Existing Vinyl pool with waterfall - change waterfall area to a freeform sauna ?

[ionizer]

Hi, is it possible when you have a vinyl pool to add a freeform sauna area that flows over into the pool?

presently we have 3 waterfalls that go into the pool and behind it is landscaped area. I would want the landscape area to become a free-form sauna (can you have that with a vinyl pool?) ...with the overflow going into the pool. I'd also love for the deep-end side to have a little slide to go from the hot tub into the pool, but that might be too expensive. I'd also love a little "underground grotto" under the waterfall if it were feasible, but not a must - plus i fear spiders would make a home in there and might be difficult to clean.

see picture for rough idea.

is this feasible? What would be bottom, mid and high end ranges you think such a job would cost? I figured because there are 3 lines for the waterfalls already that perhaps it might not be a huge deal, but i am admittedly ignorant to this effort.

View attachment 67386

 

[kimkats]

ANY thing is possible for the right amount of $$$$$. The prices vary way too much from area to area for anyone to be able to tell you how much it would cost in your area. Your best bet will be to get some pool builders (the real builders NOT sells guys) and talk to them.

Let us know what you find out!

Kim

 

[PoolGate]

To add a hottub to an existing pool with a grotto is a fairly involved process. I'd say you are talking $10k for the hot-tub, $5k for the grotto. Slide are expensive as well. You'd probably want to budget $25k for the entire project. That is what it would be around here but we are a very expensive area.

 

[ionizer]

To add a hottub to an existing pool with a grotto is a fairly involved process. I'd say you are talking $10k for the hot-tub, $5k for the grotto. Slide are expensive as well. You'd probably want to budget $25k for the entire project. That is what it would be around here but we are a very expensive area.

do you think if i skip the grotto/slide that i am looking at 10-15k? I am in NJ so expensive here as well. And if yes, do you think we are talking about a hottub/sauna of the area i showed in the map or are you thinking that $10k is purely for a standard circle pre-fab?

- - - Updated - - -

ANY thing is possible for the right amount of $$$$$. The prices vary way too much from area to area for anyone to be able to tell you how much it would cost in your area. Your best bet will be to get some pool builders (the real builders NOT sells guys) and talk to them.

Let us know what you find out!

Kim

sure, i know anything can be done with endless money. i am just trying to find out if this is reasonable/customary for someone to do in my situation or if its totally out of line with normal things to be done and thus going to cost an arm and a leg

 

[PoolGate]

When I was talking with my PB it was $8k more for a spa/hottub. That was a gunite one attached to the pool (with spillover) and installed along with the pool. To add later would be more. I think $10-$15k is probably in the neighborhood just to add the spa. I assume you are misspeaking when you say Sauna since that is a room that is very hot and not related to anything with a pool. Around here there is no real cost difference between pre-form (fiberglass) and gunite.

Like Kim said though, get a few estimates and see where it goes.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I'd say it's not possible for that entire landscaped area to be a freeform attached spa. First off, it would be a HUGE volume of water to heat up and unless you have very cheap natural gas in NJ, it'll cost an arm & leg. Second, you can't have an unlimited number of jets unless you were to run multiple separate spa pumps. Normal attached spa volumes are anywhere from 500 gallons to about 1,000 gallons depending on shape and depth. For an existing vinyl pool, the standard type of attached spa is to add an inground fiberglass preformed spa, either round or square.

What are the walls of the pool made out of? Anything you do to "add" to the pool will likely need a lot of excavation and tear down of the existing walls in that area. You'd probably need to add at least another $5k-8k just for demolition and excavation. Also, the pool liner would likely have to be replaced as it would get trashed during the retrofit. Depending on the size and custom nature of the liner, that could easily run you $5k.

Here's an idea - tear out the landscaping in that area, fill and level the ground there with the top of the pool and then add a concrete pad and services for a stand-alone hot tub. You'll get a much better therapy experience in a dedicated hot tub than you ever will with a pool spa and you can spend quite a bit of money and get a nice big one that holds 7+ people in it. It doesn't spill over into the pool but, honestly speaking, that feature isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Just my 2 cent opinion....

