What size pool do you need? A simple way to decide

Most people start by asking how big a pool they can fit. A better question is how you'll use it. The right size is the one that fits your family, your yard and your budget, with room left over to enjoy the yard.

Start with how you'll use it

• Cooling off and relaxing: a smaller pool or plunge pool with a bench or tanning ledge
• Kids playing: a mid-size pool with a big shallow area
• Swimming laps: a longer, straight model
• Entertaining: seating, a tanning ledge and more patio matter more than length

Think about the yard, not just the pool

You need space around the pool for a patio, a fence and the required distances from property lines, the house and any septic system. A pool that fills the whole yard leaves nowhere to sit. Many families are happier with a slightly smaller pool and a bigger patio.

Depth

Most families don't need a deep end. A pool that's waist to chest deep across most of it is easier for games and for adults to stand and talk, and it's warmer and cheaper to heat.

Budget

A bigger shell costs more to buy, ship and set, needs more patio and fence, and costs more to heat. If the budget is tight, put the money into features you'll use every day, like a tanning ledge or a heat pump, before extra feet of length.

See it before you choose

At the consultation we mark the outline in your yard with paint or a hose so you can walk around it. It's the easiest way to know if a size feels right.