t wasn’t really the small size of the customer’s backyard that complicated Pat Walsh’s attempts to design an aboveground pool and portable spa — it was the topography.
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The aboveground pool was recessed 24 inches into the ground, with split-level decks built around it to give it an illusion of distance.
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Walsh, owner/president of The Above Ground Pool & Spa Co. in San Antonio, knew distance was the best way to hide the pool’s height. But a virtually flat backyard that was only 15 feet deep didn’t leave much distance to work with.
So he recessed the pool into the ground, building split-level decks around it, to help give the illusion of distance.
Then, noting that the clients were older, Walsh selected a hot tub with their specific needs in mind. It all shows that good things can come in small packages.
When you first looked at this project, what did you see as the biggest challenge?
It was the space constraints. It’s a small, narrow backyard and that limited us to an oval pool, and a small one at that. [The small yard size] dictated what we would do.
What, in particular, struck you about this property?
The backyard was very flat. Typically, if there is a pitch away from the house, we can disguise some of the elevation of the pool walls. It pushed us to recess the pool 2 feet down into the ground instead of building on a slope. If we hadn’t [recessed the pool], the family would have had 4 feet of wall right outside their patio.
What did you notice most about the clients?
Probably that they were a little older and they would be more interested in quality than price. I thought that they would be impressed with ease of maintenance as well. When we’re younger, we tend to shop price. As you get older, you start understanding the value of quality. Clients like this almost always ask for it.
Why did you place the pool and spa the way you did?
To accommodate the 24 inches above existing grade, we wanted the pool as far away from the patio as possible, thus making the transition between the elevation of the existing patio and the elevation of the top of the upper-level deck that we installed [less noticeable]. It’s easier to hide elevation over distance, but we didn’t have that option. So instead of making steps going up, which would have accentuated that the pool was 24 inches out of the ground, we split the levels of the deck to disguise some of that elevation.
Why did you choose the particular pool and hot tub that you did?
We chose an aboveground pool known as a zero-buttress. On a traditional oval pool, there are supports that stick out 3 feet on each side to keep the walls in place. Here, more of the support is placed under the pool and you don’t need the outside buttresses. It’s a space-saver. It has a smaller footprint.
As for the hot tub, it’s our most popular model. It has the same technology as the larger version models, same bells and whistles, but it’s a little more compact and priced reasonably. Its main highlight is its adaptability. You can change jet configurations in the seating. This appeals to older folks who have aches and pains. They can aim the jets at the shoulders or back, or wherever the problem is.
Which special features does this project include?
The pool comes with an automatic cleaner. It’s a pressure-side cleaner. We see an advantage in that it can operate during every filter cycle and not affect the operation of the through-the-wall skimmer because it’s driven by water coming back into the pool while the skimmer is still working. It makes the pool virtually maintenance-free. We keep [automatic cleaners] on display here and rarely have to vacuum our pools. We see auto chlorinators on about 15 percent of aboveground pools.
We also have the brightest light we could find for aboveground pools. It’s a through-the-wall installation, installed as the pool is being built. It’s becoming a more popular option. This is the type of light where you kill all the lights in the backyard and turn on the pool light for a mood-setter.
How does this budget compare with what you’re normally used to? What were or weren’t you able to do on this budget?
I would say whenever we are into a pool/spa/deck combo, we’re usually flirting with about $15,000. What we did here to make it a little more expensive is, we moved the filter equipment to a remote position out of the way and behind some bushes. We have an extremely oversized filter on it so the cycles between cleanings will be long. They will only have to backwash twice a year, which I think is nice for an older couple.
We have a product that is low-chlorine [and] pH-neutral, used in conjunction with an in-line chlorinator that uses tabs in an erosion feeder. So, adding five ounces of this sanitizer once a week is all they have to do. It’s a powdered shock that has an algaecide and a clarifier built right in.
Also, we used cedar as deck material, as opposed to pressure-treated pine. It’s more expensive, but a nicer look.
