Snookums - maybe you should post a link to this thread on the discussions page - you might get more entries. I'm sure there are other people interested. I found it very hard to get examples of small pools when I was thinking about ours.

Here's mine. This is 14 x 28 and our lot is 30 x 100 in the back. It's plenty big for quite a few kids, with room left over for the parents to socialize!

Here is a link that might be useful: More of my small pool pics

My pool takes up just about the entire length of my back yard, and cuts into the slope to do so. It is only 12.5 feet wide, leaving about 15 feet between it and the back of the house (which is where the master bedroom/bath is located. There's a small patio (approx, 10 by 15) area just outside the family room that is a cutaway from the back of the house.

The yard actually looks bigger with the pool than before, IMHO, although a bit less green (at least until my slope grows back and I fill in the planters. (The plants at the back of the house have been replanted elsewhere, since I'm on to my next project - expanding the master bath and building a pool/guest bath off the side of the house. We're repositioning the door from the master bedroom out to the yard by having it face the pool instead of the patio area, and we're putting a door into the master bath, so the plants were in the way).

Our yard, not counting the side yard, is 35 feet from house to fence line and 60 feet wide. We also have a 6 ft. drainage ditch easement behind the back fence line. Normally code requires 10 feet from the rear property line but with the easement it meant we could go 4 feet from the fence line. We'll actually be 5 feet once it's done but 4 feet of usable dirt.

The pool is going to be about 37-39 feet wide from edge to edge (I forget the official measurement from water to water) which incorporates the baja shelf and raised spa. The spa is almost 8x6 feet inside and the shelf is about 10ft x 8ft if memory serves. It's 17 feet at the widest area and about 15 feet at the narrowest. We'll have a 24x13 foot covered patio added that will basically but up right against the baja shelf and extend nearly to the end of the yard that doesn't have a pool. There will also be an L shaped bbq added under the patio. It sounds cramped but I think we have accommodated for pretty much everything and will still have enough uncovered deck space, a little bit of grass and a ton of landscaping per our landscaping plan we drew up.

You can see the current state of things at the link at the bottom. I don't have the final plumbing photos up yet but if you check back on Friday or Saturday I will have gunite photos up assuming everything gets done on schedule, so far it has. If you bookmark that link it will show all the progress in the coming month or two as everything is added.

I'm going to get my "big" camera out :) (the SLR vs. the point and click) along with the true wide angle to show the overall yard to get a better feel just how big it is. I kinda worry it's too much pool at times but once the gunite is in and the landscaping and other stuff is done I am positive it will be the right amount for us. I think the too much pool look happens when you don't have enough green or other things to help balance the pool out. Our neighbors have a yard that's almost entirely decking and pool now. No patio cover, a barbecue grill cart and some potted plants. It's just too much concrete.

-Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Swimming Pool Blog

Anyone else? I'd love to keep this thread going.

Below is a link to our picturetrail album which has a picture of the pool plans. Nothing has started yet - still waiting for permitting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pool plans in pool album

snookums,

Love your plan, looks like it will be beautiful! Love the kitchen face lift too! (And how fun to see Annie!)

Aimee

Hi,
My family is beginning new pool/backyard project that is pretty unique. We are taking a 42'x16' pool and tearing it out of the backyard. We live near the beach in so cal and have a 5500 sq.' lot. We want to gain room in the backyard for our kids and really love our location. So here it goes. We have designed a 20'x26' pool area with an elevated 7.5" round spa. Its going to free up half of our backyard. Well be starting the project next month and I'll try to post pictures of the project. Should be an adventure.

mkfmedic - wow - both your old pool and your new pool are huge! Do you have any pictures to share of your old pool and/or of your new plans? Whereabouts do you live? We are in Rancho Santa Margarita, and I grew up in Huntington Beach.

Snookums - I actually had a typo there, the new pool will measure 20' x 16' with the raised spa offset/raised on one corner. You are right though, our current pool takes up the entire backyard and since we are planning to stay put in our house, we are looking forward to having play space for our son. We live in the SE side of HB. We are literally(from our front door) 1/2 mile to the bike trail at the beach. I'll keep everyone informed and takes lots of pictures. Our Demolition is scheduled for 11/21.

I grew up near Marina High School. The other side of town! I miss HB, but it sure has changed a lot since I lived there! My parents are still there, in the same house. A HUGE yard, and I always wanted a pool as a kid!

20x16 is still a good sized pool and plenty of room for play. Our pool will be 25x14 when it's all said and done (we are in the rebar stage now, plumbing starts tomorrow). Our back yard is 50 feet wide and 23 feet deep, so we are still going to have a good sized patio left over, even though our yard is very small. I think it's a good design. Our lot is 4400 square feet and we have a very large front yard, so that takes up most of the non-house space. It's been so warm here - I'm getting antsy!

