Diving board, slide, volleyball, shelf. Is it possible without a gigantic pool?

[shannnon]

Hi! I'm brand new to Trouble Free Pools and I'm excited to get my feet wet! We are in the process of getting quotes and are also looking into owner building.

There are many elements I would love to have in the pool but am not sure it's all possible while staying in budget and not turning this into a monster-sized pool. I'd love to see pictures and hear about the details of your pool if you have all or nearly all of the elements I am hoping for.

I would like a spa, tanning shelf (or shamu shelf...are these the same thing?), diving board, some kind of water feature, slide, and enough room in the shallow end to be able to play volleyball. And if possible, all of this in a free-form pool but I'm willing to budge on that if I have to.

My husband is worried about the diving board and safety so I want to make sure we take all precautions necessary, of course. To have enough room for a tanning shelf and volleyball AND a safe deep end for the diving board,we get ourselves into a pretty long pool. Would 40' long do the trick? Will we need a steep slope from shallow to deep therefore creating a hazard for diving? Could we possibly configure the volleyball net on an angle to better accomplish this? Any thoughts and/or ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated! And, please show me pictures of how you accomplished a pool similar to this! Thank you

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Shannon, welcome to TFP

I'd say an L shape or T shape pool could do all you want. The short side of the L could contain the "shamu" (lol!) ledge and shallow area for volleyball, while the long end starts with a basket ball hoop and works down into a diving well at the end. The diving well could also be the outlet for a slide.

I'd lose the water feature myself if you want to trim costs. I personally think they're overdone and of limited value.

My insurance company (USAA) didn't care about a diving board or rock and never asked, but other companies do. Ask your insurer. The most important element is that the deeper your well, the safer it is. I love to dive and sorely miss not having a board <whine whine!>

Maddie

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Hey Shannnon, so glad you found TFP!!

What a fun pool!! I agree with everything Maddie suggested. An L shaped pool would suit the features you want perfectly! It would give you the length for safe diving and a safe slope.

I also agree with doing away with the water features. You have plenty of fun features without needing to jazz up the pool with costly water features.

If you're going to have a spa, the spillway could be your water feature. If you decide on a spa without a spillway, place a stand alone water fountain near the patio or in a flower bed. There are many types, but the large pots are easy to set up and actually provide a nicer water sound than a pool water feature (most are so loud, they aren't relaxing).

This particular thread might get better traffic in the section "Under Construction". If you don't mind, I can request TFP Mod move it for you.

I look forward to seeing your build thread beginning soon!!

Take care,
Suz

 

[YippeeSkippy]

This particular thread might get better traffic in the section "Under Construction". If you don't mind, I can request TFP Mod move it for you.

Done! <poof!>

 

[SuzfromTexas]

Awesome, thanks Maddie!! Moderators have such cool super powers! :super:

 

[kimkats]

Oh this one will be fun to help with!!

I have to agree with the above two ladies!!! A T of L shaped pool would be purrfect shape for you. There are even some that have slight curves to make to closer to "freeform". I did a google search using the words " L shaped pools" and got a lot of hits. Let us know what you think after you look at some. Tell us what you like and don't like.

Kim

 

[Tx-C]

Sounds like a vey fun pool! I’m currently building a lazy river pool in a free form shape. I opted out of diving board for a diving rock, we did go with a slide, spa, tanning shelf. My pool is 44ft long and 45ft at its widest point (back end of the lazy river)
I think it would be difficult to add the volley ball area in a free form with enough shallow space in this shape without it being very long . My “shamu” shelf is 11ft wide by 7 ft. Water features are 2 bublers on tanning ledge and a spill over from spa into the pool. We went with a Helix 2 S.R Smith slide.

 

[shannnon]

Thanks for the suggestions! I was set on a water feature because I really want it to be pretty when I look at it from my windows but for the cost, you're probably right-it's probably not worth a little trickle of water... And yes, lol about the shamu shelf. I guess the term is regional? I've heard it referred to as a baja shelf, tanning ledge and shamu shelf. Where we are, it is most definitely a Shamu shelf!

Will having an L-shaped pool incur a much pricier pool?

 

[shannnon]

Yes Suz, thank you for moving it! I thought I had posted it there originally but obviously I am still trying to find my way around! Thanks for the water fountain suggestion. It's good to know the pool fountains are loud. Do you know if an L-shapes pool would run us significantly more than a regular pool?

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Thanks Kim! I will take a look at some L-shaped threads!

 

[Hoots711]

hey Shannon, you can see below link for our L'ish shaped pool that meets some of your needs.

New Rectangular In Ground Build (in progress) Eastern PA

Its not deep enough to dive and shallow end feels small.

Just plastered today and took 3 trucks of water to almost make it to the tile. Hose in it over night. Pictures uploaded tomorrow.

TBH, i think you would need a considerably longer pool to do all you want!

 

[shannnon]

Tx-C, A lazy river sounds amazing! Can I see pictures of your plans?

 

[shannnon]

Thanks Hoots711! Your pool looks great!

 

[Dirk]

I have a fountain by my pool. It's perfect sound-wise. Water features that splash your pool's surface will contribute to pH-rise, which is enough of a challenge in a new plaster pool. A fountain adds no such issue. You do have to fill it, and chlorinate it periodically. I ran two drip lines to mine. One is a small drip tube that connects to my irrigation drip line. Every time I water the garden, the fountain gets a shot of water. When that's not enough, I use the second, bigger drip line, which I ran to a hose bib, which just happens to be right outside my back door. If I come out and see the fountain low, I just turn the hose bib on (I have one of the 1-to-4 hose bib gizmos), and fill the fountain. Without some such solution, you'll find filling the fount manually a drag, and you'll eventually stop using it.

