Would you like to have the luxury of a pool in your garden, but don’t want it to come at the expense of nature in your garden? Then a swimming pond is the ideal solution for you. With a swimming pond, you enjoy the benefits of a swimming pool, but it blends nicely into your garden. Are you curious about the swimming pond costs and options for your garden? Read it in this article.
What does it cost to build a swimming pond?
The swimming pond costs range from £100 per m² to £500 per m². The price per square metre depends partly on the size of your swimming pond, but the swimming pond costs also depend on the extras you choose. Check out the average swimming pond costs and those of different options in this table.
| Project | Average price (including labour and VAT) |
|---|---|
| Constructing a swimming pond | £100 – £500 per m² |
| Heat pump | £ 3.700 |
| Swimming pool specialist | £ 35 – £ 55 per hour |
The difference between a swimming pool and a natural pool
The difference between a swimming pool and a natural pool is mainly in the design. A swimming pool looks like a blue tub, but a swimming pond has a natural look and blends into your garden. A swimming pond is a combination of a pool and a pond. The water is purified naturally, and bacteria and aquatic plants ensure healthy water without chemicals.
Constructing swimming pond costs
Several quotes show that 65% of the cost of constructing a swimming pond consists of labour costs. The other 35% is spent on accessories.
What choices determine the swimming pond costs?
To create the ideal swimming pond, there are several choices to make. Here you can read which choices those are and what effect these choices have on the swimming pond price.
Choice 1: Size of the swimming pond
For a nice swim, pool specialists recommend a minimum size of 21 m². The final size depends partly on the size of the garden and the amount of space you want the pond to occupy. If you assume a swimming pond with a size of 21 m² and a pool specialist who charges £150 per m², you end up with £3,150 in swimming pond costs. This is a simple pool without accessories.
Choice 2: Shape of the swimming pond
With a swimming pond you have the choice of various shapes. Think rectangular, for example, but it is also an option to choose a pond with round shapes. For a swimming pond without straight edges, the swimming pond costs are generally lower. This is because then there are no swimming pond costs for stabilising the edges.
Choice 3: Type of filter system
A natural filter system takes care of filtering the water in your swimming pond. There are two types of filter systems: a helophyte filter or a sand filter. The cheapest filter is the helophyte filter. For this filter, you only need to buy lava rocks and aquatic plants, which then purify the water.
| Part | Average price (including VAT) |
|---|---|
| Water plants | From £4 each |
| Lava stones | £5 each |
| Sand filter | £400 |
Choice 4: Extra options
There are many extras available for your swimming pond. This of course increases the swimming pond costs, but you enjoy more luxury. See below an overview of various extra options.
| Option | Average price (including VAT) |
|---|---|
| Lighting | £ 300 – £ 1.500 |
| Heat pump | £ 3,700 |
| Diagonal walk-in staircase | £ 2.300 |
| Sustainable wood terrace | £ 50 – £ 100 per m2 |
The benefits of a natural pool
Having a swimming pond brings several advantages. Despite the relatively high swimming pond cost, there are many benefits with a garden swimming pond. Read about the three biggest advantages below.
Having a natural-looking pool
With a natural swimming pond, you enjoy great swimming, but while maintaining a natural-looking garden. This is possible thanks to the use of natural materials and accessories. Think lava stones, a terrace made of sustainable wood, water plants and a waterfall. A regular pool, on the other hand, usually consists of a big blue tub, which looks unnatural.
No chlorine or other chemicals
Thanks to a swimming pond’s natural filtration system, you don’t need to add chemicals to keep the water clean. The purifying aquatic plants remove nutrients from the water, so no algae grows in your swimming pond. As a result, the clear swimming water does not irritate your skin or eyes.
Less maintenance
Thanks to the natural filter system, you only need to prune the plants once a year and scoop out stray leaves and string algae from the water. It is also wise to remove the silt at the bottom and edges of the pond once every three years. This is in contrast to a swimming pool, for which you have to clean the filter weekly, test the pH level and add chlorine tablets and fresh water.
Constructing a Swimming Pond: Steps
Do you want to know how to build a swimming pond? Below you can read all the individual steps.
Step 1: Designing the pond
Would you like a rectangular swimming pond with a clear edge between the garden and the swimming area, or would you rather build a natural pond without foil? Designing your swimming pond involves a lot of thinking. This makes it smart to hire a pool specialist to help you and draw out the swimming pond. You can then be sure that the drawing meets all the requirements.
Step 2: Constructing a swimming pond
Are you in agreement with the design and the swimming pond costs? Then it’s time for construction. The specialist has already drawn up a swimming pond construction plan, so they know exactly what work to carry out. The pool specialist sets out the measurements and any pipes in the ground are repositioned. With a swimming pond with foil, the specialist first applies a protective sheet, over which the foil goes.
Step 3: Fill with water
Now it’s time to fill your swimming pond with fresh water. Next come edge finishes. For example, the edge finishes consist of wood, granite or bluestone. Other accessories also get a place in or near the pond.