Now that we have gunite it is easier to see the size of our pool. It's 28 x 13 (at the widest) Shallow yard since we have a 10' deep covered patio that runs the length of the house. Was really afraid it would be too small, but now that I can see it, I am pleased.

Snookums, We love it here and don't want to move.... thus our project. Here are some pics, of our current pool we are replacing and the new plans... and the little guy we are trying to create a backyard to play. Thanks for the support!

Wow, it sure does take up just about all of your yard! And the safety fence doesn't make it feel much more open, either. (That's one of the reasons why we waited until our youngest was swimming - no fence!) I can totally see why you are redoing it. I'd probably do the same.

Your little guy is so adorable!!

reddhead - I apologize if I have asked before - what are your pool and yard dimensions?

It looks GREAT! I'm so anxious to get to the gunite stage!

Pool is 29 X 17 and the yard is 52 X 29. The pool and decking will be the whole yard.

Well - looks like we are scheduled for gunite on Monday. I'm so anxious to get past that milestone!

The pool pictures really help. We have a huge lot - just under an acre but by the time you remove the 3200sq foot house, three car garage, garden room, pool bathroom and changing room, tennis court, orchard, glen and cabana - Our pool just fits without LOOKING too large. Pool is 40 x 40 with a 20 x 20 section cut out to form the "L". It's water volume is so large that even with the black painted plaster and S. CA weather - it is too cold MOST of the year to swim in.

Here is a link that might be useful: picture of our pool

Snookums,

Here are some pictures from your request in the other forum.

Randy

Awesome! Thank you! Quick question - what is your waterline to house setback in that last picture? What were your setbacks to the property line? Ours are 3 feet to the property line and 5 feet to the house. We went 3 feet to the back fence, 3.5 feet to the side fence (just on one side - the patio is on the other side), and 6 feet to the house - I really like the way it turned out!

hi ! yard about 60 by 30, (the part we can use for a pool, the rest is for the dogs!)
Pool only 14'x28'.....nothing fancy, 8 ft. out from house to water line...3 ft of decking around sides.

Here is a link that might be useful:

south florida here.
my pool is 16x30
yard is 48x23

http://photobucket.com/albums/y21/domingos35/

I Googled "small pools" and came across this site! Oh the powers of the WWW! We are about ready to take the plunge. We have very small yard with a big upslope. Pool will be 15 x 23, cut into the slope with a 4' RBB. RBB will be tile with flagstone accents.

Question for Snookums and Mkfmedic- you are both from the OC - I am in Fullerton- did your property taxes or homeowner's insurance increase with the addition of pool?

How about electricity and gas bills? Significant increases?

Happy-

I attached the link to the main forum below. This is the 'gallery' area where you post pics, so there's a lot fewer posts here. You'll be surprised at all the information you can find on the main forum. I forwarded your question to that forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: main forum

I added a fairly small, 26x28 foot pool, max depth 5' to my lanai, and love it. Wish I had done it sooner. I have no mowable yard now, and my house feels much larger. Go for it!

Snookums,

We have about 5ft all around our pool to the fence/house. One side we have 10 feet for the bench/fire pit.

Here is a link that might be useful: Small Pool

HappyMrsF, your prop. taxes will go up slightly as you will have a reassessment done that is triggered by the building permit for the pool construction. You will only pay for the increase in value due to the pool addition (it will not trigger an entire property reassessment). Also, your home owners insurance may go up slightly, as a pool is considered an "attractive nuisance" which requires you to carry more insurance (liability or personal injury, I can't remember which one it was).

I posted at the top of this thread in '05 - I couldn't resist an update to show the growth of our landscaping! We still swim all the time & this pool has been a fantastic addition to our small yard!

I guess I'll add a few more new photos to my original gallery thread, too ~link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: Small 14 x 28 pool

For anyone out there looking for ideas on a small pool. Go to the blog "Our New Pool Build in Jacksonville, FL" We call it a Spool or Social Pool. It is approx 10 X 20 and it will be fully screened in. The wife designed it and it will have a water fall, bubbler and 2 external boxes for statues spouting water. It is 3.5ft to 4.5ft and have 2 seating / lounging areas. We went this route because we like entertaining and did not care to be swimming and diving, just hanging out. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

Our back yard is only 22 feet deep and we are looking at putting in a 12 feet x 22 feet long pool. It gets hot here in the summers (We live in Southern California - inland) and every year we put up one of those cheesy above ground pools and my kids love it.

I'm starting to doubt that its worth the money, it seems like such an extravagance.