Can a swimming pool fit in my tiny backyard?

One of the more common questions we get here is whether or not you can have a pool in a tiny backyard. And sometimes we’re talking, like… super tiny. As in more courtyard than backyard. 

So we’ve got some good news, and some well, words of caution as well. Long story, short – yes, you and yours can have a pool in a tiny backyard. It’s 100% plausible, possible and doable. Even at that, you can have a pretty good sized pool! You don’t even have to scrimp that much on size! And that’s great!

On the other hand, our words of caution are that you want to make sure you do your homework. Not only are pools a significant investment; but with less space to work with, you may have to leave yourself open to the possibility of some changes you might not be wild about. This is the trade off. 

Anyway – today, we’re going to talk about some of the things you’ll need to do in order to have a great swimming space in your small space. Let’s jump right in!

The big stuff first

The first thing you’re going to have to do is not so much contemplate the area you have to work with, but rather – the local rules and regulations in your area regarding your property. The major ones being setback rules and easements. 

Setbacks are regulations that dictate how far away from your property line that a pool (or whatever you’re building) needs to be. This will go a long way to not only dictating whether or not you can have a pool – but how big it will be and what it might have the opportunity to look like. You can find out about these by contacting development offices in your local town or municipal offices. They vary widely town to town, so don’t just take people’s word for it. 

Second, easements on your property can limit the usable space that you have. Easements are invisible lines that you’re not allowed to build on. 9 out of 10 times the reason for that is that you’re sitting on top of some sort of underground utility like wires or piping. Again – this is an easy dig – just call your local county records offices or check with utility companies. 

Then the fun stuff

OK – so let’s say you’re a go. Setbacks look good, you’ve got no easements; so now it’s time to start thinking about your pool. 

The first thing is whether you’re willing to compromise on size. Like we said above – limited space can sometimes mean limited options. For most people in this situation, they’re fine with that and understand it. But for some of you picky porcupines, we’re just getting out ahead of things here. Depth, length, width – all these things will require a conversation and guess what else? Equipment, logistics, how we’re going to get back there to dig the hole in the ground, do the work, etc. 

The next thing you’ll have to think about is what KIND of pool you want – whether it’s inground or above ground; whether it’s fiberglass or a vinyl liner pool. These are major discussions – ones we’ve had in the past. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to both and with that, comes a wide range in price. Our bread and butter is fiberglass pools – that’s what we do better than anything; but for this situation, concrete might be the way to go, just because with concrete pools, you can get the most options and it’s the most customizable for the money you’ll spend. That of course however, is a conversation you’ll have with your contractor and there are several, important drawbacks to using concrete as well. So do your homework!

So can we do this?

We can’t honestly say that without looking at your space; but in all likelihood, yes – you should be able to. But again – we implore you to be cautious and don’t skip steps. Learn more about your space, learn more about the different kinds of options at your disposal and just as important; do your homework on who’ll be doing the project for you. Pools are a significant investment; one we think is entirely worth it; but anything worth having comes with a healthy level of work attached to it. It’s not like you go to the pool store, take one for a spin, get some financing and start swimming. It’s a process, an alteration to your home and something you’ll want to make sure is done right, the first time. 

If you’d like to learn more about whether a pool can fit in your tiny backyard, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to start walking you through the process. Until then, we hope this gave you some things to think about and consider – and we hope everything turns out for the best! Good luck! 

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