Small swimming pools for small outdoor spaces

Plunge pools, lap pools and swim spas are becoming popular as housing blocks get smaller and there's a shift from big, to small swimming pools; the emergence of swim-spas, lap pools and plunge pools.

Bigger homes on smaller blocks has been the trend in the last decade or so. With yard space at a premium, slimming down swimming spaces has become the obvious answer to maximising outdoor entertaining areas.

Smaller, warmer, often partially enclosed aquatic recreational features like plunge pools, lap pools and swim spas are replacing traditional large family pools - and reinventing concepts of centrepiece.

Endless Spas' Rachel Anderson says their company's swimming spas have been around for 15 years, but the trend towards smaller backyards has made them increasingly popular.

Swim spas for small spaces

Essentially a treadmill for swimmers, swim spas enable you to swim on the spot against the wash of powerful water jets. The strength of the current can be adjusted for each user, or if relaxing is more your style, hydrotherapy jets provide the regular spa treatment.

"Swim spas can be used every day of the year, as they're heated continuously around 38 degrees," says Rachel. You can adjust the temperature if you're exercising hard, but the hotter the spa, the more you sweat and increase your heart rate.

In terms of latest trends, Rachel says there's been a big shift from in-ground to portable spas for their ease of installation and use. Portable spas are also popular because they can be moved from one house to the next, much like your furniture.

Alpine Pools and Spas' Colleen Muir says there's really no need to decide between a plunge pool and spa any more, as a swim spa has the advantages of both. At one end you can swim against the current, and the other you can relax on a seat with spa jets.

The cost of a concrete, custom-made plunge pool and prefabricated fibreglass swim spa is fairly comparable, but few people opt for a straight plunge pool when they can have the benefits of a spa as well. The quality of fibreglass has also improved to a high-quality gel-coat similar to that used on boats.

Benefits of the latest pool technology

New technology can transform your spa into a home entertainment centre, with flat-screen television, surround sound system and coloured lights for special effects. By mounting special equipment to the underside of the tub, you can not only hear the music, but feel it too

A popular alternative to the swim spa is a lap pool, in which bathers can swim measured distances and practise techniques like tumble turns. Great for narrow yards, the smaller surface area often means you can spend a bit more on chic finishes like glass fencing, luxury interior, designer walls or water features.

Modern lap pools contain less than half the water needed in a large family pool, making heating much more economical via gas, electric pump or solar system.

Before you take the splash and install a new pool or spa, remember to consult a professional for important issues like access, fencing regulations and permits.