our occupancy increased by 30% over a year.
Obviously, an outdoor, unheated pool will not be available all year (unless you have some hardy types and, do you really want to be cleaning the pool in chilly November??) So I guess you need to work out costs etc for yourself (chemicals, cleaning, heating costs, maintenance, fencing, pool alarm, locks etc etc etc) and estimate how much more you need to charge for your cottage to cover this. You could also poll your guests....
As a guide, we envisage breaking even on the installation of our indoor pool in 2013! That's 8 years and we have 2 cottages, sleeping 8 and 10.
I have a friend who has one of those retractable pool covers that looks a bit like a marquee. I know that it was really expensive to install, and there is a problem with condensation sometimes as they don't have fans fitted, but it does mean that they can use their pool all year round.
If you want to find me, Google The Barton Poughill!
Thanks for all your replies I guess we will have to consider enclosing it with some sort of poly tunnel affair if we decide to go ahead. Much as I would love to have an indoor pool planning would never let us do it here it would have to be a temporary structure. Kathy G we would I think need some sort of depth indication as it is a hoper type pool which is flat at the top then suddenly slopes down to about 8 ft and even my family have been caught out when stepping on the slope and sliding. AS regards other safety equipment I was thinking of one of them red and white rings that you see near rivers. Heating is not really a problem as it has been heated in the past and all the fittings are still there just not connected to anything at the mo and hubby has a few prototypes on the go that if work will not cost much to run it's just the initial set-up. Can see I will have to get the calculator dusted!
I'd love toput a pool in our place- not so much for our guests (one couple only at a time) although it would be a bonus for them but mostly for me. I would want the sort of cover (abri) that has been mentioned but imagine the cost would be too high for me to justify. Anyone put one in recently and got an idea of costs? All my research comes in at about £60k - wash too high for me!!!!!