How Much Value Does a Swimming Pool Add to a House UK?
In this article, we will be looking at how much value a swimming pool can add to your property, and whether it is worth the risk.
Alexandra Ventress ★ Digital Content Writer
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If you are looking to increase the value of your home, one such route you may have explored is installing a swimming pool. Often seen as a sign of luxury, many homeowners dream of one day owning their own pool, so that they can swim any time day or night. But exactly how much value does a pool add to a house?
In this blog post, we are going to look at if it is worth having a pool in the UK, and how much value it actually adds to your home, as well as extra costs and considerations you should make before installing a pool in your property.
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Is it worth having a pool in the UK?
If you are looking to add value to your home, then adding a pool may be something that you have considered. If you are considering pool installation, then there are some questions that you will need to ask yourself in order to make sure it is the correct investment for you.
- Will you use the pool often?
- Will the cost of installing a swimming pool be reflected in the value of a home?
- Will your property still be attractive to potential buyers afterwards?
- Is the swimming pool installation worth the time and money?
- Can you afford to regularly maintain a pool?
If you can answer yes to all these questions, then installing a pool will be worth the investment. If you have answered mostly no, then you may be better off purchasing a season pass for your local pool instead.
How much does it cost to install a pool UK?
Exactly how much it will cost you to install a pool in your home will depend upon whether you want an indoor swimming pool or an outdoor pool. Besides paying for the pool itself, you will also have to factor in other costs, such as the building of the pool and any alterations you may need to make to your property in order to hold the pool.
As a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay between £800 to £2,000 per square meter for the building and alteration costs to your home. For the actual pool itself, you can find yourself facing prices of anywhere from £1,500 to £3,000 per square metre. You will also need to take into consideration extra costs such as air handling within the pool and purchasing a pool cover. An indoor medium spec pool around 40 square metres inside a building can cost you around £180,000.
If you are considering an outdoor pool then you may end up with a slightly cheaper price. This is because you will not have to take into consideration building costs. On average you can expect to pay £105,000, but this can increase with additional costs.
What are some additional swimming pool costs?
Regardless of whether you wish to purchase an interior or exterior pool, you may find yourself facing some pretty hefty costs, such as:
- Design and planning for your pool
- Any landscape or excavation work you may have done
- Plumbing work
- Repairs or disruptions to your property or garden
- Maintenance of your pool
- Pool cover
What can affect the cost?
As well as the additional swimming pool costs, there are other factors at play that can have an effect on the overall cost of your pool, such as the:
- Cost of the design of your pool
- Construction method you choose
- Size of the swimming pool you are installing
- Location that you choose for the pool
- Area of your property
- Type of soil or land that you are installing in
- Surveys
Do swimming pools add value to houses in the UK?
Exactly how much value to your home a pool adds is a subject that is widely debated. Some say a swimming pool can add as much as 20% onto your property whereas others believe it only adds 5%.
How much value a pool really adds will depend upon a variety of factors, such as:
- The size of your pool
- The condition it is in
- The location of your property
- Whether it is an indoor or outdoor pool
- The type of pool (spayed pool, concrete pool, in-ground pool, resin pool, pre-fab pool etc)
However, you will also need to take into the downside of owning a pool. One such disadvantage is the cost of maintaining a pool. If you have a swimming pool that is outdated, old and has been neglected, then it will detract from the value of the property.
Furthermore, maintaining a swimming pool is a regular task, that includes cleaning filters as well as checking chemicals regularly. Furthermore, you will need to heat and maintain the water temperatures at all times, which can add up over time. With energy bills at an all-time high, some prospective buyers may view pools as an expensive luxury that are more of a hindrance than a help.
How to stage your swimming pool
If you own a home with a pool, then staging it in the correct way is vital to ensure you get the sale price that you desire. Below are some of our top tips to help you showcase your pool in the best possible life:
The most important rule of staging your swimming pool is to make it look as open and inviting as possible. In order to do this, you should first ensure that the cover is off whenever you have viewings or estate agent photos taken. This allows viewers to get the best view of your pool and can help them to envision themselves living there.
You should also aim to get your pool in the best shape before you put your home on the market. This means fixing any loose tiles, cracks, or leaks that your pool may have.
If you have an outdoor pool, it is a good idea to dress up not only the pool but also the surrounding area. Buyers will be looking at the landscape around the pool, as the swimming pool itself. You can have the most inviting pool in the world, but if it is located in the middle of a heavily neglected garden, then it will make no difference.
The first trick to help dress it up is to make sure your lawn is trimmed before any photos or viewings. This will help the surroundings look tidy and neat, as well as help your pool to pop.
Another trick you can try is planting new plants and flowers around the garden. This will help to brighten your garden and make it more aesthetically pleasing. You can also look into displaying different flowers and plants in different pots and planters.
You should also look at other ways that you can help your home stand out from the crowd. Temporary pool dye is a great way to help your pool look its best by enhancing the blue tones whilst being safe to use. You could also look at adding fairy lights and other atmospheric lighting options to help make your pool area look extra inviting.
Is it harder to sell a house with a pool UK?
Exactly how hard it can be for a house with pool for sale to sell will depend upon your circumstances. As a homeowner, you will need to understand that whilst a house with swimming pool may be attractive to some, it is not something that the majority of prospective buyers will be interested in.
Many buyers may not wish to undertake the extra spending, time and maintenance that a property with a pool can bring. It can be an expensive and time-consuming business, and a house with a pool may send some potential buyers running for the hills.
You may also find that owning a swimming pool can affect sale time, as the weather in the UK means that an outdoor pool is not always in high demand.
But it doesn’t have to be harder to sell a house with a pool UK. Here at The Property Selling Company, we believe that selling a property should be three things: fast, effortless, and free.
If you have found yourself struggling on the open market, unable to sell your house with swimming pool then we are here to help. We have made it our mission to change the way that you sell your home. We offer a full online estate agency service but without the fees and the hassle. Rather than forking out for expensive legal bills and estate agents’ fees we cover them for you, it’s just one of the ways that we help to take the stress out of selling.
Our dedicated team of property experts will be by your side throughout the process and can help you sell your house with indoor pool or outdoor pool in as little as 28 days.
So, if you are ready to get onto the open market, and sell in a fast, effortless, and free way, then get in touch today and fill out one of our free, no-obligation online valuation forms today!