 

[ionizer]

When I was talking with my PB it was $8k more for a spa/hottub. That was a gunite one attached to the pool (with spillover) and installed along with the pool. To add later would be more. I think $10-$15k is probably in the neighborhood just to add the spa. I assume you are misspeaking when you say Sauna since that is a room that is very hot and not related to anything with a pool. Around here there is no real cost difference between pre-form (fiberglass) and gunite.

Like Kim said though, get a few estimates and see where it goes.

hahaha yeah, i meant spa/hottub, not sauna. monday morning brain.

so seems like it is feasible to be near 10k, subject to how elaborate i get it and how many quotes i can acquire

is such work often done during the winter or pre-winter/pre-summer months? there is absolutely no way i am willing to sacrifice loss of use during summer months given we in NJ only get so many months of the year to use.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd say it's not possible for that entire landscaped area to be a freeform attached spa. First off, it would be a HUGE volume of water to heat up and unless you have very cheap natural gas in NJ, it'll cost an arm & leg. Second, you can't have an unlimited number of jets unless you were to run multiple separate spa pumps. Normal attached spa volumes are anywhere from 500 gallons to about 1,000 gallons depending on shape and depth. For an existing vinyl pool, the standard type of attached spa is to add an inground fiberglass preformed spa, either round or square.

What are the walls of the pool made out of? Anything you do to "add" to the pool will likely need a lot of excavation and tear down of the existing walls in that area. You'd probably need to add at least another $5k-8k just for demolition and excavation. Also, the pool liner would likely have to be replaced as it would get trashed during the retrofit. Depending on the size and custom nature of the liner, that could easily run you $5k.

Here's an idea - tear out the landscaping in that area, fill and level the ground there with the top of the pool and then add a concrete pad and services for a stand-alone hot tub. You'll get a much better therapy experience in a dedicated hot tub than you ever will with a pool spa and you can spend quite a bit of money and get a nice big one that holds 7+ people in it. It doesn't spill over into the pool but, honestly speaking, that feature isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Just my 2 cent opinion....

thank you. so maybe that entire size is a bit too much your saying. i would still like for it to be more than a simple pre-fab circular round - those always seem so small to me and i cant justify spending $10k, never mind $15k just for that alone.

Re: Liner - I am prepared to replace as I have some rips which are patched, but I am constantly worrying about whether my water loss is from sun/evaporation or if someone damaged the patch during a pool party. randomly testing it 2x a summer is annoying. It's probably not hit its full shelf life yet, but i am prepared to know that will be a cost as well as a new cover.

i dont know what my walls are made of, previous home owner built it. not even sure the documentation they left me says that info.

I refuse to do the standalone hot tub - i find it tacky and frankly i dont want to deal with another water source and having to empty/maintain it separately. If that is the only option, then i will abandon entirely. I realize the flow-over from hot tub to pool isnt amazing (and sometimes loud), but having a single continuous source of water to treat would be the primary goal there.

thanks everyone for the thoughts and considerations so far, waiting to hear back from one pool builder just to see what initial thoughts are from them.

 

[MikeLWX]

Stand alone spas are dead easy to maintain, water-wise. Depending on how you do things, you can get a built-in look. There's also the advantage of being able to use it in the winter.

I've got a drop-in spa on my deck that's shaped a bit like a comma. Fun shape, holds six adults, but... what a pain to get a new cover for it. Not cheap. Running it without a cover... not cheap, nor to code.

 

[ionizer]

Stand alone spas are dead easy to maintain, water-wise. Depending on how you do things, you can get a built-in look. There's also the advantage of being able to use it in the winter.

I've got a drop-in spa on my deck that's shaped a bit like a comma. Fun shape, holds six adults, but... what a pain to get a new cover for it. Not cheap. Running it without a cover... not cheap, nor to code.

i've just always looked at standalone spas as cheap cesspools - and right or wrong opinion of them, its simply not something i am willing to deal with. plus the area of the pool where this is, is so far from the house that going out to it in the winter in a bathing suit would be impractical and cold. you'd have to get out and then run up 3 stairs, open a gate, run up a walkway, go up 4 more stairs for the deck and then finally into the house. regardless, not going to do with anything but a built-in connected to the pool option.