What to consider when building a swimming pool house
Once used primarily for practising lengths and laps, home swimming pools have become so much more than a space for fitness. As a exclusive and luxurious addition space, a swimming pool gives you the opportunity to maximise entertainment and wellbeing from the comfort of your own home.
Swimming pool house design: what to consider before you dive in
A beautiful pool rarely happens by accident. From what lies beneath the surface to the oak frame pool house that will come to define your garden, there are some considerations worth exploring before you take the plunge. Get it right, and you'll create a beautiful, practical space that rewards you with lasting value, somewhere to enjoy fitness, relaxation and time with the people you love, all year round.
Here's what we think is worth thinking through first.
Start from the ground up: groundworks and foundations
It's easy to focus on the finished pool and overlook everything that happens before a single tile is laid. In reality, groundworks are where a successful project begins - and where the biggest surprises tend to hide.
Ground conditions vary enormously from garden to garden. Clay, chalk, sand and high-water tables all behave differently once you start excavating. Each will influence how your pool is constructed, how it's tanked and drained, and what foundations your pool house will need. A site survey early in the process helps avoid costly changes further down the line.
Drainage deserves just as much thought. Pool surrounds, plant rooms and pool houses all need to shed water efficiently, both to protect the structure and to keep surrounding paving and landscaping safe underfoot. At the same time, you'll need to plan the routes for electrics, plumbing and any heating infrastructure well before construction begins, along with sensible access for the machinery required to excavate a pool of any size.
None of this needs to be daunting. It simply pays to bring your pool contractor and your oak frame designer together from the outset, so the groundworks, the pool and the building above it are all working in harmony rather than being planned in isolation.
Accessories that make the difference
As our collective environmental consciousness grows, efficiency tends to be at the forefront of our minds. With a range of heating methods now available, investing in a swimming pool doesn't necessarily mean higher energy bills or a large carbon footprint for your home.
Popular heating options include:
- Air source and ground source heat pumps - these tend to be the most efficient and environmentally friendly. Ground source heat pumps are often recommended for new homes with sufficient land, so they could be the perfect option if you're including a pool in your home, or adding a pool house to your garden.
- Solar heating and gas boilers - this hybrid combination is worth considering too, particularly if you’d like to take an eco-friendly approach..
Efficiency is also shaped by the accessories you choose. Evaporation accounts for around 70% of heat loss, so getting your pool cover right can have a dramatic effect on running costs.
Slatted covers offer thermal insulation and can absorb solar energy that transfers into the water, while also protecting against debris, adverse weather and keeping your pool a safer space for all ages.
Pumps and filtration are the quiet workhorses of any pool, keeping the water clean, balanced and properly circulated. Variable-speed pumps are worth the investment, as they adjust their output to match demand rather than running at full power around the clock, which reduces both energy use and noise.
Pair this with smart, app-controlled systems: many premium pools now test water quality and pH automatically via sensors, and manual maintenance becomes almost redundant, leaving you with less time spent testing and more time spent enjoying the water.
Of course, the right combination of covers, heating and pumps will always depend on your environment, pool size and budget, so it's worth talking these choices through with your designer.
Wellness is the new luxury
By investing in a swimming pool at home, you have the unique opportunity to create a space centred entirely around wellness and relaxation: your very own private retreat.
Swimming is a wonderful, low-impact form of exercise with benefits that can be enjoyed all year round. Taking the time to consider complementary features, however, can elevate the space into something even more holistic.
Adding a sauna, a cold plunge pool or a hot bed alongside your pool gives you the opportunity to practise contrast therapy, supporting circulation, muscle recovery and relaxation - all from the comfort of your own garden.
By making full use of the space around your pool, you can create an environment that genuinely encourages you to live more healthily, not just on high days and holidays, but as part of everyday life.
Additional luxuries: making it more than a pool
A beautiful swimming pool rarely exists in isolation. More often, it's complemented by considered landscaping and structures that turn a single feature into a genuinely multifunctional space.
Beyond the practicalities of changing and storage, a well-designed pool house can extend the space into somewhere to entertain, unwind and spend real time, whatever that looks like for you and your family:
- A bar or outdoor kitchen for effortless poolside entertaining
- A snug seating or media area for evenings that carry on long after the swim
- Underfloor heating and considered lighting for year-round comfort and ambience
- Dedicated changing rooms and storage, keeping the main house free of wet towels and kit
- A gym or yoga space, extending the wellness benefits of the pool itself
Ornamental trees, high walls and fencing are also worth considering as part of your wider landscaping, offering privacy and comfort that help your pool make part of everyday life, rather than a feature reserved for hot days and special occasions.
Do you need planning permission for a swimming pool in your garden?
Depending on the size, height, and location of your pool house, it may fall under permitted development - meaning you won’t need to obtain planning permission before starting works.
Some of the Permitted Development rules for your pool house are:
- Your home is not located in a conservation area, or is a Listed Building
- If your outbuilding exceeds 50% of the total garden area
- The eaves height of your pool house exceeds 2.5 m
Our team will work with you to secure the necessary planning approvals and prepare the associated documentation, so there are no surprises later in your journey. Read our guide on planning permission for more information.
Oak frame considerations for your pool house
If you're considering an oak frame for your pool house, there are a few things worth knowing before you begin.
- Oak frame maintenance - as part of its natural character, oak experiences some shrinkage as it dries out. It's worth noting that the humidity, which often comes hand- in hand with swimming pools, can actually slow this process, as the oak takes longer to dry.
- Investing in good extraction and MVHR systems is money well spent, helping you care for the frame as it settles and matures exactly as it should.
- Face glazing - to flood your pool house with natural light, face glazing is an obvious feature to consider. It helps the space feel connected to your garden all year round and, with the right ventilation, doesn't have to come at the cost of overheating in the summer months.
- Size & design feature - generally speaking, oak frames need supports roughly every four metres, understandably a challenge, given that most pools exceed this in both length and width. This is exactly where experienced design comes in: arch brace collars and sling brace trusses, paired with strong foundations, are just two of the ways our team make wide, uninterrupted spans achievable without compromising on style.
Whatever your preference, opting for an oak framed structure to complement your pool is a sustainable, long-lasting choice. Our design specialists can work closely with you to carefully craft a bespoke addition to your home, one that meets your unique requirements and stands the test of time.
Ready to take the plunge?
From the groundworks up, there's a lot to consider when planning a swimming pool and pool house, but you don't have to work it all out alone. Our team can guide you through every stage, from initial concept and planning through to the finished, oak framed pool house you've been picturing.
Call us on 01432 353353 or email enquiries@oakwrights.co.uk to arrange a free design consultation with our architectural team, and together, let's begin your oak frame journey. You can also view our complete range of timber outbuildings for even more inspiration, or learn more about pool houses here.
