Costa Rica Home With Your Own Swimming Pool

Costa Rica’s warm climate makes many people dream of having a swimming pool to enjoy in their garden or yard.

Before going ahead with this refreshing idea, it is important that you consider all the factors that might be floating around when it comes to having a pool of your own.

Did you know that it is no longer necessary to empty and refill your pool regularly? That’s right, it is one of the advantages you can easily have without incurring high costs.

Architect José Angel Con explains that if the pool’s water is well maintained, it can last for up to four years, only replenishing what evaporates on a daily basis.

Before building your pool, Gabriele Salazar, commercial consultant for Piscinas Acuarium indicates that it is a good idea to consult an expert, such as a civil or structural engineer and an electrical mechanic on design, construction and maintenance.

Make sure that the ‘expert’ is registered with the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (CFIA in Spanish) to ensure that each stage of building will be carried out according to the strictest regulations.

Deciding What Kind of Pool

If you want a pool for fun, the next step is to work out the area and the budget available to go ahead with the project. Ask your chosen professional to make a preliminary budget for the work according to the dimensions, depth and finishes.

A soil study of the retaining qualities and general composition of the soil is vital to avoid possible problems and additional hidden costs later on.

Salazar recommends each client to carefully research heating and purification systems, filters and pool lighting so as to make a well-considered decision.

Starting To Dig

A pool’s shape can be rectangular, oval, round or “free form” where curves and straight lines are combined and which has become very fashionable these days, explains Con. But whatever form you choose, he emphasises, the pool’s edges must always be rounded off.

The basic dimensions for a home pool should have a proportion of two to one. Salazar advises on a minimum size of six meters long and three and a half meters wide to a maximum size of twelve by six meters.

Minimum depths for a residential pool are 90 centimeters down to a maximum of 1.5 meters. For children’s pools the recommended depth is 50 centimeters.

Although a pool’s price depends on the finishes and its location, the average cost in the Costa Rica market for an eight by four meter pool is around $10,000 to $13,500.

Be aware that the pool’s surfaces need special paint. Architect, Jos+¬ Angel Con adds that modern coatings and decorative tiling are available that can be used to create murals at the bottom and concrete rocks can be made to add a natural touch to your pool.

Pool surroundings should be made of anti-slip materials with enough gradient to prevent water from collecting.

Before starting work on the pool, the land where the pool will be located is a key consideration. The pool’s design will depend on the slope of the land. Salazar adds that it is possible nowadays to build pools on hillsides thanks to retaining walls and expert technical advice.

Lighting plays an important role in the design. Underwater illumination can use conventional incandescent lights by means of fibre optics or the SAM system that allows for a great variety of color. You should also think about lighting for the surrounding gardens and patios.

Jose Angel Con explains that the pool’s water will be affected by many kinds of contaminants so an adequate maintenance regime must be established.

There are biological pollutants found in micro-organisms that naturally develop in the water as fungal growth, bacteria and, in extreme cases, algae as well as physical pollutants such as dust, leaves, sun lotions and insects.

It is necessary that all pools be controlled for alkaline and acid levels and an expert should be consulted to maintain the correct balance.

Our thanks to Marisol Castro and our friends at La Nación – Costa Rica’s largest Spanish circulation newspaper for their permission to use this article.

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.