We get asked about water features a lot when people are enquiring about building an inground fibreglass swimming pools. Top three questions about landscaping and specifically water features are:

What would you recommend as a water feature?
How much do water features cost?
Are they worth having a water feature built the same time as building your swimming pool?

What we found when we have talked to customers when they are first enquiry about swimming pools and after talking to customers who have owned our swimming pools for many is that there is a real water ‘need’ that many people have.

By the word ‘need’ we found that it was not ‘just about the swimming need’ which is the most obvious. What we found was there was another ‘need’ or ‘pull’ factor for people enquiring about a pool and for pool owners.

If you ask someone about their latest holiday, chances are it was by some form of water, be it the beach, a river, a lake or a resort with a swimming pool. Water has a calming presence for many. Just to sit and look at a body of water creates a sense of calm.

When we ask people who first enquiry about a swimming pool we tend to ask ‘so why are you looking a swimming pool today’, a common response is ‘we were just on holidays at “blah” and we spent so much time around the ‘pool or beach or river’ and we swam and enjoyed it so much we have decided ‘we should get a pool in our backyard’.

Water in the backyard is naturally for kids to swim when it is hot, but it is so much more than that. This is where water features play a part in this aspect of pool ownership.

By adding a water feature to your inground fibreglass pool it creates moving water, sound and visuals that extends this concept. It is not just for show, it’s for drawing yourselves and family members out to around the pool (whether it is hot or not).

They do add cost to a backyard pool project (see below for estimations) however they also extend the use of the space from ‘just a pool to swim in’ to an area that is drawcard for peace & relaxation (that maybe you cannot achieve in the lounge room or rumpus room).

So what are the top water features? Below is the list after asking 30 new enquiries and existing customers what they liked.

1. Water Feature: The Sunpod

The Sunpod was introduced by Compass Pool Builders in the 90’s. It evolved from a fibreglass pioneering pool builder who wanted to create a ‘splash zone’ for his children. By building pipework from the pool and bringing it up into the concrete structural beam around any fibreglass swimming pool, it allows the control on waterflow over the zone and creates a nice subtle wet zone. The water runs out of the bubblers and then drops down into the pool. It is not over the top, it is not ‘too flashy’ but considered classy and simple. Simple features do not go in and out of fashion hence 20 years on the Sunpod is one of the most popular water features.

The Sunpod also allows every pool owner to create their unique look. The zone can be blended in (use existing pavers so it doesn’t stand out) or add some bling (bright pavers so it stands out).

They add between $2,500 – $4,500 depending on size and tile selection.

2. Water Feature: Deck Jets

All kids love running through water. We have all done it whether under the sprinkler or at public water features and by adding deck jets you can create another aspect of your pool zone. Water is taken from the pool and distributed via pipework underground to spurt out 4 jets (positioned where you like – i.e. in your paving or from your garden) into the pool water. This does add more sound to the area as you can hear the water landing in the pool. Running water is a very popular sound. It also adds endless laughter for kids as they swim and play under the jets. Stand on one to make the next one higher. They are a lot of fun!

They add between $2,000 – $4,000.

3. Water Feature: The Water Wall

The water wall is a custom-made structure that is built (usually by a 3rd party for the customer) and a water blade is added to this. The wall can be built out of steel H beams with cement sheeting (then rendered or tiles), or be built as block wall and then rendered or tiled. The structure can be also made out of timber. The pool builder will provide suctions for the feature and pipework that the 3rd party to run the water return back to the structure and then the blade will flow the water back into the pool. They can be any size walls however the water blades will be 600mm or 900mm or 1200mm wide.

These are very popular but considered one of the costlier features ranging from $3,000 – $8,000 depending on the spec.

Two final Thoughts on Water Features

When talking to Ted Martin, the original owner of Compass Pools Melbourne, he said ‘many people can always put provision in for a water feature at the start. That way they might build it a year or 10 years later. The pool zone doesn’t have to be fully decided at the start, the pool area can grow over years and you can add to it’.

Also talking to John from Beaumaris who has had his Compass pool for 17 years I asked him did he wished he had added a water feature. His reply was ‘what are you talking about, my pool IS the water feature of our backyard. I love it, I sit around it whether it’s hot or not’.