MVP - minimum viable pool

13 years ago

We're batting around the idea of having a pool built in a our back yard. But the yard is pretty small, and we wouldn't want a pool to take up the entire thing, so we're not sure if it's worth it (or even possible). We don't want to swim laps, just lounge. but if it has to be the size of a kiddie pool, we might be better off forgetting about it (or sticking with a spa)!

I'm curious, have any of you here built small pools in small yards? How big are they, and do you regret doing it?

For the record, our yard is not exactly rectangular (the back wall is on an angle), but it measures about 68 feet wide, and varies from about 25 to 31 feet deep (house to back of yard).

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Comments (6)

lilsophie
13 years ago
Would you be able to post a picture of your backyard. It will help alot with replies if we could see the size of your yard.
Northlut
Original Author
13 years ago
I don't really like posting identifiable pictures of my house on the public internet. But really I don't think it's very easy to tell the scale from the pictures anyways. The way the space is currently used make it look even smaller than it is. I was hoping the measurements I provided would be enough for people who have similar size yards to know what I'm dealing with.
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Chris
13 years ago
How about a sketch then?
Do you have any easements which restrict the 25-31ft width?
There are plenty of pools here in Houston that take up the whole back yard. I don't think I'd want it any narrower than at least 12-15ft which would only leave you 5ft on either side to the house/back fence which isn't a lot but depending on location of pool and the precise orientation of your house/yard may be possible.

Have you spoken to any pool builders? They will be able to draw up a plan for you to show you what's possible in your yard.

Good luck!
brentr_gw
13 years ago
We have a Spool aka Social Pool. It is 10 x 20 and is perfect for lounging. It is only 4ft 8 inches deep and we have had over 30 people in it at once. Also great for volley ball. Look at our pool build thread

Here is a link that might be useful: Our new pool build in jacksonville
Northlut
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks brentr!

I'm working on a sketch, I'll post it when I have a decent one. We haven't talked to any pool builders yet because we're quite a ways off from being ready to start. But we're trying to get a sense of what's possible. In the past when I've had contractors and such come out long before a project starts, they seem to think it's a waste of their time.
rmsaustin
13 years ago
We have a very small pool by most standards, and it works great for our needs. It is approximately 9' x 24' with 6' of the 24' being a spa, so the pool itself is just 18'. I use the pool for exercise -- I swim with a tether product called the Riptide (which I really like), and also tread water in the deep (6+') end. My child can have a few friends over for water play, and husband enjoys the spa. One thing I noticed is that a smaller pool wasn't necessarily lots less expensive to build than a larger pool (although running it and heating it is less expensive); we built small because we were dealing with limited space, a protected tree (and that tree's drip zone), and power line set backs in a smaller city lot.