Site Inspection to Determine the Price of Your Pool

Hi everyone, Steffan from Compass Pools here.

One of the most common questions I get asked is how much is my swimming pool going to cost? To be honest, that could be a bit of a hard question to answer straight off the cuff. The reason it’s a hard question to answer is simply because everybody’s backyard is different and so differ personal tastes, and I guess, therefore, everybody’s pool project is slightly different from the others.

In order to give you a really good understanding of what your pool project is likely to cost you, the best thing we can do is come out and have a look at your backyard, sit down and discuss with you what it is you’re looking for in your pool and then, once we know that information and we’ve identified any potential challenges that your site might have, we’ll be able to give you a really accurate idea of what your swimming pool’s likely to cost.

Guide to ‘Typical’ Swimming Pool Prices

But I know that what you’re after by watching today’s video is more of a broad guideline. The best way to give you that guideline is to introduce you to our X-Trainer pool range which is what we’ve got behind me here. The X-Trainer range is one of our more popular family pools and may range from 5.8 meters in length all the way up to 11.8 meters in length by 4.2 wide, so quite a big pool at that end of the scale.

Now, imagine at the small end of the scale you have a normal pool installation, lights, filtration equipment, standard filtration. At the other end, you might have the 11.8 meter X-Trainer with all of the bells and whistles that you can imagine like automatic chlorination, pH control systems and, of course, the Vantage self-cleaning system that Compass Pools is really famous for. So, at the entry point, you might be looking at a fully installed cost in the late 30s, let’s say. For that bigger pool with all of the bells and whistles, you might be looking at a total sum somewhere in the late 60s, early 70s. So, that’s a really big scale and, of course, it depends on lots of things like what challenges there are in your backyard. Are there access issues? What’s your soil like? What size pool did you choose and what bells and whistles and extra features would you like added to your pool project? So, somewhere in that scale from the 30s to the 70s depending entirely on your backyard and your preferences.

Cost to Operate Your New Pool

One of the things that I do encourage people to think about, though, is not just what is the pool going to cost to buy. Although that is really important, one of the things that is likely to have a bigger impact on you in the long-term is, actually, how much does it cost to own the pool. In other words, what does it cost to run it and what effort is involved in looking after it? So, if you make the right choices at the beginning and you focus particularly on ensuring your pool has good circulation, you can take steps to make sure that your pool running costs are kept to a bare minimum.

You see, the better your pool is circulated, if your water is circulated from top to bottom, bottom to top as opposed to just along the top of your pool, it will help you save so much money in the long run. You’ll cut your chemical consumption dramatically. You’ll spend less time having to manage your pool water because it’s moving regularly, and when it comes to heating your pool, you’ll find that it’s so much more efficient if you’re mixing the water everywhere. That’s where the Vantage system can come in handy. So, yes, Vantage does mean a larger investment at the beginning, but it will change your life as a pool owner. It will keep your running costs low and, of course, it’ll keep the effort that you have to put into looking after your pool to a bare minimum.

Swimming Pool as an Investment

So, there are a few things you should be thinking about if you’re thinking of investing in a swimming pool. Yes, the upfront cost is an important part in the decision making process and, as we’ve discovered, that range can actually be quite big depending on a number of factors, but the other thing is, how much is that pool going to cost and how much effort is it going to take to look after, because that’s what’s going to have the long-term impact on your enjoyment as a pool owner.

Salt water pools are becoming increasingly popular in Australia, with more homeowners wanting to choose pool systems which are efficient, clean and kind to the environment. But are salt pools the right choice for everyone?

We have put together this guide to salt water pools, covering how they work, their benefits, potential salt water pool problems, and whether or not they are more effective than chlorine pools when it comes to pool sanitisation. This will help you make an informed choice about whether or not to purchase a salt pool.

Do salt water pools contain sea water?

We all love the idea of having a natural sea water pool in our backyard. However, this is not what is meant by a salt water pool, as it would be extremely difficult to recreate the conditions of the sea on your own property.

