The customer was looking for skilled and reputable swimming pool builders in Surrey. This Oxshott surrey-based customer who had seen previous outdoor swimming pool builds carried out by Opulent Pools was impressed and therefore approached us for their swimming pool refurbishment project.
The task was a simple one – NOT! Take an existing irregular-shaped pool with a side Roman End and make it a perfect rectangle. One of the main objectives was to be able to install a new safety cover after the build. Opulent Pools were also chosen for our top-quality finishing and a keen eye for detail. The pool needed to be transformed to an ultra-modern design to sit beautifully complementary to their impressive, sizeable Oxsohtt property.
Our first day on-site saw us removing the winter debris and old cover which will no longer be needed. Water needed to be siphoned ASAP so pumping began immediately and continued over the following 24 hours.
This pool has a slightly unusual feature; a side Roman End which contributed to the irregular shape. The customer wanted a safe pool for the children so creating a more conventional rectangular shape was called for. There were two ways to achieve this; blocking off the existing stairs or making the pool wider. After a bit of deliberation, it was agreed that we would make the pool wider and retain the stairs as a bit of a feature.
Once the water had completely drained we set about removing the existing tiles. It is at this stage we excavate further to make provision for the new underground pit which will stow the safety cover. Excavation is continued down the side of the pool to start scoping out for the new beaches area. We then drill and fix the rebar into the exiting pool shell and secure it with resin to ensure the new concrete floor for the pit and the swimming pool are joined together securely.
With the reinforcing mesh in position, it is now time to pour the concrete, leaving a hole in the middle to allow for drainage. Once set we then construct the pit using hollow concrete blocks. These are then filled with concrete to provide sufficient strength as the pit needs to withstand a great deal of force. Some hardcore is left in the pool as the customer wanted to raise the depth slightly which gave us ample room to install two new main drains instead of just one. With some of the tiles already removed we will soon concrete the beached area. We left some hardcore in the pool as the client wanted to raise the depth slightly.
Once the beached area was fully concreted it was time to build the new pool wall. The existing pool was out of alignment in a few too many places. In some areas, the pool was rendered with four coats to leave the customer with a perfectly level and plumb pool. With the rendering finished it was time to get started on the tiling.
The customer wanted a full mosaic tile finish across the entire pool. A last-minute decision saw the customer upgrading the tiles to ‘Metal Lava’ which instantly gave the swimming pool the wow factor! After the tiles had been grouted everything had to have time to set before we could start the acid wash and the installation of the inlet and fittings.
With the grout going off it gave us time to focus on the surrounding of the pool, so we began laying the pavings. We prefer to use the best natural materials and for this particular pool, a thick black granite adorned the pool’s perimeter. The customer opted for large format tiles – very contemporary!
With the pool now acid-washed and fittings in, it is now time to start filling the pool! Once full we can start installing the custom-made safety cover! The reel is installed first followed by the rest of the cover.
You can observe how we took an irregular-shaped swimming pool (where most customers are told they cannot have a safety cover installed) and we have converted it to a regular, rectangular shape, giving them a huge beached area ideal for sunbathing and lounging; ideal for the children to play in too. The added bonus is that we were now able to install a top-of-the-range safety cover.
The crowning glory to any pool is a top-quality cover. It marks the end of a project well done and leaves the customer with maximum protection as well as peace of mind that their pool does not pose a hazard for the rest of the family – especially the children! We thoroughly enjoyed realising the customer’s dream pool renovation.
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