Small, hybrid pool installations are appealing to older generations

by jason_cramp | June 27, 2018 12:00 am

By Tim Martin

[1]

Lately, market trends show there is a large segment of homeowners who are looking for swim spas and/or pools, primarily for the purpose of aquatic fitness. While many homeowners have gone the swim spa route, smaller fitness pools (or hybrid pools), have also become extremely popular. In fact, Preston Owen, owner of Thornbury Clear Choice in Thornbury, Ont., is one pool builder who has met the need of this market segment by building smaller, vinyl-lined fitness pools that are equipped with a swim jet. This system pushes water through jet nozzles creating an initial flowrate of approximately 1500 litres per minute (lpm) (400 gallons per minute [gpm]) near the pool wall. Between 1.2 and 1.8 m (4 and 6 ft) from the pool wall, the flowrate of this water current increases to roughly 18,900 lpm (5000 gpm) to create the ideal environment for fitness swimming.

Recognizing market trends

According to Owen, many people are interested in lap pools, and there is a segment of the market—active middle-aged consumers between the age of 50 and 70—who would like to exercise by swimming. However, most of these consumers have smaller backyards and do not have the space to install a true lap pool, which are generally 12 m (40 ft) long.

“Fitness pools take up less space, take less time to build, and are more flexible in design, as they can be installed in sloping backyards,” says Owen. “Further, the heating systems are smaller and more efficient, even the filtration is simpler. It is an energy-efficient pool, which is a trend that most consumers are highly conscious of today.”

Owen’s experience in the industry has enabled him to recognize these changes in the marketplace he serves. As a result, he recently decided to focus on selling fitness pools when speaking to clients who fit this market segment. The first such project he promoted and sold was a 4.2-m long x 8.5-m wide (14-ft wide x 28-ft long) pool that had a constant 1.2-m (4-ft) depth throughout.

“Having a smaller pool for fitness has many advantages,” says Owen. “First and foremost they have a small footprint—in comparison to a traditional inground pool—which makes it easier to fit into most backyard layouts. It is also easier to install landscaping around the perimeter.”

Fitness pools can be as small as 4.2 m long by 2.1 m wide (14 ft long x 7 ft wide), allowing them to fit in just about any size backyard, patio, or deck.

Case in point

[2]

One particular pool Owen installed in Singhampton, near Collingwood, Ont., was very conducive to this type of pool because the property was small and located on a hillside. A large, pre-existing deck was built off the home and into the hillside. Taking this into consideration, the location of the pool was designed around the deck to unite everything with the home. Further, integrating it into the hillside did not present a problem, as hybrid pools offer the same strength as inground models. In most cases, their 1320-mm (52-in.) stainless steel panels do not require the construction of a retaining wall.

“The homeowner did not want to lose any functionality of the existing deck, as it was already central to their outdoor living space,” says Owen. “So we built the pool right off the deck and into the slope of their backyard.”

In this case, an excavator was used to carve into the ground to lower the pool’s elevation so the pool surround would be level with the existing deck. This design avoided the need to add any unnecessary stairs, allowing the homeowner to access the pool from deck level.

“Although this age group is active, stairs can be a trip hazard for aging adults,” says Owen. “Further, many people in this demographic are planning ahead with respect to the potential need of a wheelchair and/or pool lift, so it is important to design the pool area and its connection to the home accordingly.”

Project challenges

[3]

Although the construction methods of a hybrid pool are ideal when building on a hillside, this particular project was still quite challenging. In fact, the ground elevation behind the home was particularly steep and high above the house. This meant a flat surface had to be created where the pool was being installed. To do this, the hillside had to be carved out and the excavated fill was used to level the area where the pool was being installed. As a result, a retaining wall was also installed behind the area that was carved out. In doing this, a curved design was created where the pool met the hillside, which produced an esthetically pleasing look. Preparing the site for installation took approximately one day.

Installing the pool’s swim jet also presented some challenges. To obtain the proper pressure for optimal performance, the pumps could not be more than 7.6 m (25 ft) away from the pool and there could not be any curves in the plumbing; it all had to be straight to avoid losing pressure. Most plumbing lines can contain at least one 45-degree angle between the pool pump and the equipment room.

In addition, the swim jet required a dedicated pump separate from the pool’s circulation equipment. In this case, the pump for the swim jet was installed precisely 7.6 m (25 ft) away from the pool and it was hidden from view using strategically placed landscaping. On other projects, Owen has used a fibreglass rock to hide the pump, which not only protected the equipment, but also allowed it to be accessed easily for service and maintenance.

Finally, the centre of the swim jet housing (the two jet nozzles) had to be exactly 305-mm (12-in.) below the water level for maximum efficiency. If it is installed too high, the pump will draw air; too low and a proper swim lane cannot be achieved. That said, the stainless steel panels used to build this hybrid fitness pool came with a pre-cut and pre-fitted panel, specifically for installing the swim jet, to ensure it is positioned properly for optimum performance.

The timing

[4]

One of the main selling features of a hybrid pool is the speed at which it can be installed. For instance, one can be built in about the same amount of time as an above-ground pool.

“Even with all of the extra landscaping we had to install around the hillside on this project, we were still able to complete the job in less than five days,” says Owen. “If we do not have to do any landscaping, we can finish one of these pool projects in two days.”

Keeping things simple

The smaller size of this fitness pool also makes the plumbing, filtration, and heating requirements much simpler and more economical. Compared to a typical pool, the volume of water the equipment must handle is a lot less, which make hybrid pools much more efficient to heat.

“On this particular project, a propane heater was installed to heat the pool, which was pulled from the home’s heating system (i.e. the propane used to heat the pool is the same propane used to heat the house),” says Owen. “As the pool is used primarily for exercise, the homeowner keeps the water temperature a bit lower—between 26 and 29 C (80 and 85 F). The water in a traditional pool is typically heated to 32 C (90 F) or warmer.”

Again, due to the pool’s compact size, it is easy to raise the water temperature when the homeowner wants to use the pool for other activities (e.g. when their grandchildren visit and use it as a play pool).

The equipment room, located at the backside of the pool, is also small, measuring just 6 m² (64 sf). Since the property is located in the countryside, a sand filter was selected for this project. According to Owen, these filters are well-suited for the area, as a cartridge filter system would be clogged with debris too quickly. Another unique characteristic about these hybrid pools is the swim jet and sand filter systems cannot be plumbed together, as each system provides very specific functions.

Turning a profit

[5]

Hybrid pools can be a great source of revenue for busy builders because they can be installed fast. That said, they are still built like inground pools and, therefore, command the same prices.

“All of our hybrid pool projects range between $100,000 and $375,000 and we have been fully booked between April and September for the past five years,” says Owen. “The ultimate pool is one that can be added into the schedule for late-season installation because it is quick to build and brings in significant profits.”

As the number of active, aging adults over 50 years old continues to grow, the market demand for fitness pools will follow. In fact, the baby boomer generation (those aged 54 to 72) remains one of the largest demographics in Canada. Therefore, now is the time to actively promote hybrid pools (with swim jets) to this group of consumers who are either retired or retiring soon and want to partake in aquatic fitness, which is often recommended by many doctors and physical therapists.

[6]Tim Martin is the director of new business development at Fox Pool Corporation where he has held the position since 2014. Prior to this, he was the vice-president of sales and business development at PDC Spas. Martin has more than 30 years of combined sales and marketing management experience and holds a degree in mechanical engineering with post-graduate work in robotics and numerical analysis. He can be reached via e-mail at tmartin@foxpool.com[7].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/case-studies/hybrid-pool-installations-appeal-older-generations/

---