Sea water contains an extremely high concentration of salt, so it would be completely impractical to try to reproduce this in an artificial environment. Instead, in a salt water pool, salt is used to produce chlorine. All backyard pools need to keep the pool water safe, clean and healthy to swim in. This process is achieved using a salt water chlorinator.

How does a salt water chlorinator work?

A salt water chlorinator is plumbed into the piping that carries the water back to your pool from the pool pump. The salt water chlorinator contains plates which have a small electric current running through them. This causes electrolysis to occur as the salt water passes through the plates, producing a high quality form of chlorine.

Due to this chemical process, you do not need to add chlorine granules or liquid to a salt water pool. Instead, you just need to add small amounts of salt to the salt cell in the generator. The resulting concentration of salt in your pool water is extremely low, at approximately 3,000ppm.

This is just one-third of the salt levels we produce in our own tears, so your pool water will not taste salty. However, this small amount is enough to produce effective swimming pool chlorination.

What are the advantages of salt water pools?

Salt water pools have a number of benefits over traditional chlorine pools.

1. They can help you breathe more easily in the water

One of the main disadvantages of traditional chlorine pools is the unpleasant smell of bleach in the water. In a salt water pool, the chlorine produced is of a far higher quality, so it is completely odourless.

This makes salt water pools a much kinder environment for people who suffer from breathing problems. Respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergies can be made worse by the odour of bleach which is always found in a chlorine pool.

2. They do not have a negative impact on your eyes, skin or hair

Pool chemicals such as granular or liquid chlorine, which are used in traditional chlorine pools, can be extremely harsh. They can cause serious irritation to the eyes and give you dry skin. This can be extremely uncomfortable for swimmers who have skin conditions such as eczema or dermatitis.

Liquid and granular chlorine can also bleach your clothes and dry your hair out. Dyed hair can even change colour if it is exposed to too much chlorine. Salt water pools eliminate all these problems as the chlorine produced is much gentler and the levels are kept at a constant level by the salt water chlorinator.

As a result, you can safely swim in a salt water pool without suffering from any irritation or damage. The levels of chlorine in the water are so mild and pure that you can even open your eyes underwater without them stinging. And your hair and clothes will not suffer any chemical damage, even if you use your pool every day.

3. Salt water pool care is quicker, easier and safer

Maintaining a chlorine pool can be time consuming and difficult as you are required to add the pool chemicals yourself. This is something which you have to be extremely careful to get right if you want your pool to be a safe and healthy environment for swimming. It can take up a lot of time that could be spent enjoying your pool instead.

A salt water pool solves this problem, as it has an automatic pool chlorinator. It constantly makes its own chlorine from the pool salt you add to the chlorinator. Thus, there is no need to add any other chemicals to the water. This means you do not have to think about your swimming pool chlorination, as the pool system does it all for you. You can be free to spend more of your time enjoying yourself and relaxing in the water.

This also makes salt water pools safer as you do not need to store any dangerous pool chemicals on your property. This is a particularly important benefit if you have children because it gives you more peace of mind in the home.

Also, the chlorine in a salt water pool is being produced constantly, so you will not suffer any chlorine spikes. This ensures that your pool water is kept at a continuous level which is healthy and safe for swimming.

4. They can ultimately save you money

The initial cost of salt water pool systems tends to be high. However, over time a salt pool will save you money. This is because pool salt is far cheaper than chlorine granules or liquid. The overall cost of salt water pool care over months and years is far lower than that for a traditional chlorine pool.

5. Salt water swimming pool chlorination is just as effective

The chlorine produced by a salt chlorine generator has no obvious signs like a strong smell, but this does not mean it is not as effective. In fact, it is because it is the type of chlorine produced is of a much higher quality. It works just as well as chlorine liquid or granules for killing bacteria and algae. And it does so in a safer and healthier way.

In addition, because it is an automatic pool chlorinator, it means that your pool chlorine will constantly be kept at a safe level without you needing to remember to do anything. This improves the safety and hygiene of your pool.

Potential salt water pool problems

No pool sanitisation system is perfect. Despite their many advantages, there can be a few downsides of owning a salt water pool. It is important to be aware of these before you make your decision.

