We are hopefully in the process of buying a holiday home in Liguria Italy. Initially we had our hearts set on being able to put a swimming pool in.Can anyone just let us know approximately how much hassle,and how much it will cost us in maintenence?
Does it really make that much difference to the rental potential?
My Husband wants a pool and Im not sure...?
many thanks
Jane (jig)
real costs of swimming pools?
Jane,
Studying the ads on holiday-rentals (e.g.) shows that rents are way higher with a pool. In Provence a pool adds hundreds of pounds a week to the rental. Even near a beach people today want the privacy of a pool.
Maintenance cost depends on whether you will be there or not - and on how well the original pool was built.
My guess is that it would be well worth your money to use an architect for any building in Italy: it could be a lot cheaper in the medium/long run.
Best,
Alexia.
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-r ... a_Cascade/
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-r ... re/Hyeres/
Studying the ads on holiday-rentals (e.g.) shows that rents are way higher with a pool. In Provence a pool adds hundreds of pounds a week to the rental. Even near a beach people today want the privacy of a pool.
Maintenance cost depends on whether you will be there or not - and on how well the original pool was built.
My guess is that it would be well worth your money to use an architect for any building in Italy: it could be a lot cheaper in the medium/long run.
Best,
Alexia.
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-r ... a_Cascade/
http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-r ... re/Hyeres/
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Jane,
As a pool owner and a holiday property owner I can assure you that having a pool makes a huge difference both to the level of rent and to the level of enquiries and bookings. The differences between letting properties with and without pools are so great that they are almost in two separate market places.
I have no idea on cost of installation in Italy but here in France £20,000 gets you a 10mx5m pool complete with all accessories and a good sized terrace together with an appropriate certified safety system.
Normal running costs total perhaps £500.00 per annum in electricity and materials, plus labour if you can not maintain it yourself. You say you are buying a holiday home so you will have to include the cost of bought-in labour, pools don't maintain themselves although you can get automatic devices to help.
One word of warning: do not be tempted to skimp on the structure of a pool. In the long run it's a false economy as the cost of rectifying subsidence or replacing a liner can be very high.
Alan
As a pool owner and a holiday property owner I can assure you that having a pool makes a huge difference both to the level of rent and to the level of enquiries and bookings. The differences between letting properties with and without pools are so great that they are almost in two separate market places.
I have no idea on cost of installation in Italy but here in France £20,000 gets you a 10mx5m pool complete with all accessories and a good sized terrace together with an appropriate certified safety system.
Normal running costs total perhaps £500.00 per annum in electricity and materials, plus labour if you can not maintain it yourself. You say you are buying a holiday home so you will have to include the cost of bought-in labour, pools don't maintain themselves although you can get automatic devices to help.
One word of warning: do not be tempted to skimp on the structure of a pool. In the long run it's a false economy as the cost of rectifying subsidence or replacing a liner can be very high.
Alan
We have certainly found our pool an attraction and many of our guests say that they would not have looked at properties without pools - even though they do not necessarily use it a lot. It appears to imply a better level of acommodation.
Having invested in an inground pool 2 years ago (with a heater) we are now looking at a rigid cover (like a half height conservatory) that will enable us to use more of the year. As to maintenance that rather depends on the pool chemicals used - we favour Baquacil which is not chlorine so does not hurt eyes or smell - however it is more expensive and the more use the pool gets with people weaking suntan, etc the more chemical we use. My husbands main 'bugbear' with the pool is the debris that gets into it - in our case leaves and tree seeds - however having trees and bushes nearby helps blend it into the surroundings so we would not cut the tree down.
regards
helene
Having invested in an inground pool 2 years ago (with a heater) we are now looking at a rigid cover (like a half height conservatory) that will enable us to use more of the year. As to maintenance that rather depends on the pool chemicals used - we favour Baquacil which is not chlorine so does not hurt eyes or smell - however it is more expensive and the more use the pool gets with people weaking suntan, etc the more chemical we use. My husbands main 'bugbear' with the pool is the debris that gets into it - in our case leaves and tree seeds - however having trees and bushes nearby helps blend it into the surroundings so we would not cut the tree down.
regards
helene
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Helene,
Since you are not using chlorine I assume that "Baquacil" is the proprietory name for a bromine product.
The main advantage of using bromine is what you have found - it doesn't cause eye irritations or odor problems. The disadvantages are higher cost, the need for a high bromine residual in the water and the fact that it is not stabilised to sunlight which increases the loss of bromine in the water.
On the other hand, the main advantages of chlorine are easy availabilty, lower cost and lower consumption. The disadvantages can be burning eyes and odor problems. The way to avoid these problems is to keep the level of chlorine up not down.
To quote from John O'Keefe (a marine engineer and former managing editor of Pool & Spa News in the USA):-
"It is a common misunderstanding that if the water has a strong chlorine odor, too much chlorine has been added. On the contrary, this is an indicator of too little free residual chlorine in the water. It is chloramine (combined chlorine) which is the major cause of burning eyes, skin irritation and the chlorine odor. So when people complain of burning eyes and chlorine smell it is because there is too little free residual chlorine in the water, not too much."
I know that sounds bizare but I have found it to be absolutely true.
I used to shut down and cover my pool during the winter months. Now I keep my pool in operation throughout the year, albeit with a much lower maintenance routine during the winter months. That's not for everyone but it works for me.
Alan
Since you are not using chlorine I assume that "Baquacil" is the proprietory name for a bromine product.
The main advantage of using bromine is what you have found - it doesn't cause eye irritations or odor problems. The disadvantages are higher cost, the need for a high bromine residual in the water and the fact that it is not stabilised to sunlight which increases the loss of bromine in the water.
