afety was a concern for the clients when Glen Olbrych, manager of Teddy Bear Pools & Spas in Chicopee, Mass., took on this project.
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The narrow backyard limited the installer's options. However, the pool and spa were placed so young swimmers could be supervised from various vantage points with no obstructions.
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Noting the small size of the property, Olbrych and his staff knew that the customers would want to be able to supervise the pool and spa from one vantage point, as well as being able to survey the pool from the spa. This need determined the placement of both.
The narrow backyard also determined the choice of the vessels. Olbrych opted for an oval-shaped, buttress-free pool to fit more pool into less space. And he picked the store’s most popular hot tub model, which, he noted, would not block the view from the home’s windows or sliding glass backdoor.
When you first looked at this project, what did you deem the biggest challenge?
The biggest problem I saw was that the property wasn’t really big enough. The yard was not necessarily conducive to a swimming pool.
What struck you about this property?
You walk out onto your back porch and — bam! — you have a pool in your face. There it is, 15 feet off the back patio. If you have grandkids and want to view the pool and see what they’re up to, the pool is right on top of you. By putting it to the left, you can still view the pool and the spa from the patio.
What did you notice most about the clients?
They’re getting up in their years and want to do some family-oriented entertaining. They like quiet time together, which is why we added the spa — and the budget allowed it. That’s also why we included the heater for the aboveground.
Why did you place the pool and spa the way you did?
We put the aboveground pool in the corner so you can supervise swimmers. The spa was placed where it was because of space constraints. Plus, you can supervise the pool from the spa. It was the only place where we could put [the spa] so you wouldn’t block the windows and sliding doors. [The location of the spa] also gives some privacy from the neighbors.
Why did you choose the particular pool and hot tub that you did?
The Hot Spring spa we chose is the most popular we sell. Plus, it fit in the space allowed. We didn’t have to make any modifications and it wouldn’t block anything. We chose the pool because of the yard’s makeup. It dictated the type we would put in. Because of the space constraints, we had to use one without buttresses.
How does this budget compare with what you’re normally used to? What were or weren’t you able to do on this budget?
It’s more than what we were used to. We were able to do more than what we normally could do. Not too often does someone come in with that size budget.
The average aboveground oval [pool] installed without decking costs between $5,500 and $6,500, and the average for one with decking is between $9,500 and $12,500. The cost of our average spa with accessories, delivered, is $6,500.