1. Salt water pools have a high initial setup cost

Salt water pool systems can be quite expensive to buy initially, depending on the size of the system you need. It is essential to choose a pool sanitisation system which is capable of handling the amount of water in your pool. So a larger pool will need a more powerful, more expensive system.

You will also need to pay a plumber to install your salt water system. It is a highly technical job which should always be carried by a fully qualified, experienced professional.

The salt cell will also need replacing roughly every three to five years depending on how seriously you have taken your salt water pool care and the climate conditions where you live.

However, it is important to remember that a salt pool can save you considerable amounts of money in the long term. Your investment will likely balance itself out over time.

2. You do still have to carry out some maintenance on a salt water pool

Salt water pools are safer, quicker and easier to maintain than chlorine pools. But there are some maintenance tasks you will still need to do.

For example, just like you would with a traditional pool, you will still need to check the pH levels of the water on a regular basis. This is done to make sure the levels are correct and the pool environment is healthy.

3. Some elements of salt pool systems can corrode over time

Some pool equipment can be corroded over time by pool salt, particularly any parts made of metal such as ladders and light fittings. It is important to check your pool and your salt water chlorinator regularly for any salt build-up or signs of corrosion.

However, to avoid this, you can purchase pool equipment which is resistant to corrosion and designed for salt water pools.

Is a mineral water pool the same as a salt water pool?

A mineral water pool is a similar concept to a salt water pool. However, the aim of a mineral water pool is to achieve the experience of bathing in a natural spa by adding extra minerals to the water.

Salt is one of the main minerals used as it is so effective at producing high quality chlorine. However, mineral water pools usually also contain a variety of other minerals such as magnesium chloride and borates. These are thought to have properties which reduce stress, as well as being beneficial for the skin.

A mineral pool enables you to recreate the experience of a natural spa on your own property. These are becoming increasingly popular in Australia.

Converting a chlorine pool into a salt water pool

It is possible to convert a chlorine pool into a salt water or mineral water pool by having a salt water chlorinator plumbed into your pool plumbing. This job should only ever be undertaken by a professional plumber, as it needs to be absolutely right in order to ensure your pool is a safe and healthy environment for swimming.

Converting your pool can be fairly costly. But it will save you plenty of money over time due to the lower running costs.

Salt water pools from Compass Pools Australia

At Compass Pools Australia, we have always been at the forefront of pool technology. If you want your Compass Pool installed with a salt water chlorinator, this is something we offer. In addition, if you would like your existing pool converted to a salt pool, we can also help you with this.

If you would like more information about our swimming pool chlorination options, including our salt water pool systems, please contact us. Our team will be happy to help.

Sourcing of raw materials starting with pool materials comparison and selecting the best quality materials that would guarantee the parameters of our swimming pools such as durability, longevity or cosmetic details and design features.

Video transcription: 

Anthony Cross: So Paul you’ve mentioned a lot about vinyl ester resins. You tell us that you’ve searched the world, you’ve been to the factories, you’ve sourced out the best product. But I also am aware in my role that you’re bringing these products in, particularly the vinyl ester resin and you’re reformulating them here in Australia before delivering them to our factory. What is important about doing that? Why is that something that you guys do?

Paul Bennet: Ok, well especially with the vinyl ester, we want to make sure that when you get it, it’s as fresh as it can be. So what we do is formulate it to you, we make a specification that suits your application. So we thix and promote it. It comes in un-thixed and un-promoted which means if you put catalyst with it, it wouldn’t go off. So at that stage it can last for a long period of time, maybe eighteen months. But if it had a promoter system in it, then it would only last three months. Then by the time it came on a ship, it may be six weeks old, that is if you used it that day.

As we know because of the amount of material you’re using, you’re using maybe a tonne or more than a tonne of vinyl ester everyday, all of a sudden that material would start to get long in the tooth. We manufacture it so you’ve never got material that is more than two weeks old. It is all mixed, it’s really thoroughly mixed and it doesn’t have time to settle. When it is on the ship, it could settle. Then it needs to be remixed and then it could open the opportunity to have an issue. In your case, you don’t have that opportunity. It’s just always going to be fresh and perfect.

