FAQs - Construction

Generally speaking, private outdoor pools do not require planning permission. However, it's essential that you check with your local authority planning department to see if planning approval is needed. For example, you may need planning approval if your pool will affect nearby buildings or drains. You should also consult the planning authority if your property is listed or in a conservation area. If your installation does require and is granted planning approval but you subsequently decide to change the location of the pool, you must discuss the proposed change with the planning authority before building starts. If you're installing an indoor pool, you'll need to apply for planning approval as changes to a property are subject to Building Regulations so consent will be needed for installing a pool.

We specialise in the design and construction of high-end concrete pools for private clients, hotels, hospitals, leisure operators, and schools. We offer concrete pools with tiled finishes in ceramic, porcelain or glass. We recently expanded our pool offering to include stainless steel pools, in both bespoke and modular designs. We're also experts in the design and build of pools incorporating movable floors.

It's a pool built with a floor that is raised or lowered either to adjust the depth of the pool water or completely seal off the water. Some clients want a luxury pool that doesn't permanently occupy the space in a room or patio. When the movable floor is activated, it rises to the top of the pool, covering the water with a load-bearing floor. The space in the property can then be used for other activities. Movable floors can be installed in tiled and stainless steel pools. More information on moving floors is available here.

We design and build a wide range of spas built with a concrete, stainless steel or GRP shell, and the spa will be finished in mosaic tiles to reflect your taste and to match the pool and/or interior décor. Our spas are custom-made so you can have the number of seats and hydro massage jets you desire.

Yes, we do. On completion of the pool, we provide each client with the following:

• Pool and spa structures: 10-year warranty
• Waterproofing/internal finishes: 3-year warranty
• Installed pipework: 1-year warranty
• Electrical/mechanical plant according to manufacturers’ definitions but minimum 1-year warranty

An infinity edge pool is one where the water flows over one or more edges of the pool, with the water returning into the pool. Looking at the pool from the horizon, the infinity edge creates an illusion that the pool water has no boundary.

Yes, we have extensive experience of building basement pools. If you need to maximise the space in your home, you can have a pool with a movable floor. When the pool floor is raised to deck level and the pool is fully covered, the pool room is transformed back into a room that can be used for any other activity you wish.

Yes, you can have a pool built in an unusual shape; however, do remember that you will also need to have a bespoke pool cover because ready-made pool covers are designed in conventional shapes. If you have a concept for the shape of your pool in mind, do talk to us – our design team is creative, highly skilled and loves a challenge.

The choice of a concrete or a stainless steel pool is about personal preference rather than one being better than the other. Both types of pool have much to offer. For example, with a concrete pool, you can choose a design for the pool interior that satisfies your creativity and imagination. With a stainless steel pool, you get a gleaming surface that reflects light beautifully. While you can't personalise the interior of a stainless steel pool, you have other great benefits such as a faster build time, so you can be swimming sooner.

Yes and we are proud to say that we have won two awards for doing just that. We won the Energy Efficiency Award in the UK Pool & Spa Awards and the Sustainability Award in the British Pool & Hot Tubs Awards for the design and build of a pool that runs on a fraction of the cost of a more traditionally built pool. We worked closely with the client who had very specific energy-efficient criteria to design and build their award winning pool.

Yes. When we are commissioned, we work as a tight-knit team with all the parties – such as the client, architect, main contractor, interior designer, landscaper, and so on – contributing to the design and build of the pool.

Our process is as follows:

• At the concept stage, the project team has detailed discussions with the architect, main contractor, designer and the client (the Client Team). We produce initial concepts to take forward to a design principal, followed by a preliminary performance specification
• On commissioning, we consult further with the Client Team and submit detailed drawings for construction
• Detailed design proposals, with all equipment and construction materials itemised and priced individually, are submitted for approval
• When the client confirms the core concept and budget, we take full responsibility for the pool or spa project, from initial design through to construction and commissioning. We can also oversee the landscaping element if this is part of the overall brief

The timescale will depend on many factors, including the type, size and location of the pool and in particular whether the pool is part of a wider property refurbishment. In such cases, the pool will be built in stages to fit around other construction work. If the pool is being installed at an existing property where no other construction work is taking place, the pool can be built faster. The weather can also be a factor; however, we are very flexible and can work throughout inclement weather, for example, using a marquee to cover the pool construction area. To get an understanding of a possible timeframe, please contact us to discuss your pool or spa project.

We do not offer a landscaping service but we have excellent working relationships with landscape gardeners who provide creative practical solutions.

Built by a reputable company, ideally a SPATA member, and then properly maintained and serviced, a swimming pool should last you a lifetime. Professional pool servicing is important to keep your pool in peak condition and ensure its longevity. Many years from installation, when interiors and personal taste move on, we can refurbish your pool, giving it a new lease of life.

Our primary locations are London and the Home Counties.

Any materials that can be re-used, such as stainless steel, are recycled. All other materials are disposed of professionally and safely in accordance with industry guidelines.

Most responsible pool owners, both residential and commercial, now understand the need for their pools to be as energy-efficient as possible. In fact, the latest pool industry survey states that energy saving is the most important factor for customers purchasing new pools. Not only is energy efficiency socially responsible for the benefit of the planet and future generations, but it also has huge financial implications in saving costs. In addition, there is now a further very important reason why energy efficiency is critical to pool systems. That is the necessity to comply with the increasing number and complexity of UK building regulations.

Leaving aside for a moment the physical elements of the building’s energy efficiency in terms of construction, the key features for ultimate energy efficiency lie within the choice of environmental control unit installed to manage the pool’s air and water environments. Key features to look for in the ultimate energy-efficient pool environmental control system include humidity control, energy recovery, fresh air and variable rate ventilation, mechanical cooling and renewable energy heating solutions. More specifically:

• Integral dual function dehumidifying and expelled room air heat pumps
• Active heat recycling into room air and pool water via a dehumidifier
• “Blue EC” ultra-efficient digital inverter fan system

Against the consideration that the permanent operation of large air fan motors may represent the largest single consumer of energy within a pool complex, the best units employ a very special type of digital fan to offer the highest possible energy efficiency and, therefore, the lowest operating cost of any such system. The digital fan uses a directly-driven, backward-curved, centrifugal impeller, which features a DC motor coupled to an AC inverter. All these essential energy-saving features, which the ultimate energy efficient pool would contain, can be found in the Heatstar range of environmental control systems.

The biggest single factor in the ultimate energy efficient pool is the installation of a state-of-the-art environmental control system. The key design consideration for environmental control system units is flexibility. Whether it's a new build or a retrofit/refurb, each unit should be able to be tailor-made to the precise individual requirements of the application, obviating the need to under- or over-size performance aspects or tolerate inappropriate equipment room layout. Dehumidification rates, air flows and heating duties should all be specified individually to give a completely balanced highly effective system operating at ideal efficiency. The position of the control panel, pipes, air duct spigots and maintenance access should also all be orientated during manufacture to accommodate the ideal equipment room layout. For retrofit and refurbishment applications, units should be custom-made as necessary to accommodate existing services and plant space restrictions.

No two pool installations are the same and one of the key factors in environmental control is to specify exactly what each installation uniquely requires to operate at its ultimate energy efficiency. It's important to choose an environmental system manufacturer who offers an expert product selection and application assessment without charge or obligation. It's also essential to specify a company that can provide full calculations and product specifications which include energy use and savings assessments for each individual project. These services are provided by Heatstar and include an on-site survey service for existing indoor pools where required.