On the other hand, the main advantages of chlorine are easy availabilty, lower cost and lower consumption. The disadvantages can be burning eyes and odor problems. The way to avoid these problems is to keep the level of chlorine up not down.
To quote from John O'Keefe (a marine engineer and former managing editor of Pool & Spa News in the USA):-
"It is a common misunderstanding that if the water has a strong chlorine odor, too much chlorine has been added. On the contrary, this is an indicator of too little free residual chlorine in the water. It is chloramine (combined chlorine) which is the major cause of burning eyes, skin irritation and the chlorine odor. So when people complain of burning eyes and chlorine smell it is because there is too little free residual chlorine in the water, not too much."
I know that sounds bizare but I have found it to be absolutely true.
I used to shut down and cover my pool during the winter months. Now I keep my pool in operation throughout the year, albeit with a much lower maintenance routine during the winter months. That's not for everyone but it works for me.
Alan
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DivineMrsM
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:16 pm
- Location: The Dordogne and London
Interesting discussion.
I've always been curious as to how often people clean their pools once they are in use. I'm sure I've stayed places where the "pool man" only came every few days, but my brother in law (who lives on site at our property) cleans it early every morning before the guests are up and about. It's always spotless!
What do others do?
I've always been curious as to how often people clean their pools once they are in use. I'm sure I've stayed places where the "pool man" only came every few days, but my brother in law (who lives on site at our property) cleans it early every morning before the guests are up and about. It's always spotless!
What do others do?
Lynne
for Metropolitan Retreat in London https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6712284
and
Le Cheval Blanc in France https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6714302
for Metropolitan Retreat in London https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6712284
and
Le Cheval Blanc in France https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6714302
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Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
There is no one definitive answer to this question. It very much depends on the location of the pool, local weather conditions and installed equipment.how often people clean their pools
If the pool is located near trees, bushes and shrubs then leaves will find their way into the pool and have to removed on a regualr basis.
In times of wind and rain all sorts of debris will find its way into the pool and has to removed on a regular basis.
The basic pumping and filtration system will not remove all debris. An automatic in-pool cleaner (e.g. a Polaris) will pick up a lot of the debris not removed by the filtration system.
Some owners have a schedule of cleaning every day. Others will clean the pool when they think it is necessary.
Alan
Our pool is near shrubs/trees and it does get some debris and we tend to net off the debris perhaps twice a day - lots of spiders/flies seem to be attracted to the water so we always want to get rid of them before anyone swims. The filter is on most of the time. Then we give it a more thorough clean (pool hoover at the bottom) once a week and top it up with water at the same time - normally chnageover day.
Winter is much less and covers (thermal and debris/leaves) certainly help. We took the covers off earlier this week to clean up any debris and also had the filter on for a few hrs I think my husband (pool man/cleaner) would like to have no shrubs/trees nearby but I think it does help blend it in to the landscape.
It does need work to keep it looking at its best - but we think it is worth it
Helene
Winter is much less and covers (thermal and debris/leaves) certainly help. We took the covers off earlier this week to clean up any debris and also had the filter on for a few hrs I think my husband (pool man/cleaner) would like to have no shrubs/trees nearby but I think it does help blend it in to the landscape.
It does need work to keep it looking at its best - but we think it is worth it
Helene
We bought an electric pool cleaner this summer and it is the best thing we could have done. Other cleaners use the pump, necessitating back-cleaning of the filter, but the electric pool cleaner just needs switching on: you can walk away for a couple of hours & then just pull it out of the pool. It is heavy and a small, unmuscular person wouldn't want to lift it: that is the only disadvantage that I can see (apart from the cost: see below).It has a small filter which is easy to clean.
Cost in FRANCE: high. It is American & if you can get it in the States it would be about half the cost.
Small bonus: guests (especially young ones) love it on the rare occasions that they see it (we use it before or after the guests have swum). They are happy to wait by the pool while it walks up & down the walls, gurgling & diving. (No, it's not the guests who gurgle & dive: the cleaner is electric......)
Cost in FRANCE: high. It is American & if you can get it in the States it would be about half the cost.
Small bonus: guests (especially young ones) love it on the rare occasions that they see it (we use it before or after the guests have swum). They are happy to wait by the pool while it walks up & down the walls, gurgling & diving. (No, it's not the guests who gurgle & dive: the cleaner is electric......)
Best,
Alexia.
Alexia.
Even though my property is very close to the beach and on an Island surrounded by the sea, a pool is a must. Guests simply cannot resist a pool.
As for maintanance, it's a bit of a job, though there are many gizmoss and devices which automate the normally menial tasks such as vacuming etc. It is not cheap to build and maintain a pool, though the investment is well worth the money from a letting point of view.
One sacrafice I had to make after I had the pool installed was a nearby tree which wreaked havoc with all of the leaves it shed, obviously ending up in the pool, with the risk of continious clogging of the filter.
One major fact you must consider is proper planning. You must take note of the position of the sunlight and shade throughout the day so as to build your pool in the position which will give you maximum direct sunlight, as a pool in the shade is not much use! Here's a pic of the finished product:
and another of the project half way:
As for maintanance, it's a bit of a job, though there are many gizmoss and devices which automate the normally menial tasks such as vacuming etc. It is not cheap to build and maintain a pool, though the investment is well worth the money from a letting point of view.
One sacrafice I had to make after I had the pool installed was a nearby tree which wreaked havoc with all of the leaves it shed, obviously ending up in the pool, with the risk of continious clogging of the filter.
One major fact you must consider is proper planning. You must take note of the position of the sunlight and shade throughout the day so as to build your pool in the position which will give you maximum direct sunlight, as a pool in the shade is not much use! Here's a pic of the finished product:
and another of the project half way:
Malta – always in the sunshine!