I think it’s important. Ian calls it back to the future. For us, it just seems to work better and I really think that’s a big part of the perfection.

Anthony Cross: It’s about quality control.

Paul Bennet: It is about quality control. It’s what everything is about these days, quality control and risk management.

Anthony Cross: The other advantage of that is that as the seasons change, we’ve got hot weather in summer and we’ve got cooler weather in winter, you can also adjust products to suit the weather conditions too.

Paul Bennet: We can change on a weekly basis. Your guy in the factory, Dan, could ring up and say, can you speed it up a bit or slow it down. We can do that instantly. Then it always fits the climate that you’re operating to.

Anthony Cross: Yes, sure. Look, I appreciate the time you’re taking to talk to us about the technicalities of the business. I know we’re both passionate about what we do. Our focus is to build the best product, your focus is to provide the best raw materials. I think we make a pretty good team in that sense.

Paul Bennet: Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Read more about vinyl ester resin and polyester resin pool materials comparison in terms of inherent water resistance and other parameters on our page explaining the tough ceramic core of our swimming pools.

There is an art in building a great fibreglass pool. It requires excellent materials, and Compass Pools uses only the best. Our company uses only high quality vinyl ester resin, which is chemically resistant, top rate glass and a superior gelcoat. It all adds up to producing a pool which will successfully cope with the effects of the environment and chemically treated water over many years. To find out more about why Compass Pool is such a reliable investment, phone us on 1300 667 445.

Video transcription: 

Anthony Cross: Paul, you’ve worked with Compass for quite a few years. I guess it’s fair to say we do things a little differently to a lot of other fibreglass pool manufacturing companies. I know that you’ve spent a fair bit of time with us and your involvement stretches back many years, particularly with Ian Mewett who is the founder and owner of Compass Pools. What can you tell us about that collaboration between you and Ian and how that’s shaped your involvement in our industry and particularly with Compass Pools?

Paul Bennet: Well I’ve been lucky enough to have a good background in the fibreglass industry and obviously many years ago I met Ian. But to answer the first part of your question Anthony, what does Compass Pools do a little bit differently to everyone else? Well they’re very thorough with their production of the pools. I’m sure you’ve got more glass and especially more vinyl ester in the pools than the majority of any other people have got, if not all of them.

For example have a look at your EVEC 300 pool. That basically tells us that it’s got 300 kg of vinyl ester resin in it.

Anthony Cross: That’s right.

Paul Bennet: So I’m pretty confident that no one else has got that much vinyl ester in it. So if you look at the process, you’ve got the best gelcoat, we’ve established that. You then want to have the best tie layer. So you’ve got the best glass and you’ve got the best vinyl ester resin. The base resin is sourced from AOC in America. I believe they’re the best resin company in the world. That’s why we buy it from them. I’ve been there and seen their quality system. So you’ve got the best vinyl ester which you’re using the most of and you’ve got the right resin to glass ratio.

Then one of the big differences that you have compared to other people is you use a material called e-sphere resin. No one else would have a ceramic core pool. You guys have got a ceramic core which obviously doubly helps on chemical resistance but its main reason is core strength. That then tells the story that your pool is a lot thicker than anyone else’s. To my knowledge no one else uses e-sphere resin, certainly not filled with ceramic core. Then you put your back up on the outside which is your ortho layer which is also a good quality material.

The other thing you do differently to everyone else is you have a backup base colour. Over the top of your gelcoat you’ve then got a vinyl ester barrier layer before the vinyl ester resin ceramic core layer. All in all, I think you’d struggle to find a better laminated fibreglass pool.

Anthony Cross: You mentioned vinyl ester quite a bit. Vinyl ester is I guess the main ingredient in ensuring that we build a really good quality chemically resistant pool. I don’t think it’s any secret to those in the industry that it is a much more expensive resin. Hence the reason companies are keen to keep the lid on their costs and be careful of what they’re spending. But it is the most important ingredient, isn’t it? It really isn’t something we should be compromising on.

