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Wanting a Pool in Your Small Yard?
Fiberglass pools are trending right now as homeowners spend more time at home and outdoors. Sometimes pool buyers are concerned with their yard size and ask, “can you put a swimming pool in a small backyard?” And, “what does a small fiberglass pool cost?” Many small pool designs can accommodate smaller yards, so we’ll cover some small backyard pool ideas on a budget in this post.
Is a Small Pool Worth It?
There are benefits to owning a smaller pool that you may miss out on with larger pools:
- More Compact Means More Outdoor Living Space. A smaller pool means more room for other stunning backyard accessories, like a pool house, outdoor seating area, firepits, and more.
- Less Maintenance. Since there’s not as much total area to cover, a smaller pool can be easier to maintain. You’ll use fewer chemicals and spend less time cleaning than if you had a much larger pool.
When sorting through the benefits vs. disadvantages of owning a small pool, consider how you envision using your pool. Will you want to play games? Is exercise a must? Will you want to host large pool parties where everyone can fit in the pool?
What Are Some Small Pool Options?
Before discussing what small pool options are available, we should address these important questions: What are the 3 types of pools? And which one is the best fit for you? There’s no indisputable right or wrong answer to which pool type is best. It depends on your individual needs and wants for your pool project.
The three inground pool types on the market are concrete (gunite), vinyl liner, and fiberglass. There are plenty of resources available for comparing the three types in terms of installation, maintenance, costs, etc., but here are a few important notes for each type:
Concrete:
- It takes about 3 to 6 months to install on average
- Requires about an average of 4 to 5 hours of maintenance per week
- Upfront costs range from $50,000 to $120,000+ on average (depending on geographic location)
- Easy to customize shape/size
Vinyl Liner:
- It takes about 4 to 8 weeks to install on average
- Requires about an average of 2 to 3 hours of maintenance per week
- Upfront costs range from $25,000 to $65,000 on average
- Easy to customize shape/size
Fiberglass:
- It takes about three weeks to install on average
- Requires about an average of 1 hour or less of maintenance per week
- Upfront costs range from $30,000 to $85,000 on average
- Cannot customize shape/size
Most relevant to this blog are the size and shape options. When you go with a concrete or vinyl liner pool, you can have almost any shape or size. Even if your yard is considerably smaller, you can get a custom pool to fit. Certain designs may require more labor, which could add to your overall price. Fiberglass pools are a bit different. They are pre-constructed in a manufacturing facility based on pre-existing molds. The molds determine the overall design of the pool (size, shape, features, etc.), and the manufacturer designs these molds. The features and sizes you have available to you with fiberglass depend on each manufacturer’s design collection. There are also pool alternatives for small yards, like wading pools and wet decks.
Small Backyard Pool Ideas
The Sea Turtle – with a medium, flat-bottom depth and benches on both sides – has a lot to offer in a small space. This pool measures 9.5′ x 19.5′ and has a depth of 4’6″. Sea Turtle can accommodate many outdoor spaces without compromising activities homeowners like to do in it.
Lil Bob is a bit bigger than Sea Turtle, measuring 13.5′ x 27.5′ and 4’6″ depth, but still offers a uniform depth beyond its entry steps and sizable wrap-around benches. Whether you’d like to play volleyball or sit on the sidelines, Lil Bob can handle it.
If you love the curves and softer lines in design, then Titus may be your best fit. Coming in two sizes, 12′ x 26′ 5’5″ and 14′ x 33′ 5’10”, this smaller pool can also fit many yards and lifestyles. There’s still plenty of room to play and swim, along with built-in seating.
As previously mentioned, there are some great pool alternatives. One option for small yards or, if you have children, is a wading pool. Thursday Pools’ Wading Pool has an 18-inch uniform depth throughout and comes in two sizes: 9′ x 9′ 1’6″ and 13’9″ x 11’9″ 1’6″. Cool off, get your feet wet, or give your kids a place to play outdoors.
The Wet Deck, another great pool alternative, can serve as a pool add-on or a standalone piece. Measuring 14′ x 8’1′ and a depth of 1′, you can let the kids play while you bask in the sun.
If you’d like more information on pricing for any of these pool designs, contacting a Thursday Pools dealer is the way to go. You can also use our pool cost calculator to get a ballpark estimate for your pool project.
When it comes to small pools, there are many options out there from which you can choose. Getting some small backyard pool ideas on a budget can help give you a better idea of what’s within your price range as you search. Talk to a dealer about your budget and ways to make that small pool of your dreams work for you. If you’d like some more ideas and backyard inspiration beyond the pool, check out our Idea Book.