Renovating Your Backyard Swimming Pool
Not too happy with that old swimming pool in your backyard? You might have moved into a house where someone else’s dream pool was already there. Or maybe you built the pool a long time ago, when styles and rules were different. Maybe you didn’t get the pool you really wanted because you didn’t have enough money for the installation.
In any case, the cost of a major pool renovation is probably more than you want to pay (unless you like spending oodles of money). Luckily, you can make big changes to your pool without spending a lot of money. In fact, some changes can save you money in the long run because they make your pool run better.
Here are some ideas for swimming pool renovations that will give you the most bang for your buck. Obviously, a costly renovation project is probably unavoidable if your pool has serious structural or equipment problems that need to be fixed. With these ideas, you can make a pool that is old but still looks better and works better with little money.
Pool Renovation Options
1. Lights with LEDs
If you only have simple floodlights or other basic pool lighting, you might want to consider upgrading to LED lights. LED pool lighting uses less energy than other types, which helps to make up for some of the higher cost of installation. Also, there’s probably no cheaper way to turn a regular pool into a beautiful oasis in the backyard. LED lights come in many different colours and can be put anywhere in or under the water of a pool. They make it easy to give your poolscape your own sense of style.
2. Painting the pool
Resurfacing your swimming pool isn’t cheap by any means, but it can be a good use of your remodelling budget. That’s because it makes your pool look better and replaces something that wears out over time. If your pool has a simple plaster finish, you could also make it look more modern by giving it a facelift. People often choose aggregate finishes these days, which come in different colours and can include stones, shells, and other things.
3. Waterline Tile
By replacing the tiles along the waterline, you can give your pool a more modern look. If you add resurfacing to the deck and/or pool, you might think you have a whole new pool. But this article is about upgrades that don’t cost much, right?
4. Salt Water System
Salt water systems are becoming more popular in swimming pools, which is a big change. These systems use salt to create chlorine in the water, so you don’t have to add it the old way. Many people say that salt water pools are easier on their eyes and skin. A big plus is that you don’t have to buy, store, or handle chlorine. But the fact that these salt water pools are usually easier to take care of makes this a cost-effective upgrade. 5. Places with water
Things like waterfalls, scuppers, and sprayers are easy to add to an existing pool design, but they might increase the cost of remodelling. So, you can give a boring pool area some life with motion and sound for a (usually) reasonable installation cost. Just be aware that water features can add to the cost of keeping your pool clean because they use more electricity and cause more water to evaporate (which causes cooling).
6. Energy Efficient Equipment
If you want to make practical changes, there are a lot of things you can add to your pool that will make it cheaper to run. Many of these features just became available recently. The main one to think about is a variable speed pool pump, which uses less electricity and may even be eligible for an energy rebate where you live. Other popular choices include solar-powered features and filters that use less energy (heaters, lights, etc).
7. Systems of automation
Technology for pools is always getting better, and many of the newer gadgets can be easily added to older pools. A lot of this high-tech equipment makes a pool owner’s life easier and might even let you get rid of your pool guy. Robotic cleaners, automatic pool covers, and all-in-one pool automation systems are some things to think about (some of which can be controlled through a smart phone).
