Party Pools… they are becoming the New rage!
So, what are “Party Pools”? I mean we already have spas, hot tubs, swim spas, plunge pools, cocktail pools, exercise pools and now “Party Pools”!
Let’s talk about what it isn’t for a minute, then I’ll cover in depth what it is!
First, it’s not one of those vinyl lined above ground pools that were so prevalent not that many years ago. Above ground pools are great for kids and adults as well. But, above ground pools are not geared just for adults. Neither are inground pools for that matter. Inground pools can be very expensive and are designed for family fun, adults and children alike.
So as an adult, whether you have kids or not, maybe you may want something more inline with the adult life style, something you can share with the adult friends you hang out and socialize with. Well wouldn’t that be what they call a “cocktail pool” you say? It could be and because there are really no rules on this structure or the amenities added, it might fit the definition of a “cocktail pool”. However, a cocktail pool is typically a warm body of water you sit and relax in while socializing with friends and have a few cocktails. Other than maybe heat, a light and maybe a simple water feature, cocktail pools are generally not outfitted with a lot of extras.
So how would a “party pool” be outfitted? Most likely a “party pool” will have a heater, you want to keep your guests comfortable. Lighting for sure, probably LEDs and maybe some underlip accent or mood lighting. A party pool would likely be outfitted with a few jets, although not as many as you would find in a spa or hot tub. Probably won’t find an air blower used in a party pool, but then again, it’s a custom creation so do it any way you want. You could find underwater speakers in a party pool just because they are cool and something different to have. But I can tell you, underwater speakers are not cheap. Often, you’ll find accent lighting for water features. The whole idea with a “party pool”, is to create a festive atmosphere that you can share with your friends.
So, you may be wondering, just how big would you make a “party pool” anyway? You may have noticed that I always go back to the fact that all the structures we create are “custom” and therefore there are really no rules on size. However, getting more realistic, here’s what I find with customers.
A “party pool” is not going to be the size of a typical swimming pool, above ground or inground. Nor will it be on the smaller size of some 2 or 4 person hot tubs. The party pool can be a round, square or rectangular structure, 6’, 8’ or 10’ diameter if it’s round or octagonal. Six, eight or maybe ten foot square is common as a square or rectangle. Rarely will a party pool be much larger than that because it begins to lose the more intimate appeal that it is designed for.
Again, rectangular shapes are common, eight foot by six foot, eight foot by ten foot are common sizes. Water depth for a “party pool” should also be carefully considered as well as seating dimensions. That being said, we find these parameters to be more in line with what we would do with one of our custom spas or hot tubs. Our hot tubs have a depth that commonly ranges from around 38” to 42” to the top of the deck wall with bench seating heights of 16” and a depth of 16”, about the same of a common chair for comfort.
It’s unlikely that you would find contour seating arrangements in a “party pool”, as that would restrict the number of people that could sit comfortably within the unit. Not saying you can’t do this, just saying it’s not common. Also, people sitting in your “party pool” are going to want to feel comfortable. So, if you are not in a warm climate area where evening temperatures might be in the 80s and 90s you are going to want to add a heater to your “party pool”. When you maintain a water temperature around normal body temperature, 98.6˚ you’ll find that you can stay in the water a good amount of time without feeling a chill or feeling overheated.
Depending on where you live and the volume of water you will heat, you could use electric heat or gas heat if gas is available to heat your “party pool”. You may also have the ability to do some solar heating of the water during the day. It’s also always a good idea to insulate your structure to better maintain set temperature and promote operational economy, even if you are in a warm climate area.
Sanitation control for your water should be a careful consideration and here’s why. Let me use this example, if you have a normal size pool say 20’ X 40’ with 6 people using it, the concentration of people to gallons of water is quite low. If you have those same 6 people in water vessel that’s 8’ X 8’X40”, the concentration of people to gallons of water is considerably higher. Therefore, the amount of time the water needs to be circulated to achieve maximum water purification is greatly increased. This is one area you don’t want to cut corners on or go cheap, you want to protect your bathers…. Always!
“Party Pools” are a very cool amenity for the modern adult lifestyle. Who doesn’t enjoy warm water and socializing with friends? So, this is where we talk about the elephant in the room. HOW MUCH will it COST me to get a “party pool”? Kind of the same thing of asking me “how much does a car cost”. Like I talked about earlier, they can be any size you want, and they can be outfitted any way you want. You can hire someone to build one for you or you can build it yourself! This is where I come in!
I have been teaching DIYers how to build structures like this for 20 years. You can spend as little as $1500 up to $10,000 or more. How crazy do you want to get and how big of a budget can you afford? I can tell you that an 8’X8’X40” “party pool” with a few nice amenities can often be built for around $2500. And, in most cases it will add equity value to your home, making it and investment not a depreciating asset as in the case of portable above ground pools and portable hot tubs.
So, isn’t it time we built a party pool, spa, hot tub, plunge pool, cocktail pool or swim-spa in your backyard together? You can get everything you need to know on how to do it right from my website and from me, “your personal spa building coach”
Thanks for the visit! Hope to hear from you soon!
Gene Trumbull
Custom Built Spas
Call With Questions (860) 571-8440