If you run out of real estate for everything you want to do, the diving board is probably using the most. Not only do you need a large deep end, you also a deep one, you need a lot of space between the board and where the slope starts to come up to a shallower depth. I have a jumping rock that I believe to be considerably safer than a board. It works well in 7' of water (I wouldn't go less) and doesn't require much space before the pool starts to shallow. It is the center of fun in my pool, and the kids love it and use it a lot. I don't see them using a board more, for sure, and without one, they don't know what they're missing.

Insurance aside, diving board injuries are a significant portion of pool-related injuries. There's a reason they are becoming extinct and uninsurable... I hit my head on one as a kid. Nothing bad but some blood, but it could have been a lot worse... You can train your family all you want about pool safety. It all flies right out the window when the friends arrive. Pandemonium! So what ends up happening, instead of you relaxing with the other parents, is you sit there on pins and needles waiting for the accident, or you're yelling and shouting at the kids "don't do that!!" And we all know kids listen and do exactly what you tell them, the first time, and remember the rules the entire rest of the day!! Sorry, didn't mean to be so anti-diving-board. They are a blast, just be prepared for their "expense," in terms of real estate, build cost (bigger, deeper pool + board and hardware), risk and "policing."

 

[PoolGate]

Have you checked on prices for slides? They are very pricey!

 

[benm2010]

Hi Shannon! We just build a pool very similar to what your looking at. 40' long with an 8' deep end with diving board, slide and a tanning ledge in freeform. I'm not sure our shallow end is quite big enough for a good volleyball game (although we haven't tried it yet) so I tend to agree with the L shape above.

 

[Tx-C]

Tx-C, A lazy river sounds amazing! Can I see pictures of your plans?

Sure thing, here is a pic of original design, we did change the size of the pool because i wanted more shallow space and turned it into a beach entry pool. I'm not sure how to post a link here, but you can search Lazy river and my should show up i think? lol. There's lots of pics there you can see.

 

[jsbaker]

Just an FYI, definitely check with your insurance company about the diving board and the slide. I'm closing on a house on Friday with a pool and every company we got a quote from asked if there was either there. We had also gotten quotes on a couple other houses that had them and were told they would have to be removed before we could be insured. Could just be a Texas thing but I don't know. I don't know what other people do but I would also look into an umbrella policy for liability coverage. It came highly recommended from more than one person and we are purchasing a 1 million dollar policy today for $270 a year.

 

[BMK]

Our recently completed pool has most of what you have in mind....completely free-form, water feature, tanning ledge, slide, etc. We do not have a diving board because the waterfall was always designed as a jumping spot. The insurance company hated a diving board 3 feet off the water, but has no problem with kids jumping off the waterfall which is much higher. Go figure. (Depth of our deep end is 10.5 feet.) Insurance had no problem with our slide because it is built in, there is no ladder and you enter the slide from ground level. I will send pictures when I get back to my office.

 

[shannnon]

Dirk, I really appreciate your perspective. It definitely has me thinking. I was a gymnast so a diving board was/is the only thing fun to me in a swimming pool but I am starting to let go of the idea that it is a must. And you are right, I probably will be worrying the whole time kids are swimming rather than enjoying myself. How tall is your jumping rock? Can I see pictures? And of your fountain too? Thanks!

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Have you checked on prices for slides? They are very pricey!

One of the pool builders quoted me on several different types of slides. I was blown away at some of the prices. A feature with rocks and a slide was $25K! We would get a simple one and I don't remember the price right now but I remember it was doable. Maybe around $1,000?

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Hi Shannon! We just build a pool very similar to what your looking at. 40' long with an 8' deep end with diving board, slide and a tanning ledge in freeform. I'm not sure our shallow end is quite big enough for a good volleyball game (although we haven't tried it yet) so I tend to agree with the L shape above.

benm2010 would you mind sharing some pictures?

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Tx-C This is amazing! So I am assuming the lazy river portion is pricey but I am intrigued. Can you give me a ballpark of cost?

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Just an FYI, definitely check with your insurance company about the diving board and the slide. I'm closing on a house on Friday with a pool and every company we got a quote from asked if there was either there. We had also gotten quotes on a couple other houses that had them and were told they would have to be removed before we could be insured. Could just be a Texas thing but I don't know. I don't know what other people do but I would also look into an umbrella policy for liability coverage. It came highly recommended from more than one person and we are purchasing a 1 million dollar policy today for $270 a year.

My husband looked into our policy here in Utah and it looks like our premium wouldn't be raised at all. Very surprising for sure. We would definitely look into getting an umbrella policy. Good to know around how much that will cost a year. Thanks!

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Our recently completed pool has most of what you have in mind....completely free-form, water feature, tanning ledge, slide, etc. We do not have a diving board because the waterfall was always designed as a jumping spot. The insurance company hated a diving board 3 feet off the water, but has no problem with kids jumping off the waterfall which is much higher. Go figure. (Depth of our deep end is 10.5 feet.) Insurance had no problem with our slide because it is built in, there is no ladder and you enter the slide from ground level. I will send pictures when I get back to my office.

Yes, thank you. I would love to see some pictures

 

[Captchaos]

I was going to suggest a dive rock as well. You can also turn the dive rock into a water feature too, so that might make things easier for you. I was worried about a diving board as well with the kids and feel like that and a slide are things that are used a lot at the beginning but then not used much at all afterwards. I spent a good sum on my waterfall (for a 11x3x4 pile of rocks) and it is one of my favorite features by far. I also could easily jump off of it but have waited so as to not give my kids any ideas. I did have to yell at a nephew's friend who was just about to jump off of the one rock that came loose the very first party we had in it!

Also, regarding umbrella policies, mine is like $160/year but discounted my home and auto insurance with multipolicy discounts enough to pay for itself.