Paul Bennet: No, if you were going to cut a corner, you certainly wouldn’t cut it on vinyl ester. Certainly you wouldn’t cut it on the quality. One of the main important factors I believe for using the best vinyl ester resin is one, have the best base resin, which you have. Also, have a high solid content. Some of the alternative companies I guess could have trouble wetting out their glass properly because the alternative would be to have a lower solid content. In your case, you have a high solid content but a very easy wet-out resin to make sure the fibres of the glass are wet–out. That is the secret to not getting osmosis. I believe we’re definitely supplying the best materials.

Anthony Cross: So there is a real art in building a high quality fibreglass pool that is going to cope with the effects of weather and the environment and chemically treated water over many, many years. As you point out, the gelcoat, the first surface layer, that is really important. It’s got to be durable, it’s got to have the right colourfast properties. Then you get into the chemically resistant layers like the vinyl ester. That’s what we’re talking about here of course.

It might sound like a technical conversation and there are lots of different layers we have been discussing and different ingredients. But that is all essential at the end of the day in ensuring we have a product that we are proud of, that fits in with our heritage of thirty-five years and that we can provide industry leading warranties on.

Paul Bennet: Yes, I definitely believe you’ve got the best products for the purpose you’re trying to serve. You’re right, you’ve summed it all up with the process of building the fibreglass pool there. You can’t cut any corners. You’ve got to have the best material and I believe you’ve got that. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

To build great swimming pools, you need the best materials. Compass Pools’ advanced gelcoat technology, which uses the best base resin and UV stabilisers, ensures your pool will maintain a consistent colour throughout all seasons. Your pool will also have built-in chemical resistance. For more information about how we build our pools, phone 1300 667 445.

Video transcription: 

Anthony Cross: One of the people who is instrumental in the R&D efforts here at Compass Pools Australia particularly with our gelcoat and colour technology is Paul Bennet from Trojan Fibreglass. Paul sources the best raw materials from all over the world and then he carries out his own testing onsite and reformulation. I’m going to ask Paul a few questions about this today.

So Paul, just tell us a little bit about how that works and why it’s so important to get the best raw materials and best result for Compass Pools.

Paul Bennet: Well Anthony, I guess when you talk about the gelcoat technology, there are several things you want to be able to achieve. You want to be able to achieve a fantastic colour and you want to be able to not have any yellowing. So you want it to stay pure for as many years as possible. You also want to have some chemical resistance. I believe with our gelcoat, we’ve covered all those situations.

We’ve made you several different colour ranges that are exclusive to you. I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world and see some of the best resin and gelcoat manufacturers and we believe we’re supplying you the best gelcoat. You get the best base resin, you’ve got the best promoter system, you’ve got the best chips and you’ve got the best UV stablisers. So I believe the gelcoat that we supply you with is definitely the best on the market.

Anthony Cross: I know first hand that you come to our factory regularly. You’re on the factory floor sometimes at 4 am, 5 am with the boys. You’re observing the performance of the materials, the spray patterns and the equipment, that sort of thing. You’re making recommendations and just making sure that everything is working as it should and that you’re on top of what we’re doing. You check on the performance of your materials. That’s obviously the approach you take – a hands on approach.

Paul Bennet:  Yes, I like to get into the factory. I guess I come from a hands-on background. I was a boat builder by trade before I got into the resin business. So I’ve actually used all the materials in my own hands for many years before I did this. So I like to keep an eye on what is going on. I need to make sure the guys are going well, the materials are getting catalysed correctly. Sometimes it’s good in the factory to have another opinion.

Anthony Cross: Yes and the boys respect that I’m sure. You talk their language. They can tell you exactly what they’re experiencing on a day- to-day basis. As you know, things can change so much depending on the conditions on the day, the humidity, the temperature. All of those things can affect what you then need to go back and do to tweak and reformulate.

Paul Bennet: Yes that’s right, we make the materials suit your application. Also your factory is very well set up. It’s got the heaters, it’s all done correctly. The staff you’ve got on the floor do a great job.

Anthony Cross: That’s great to hear. I appreciate the efforts that you make and your involvement in that Paul. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Self-Cleaning Pool Customer Testimonials

Thanks to thousands of self-cleaning pool installations, we can provide an unlimited number of self-cleaning pool references to any prospective pool owner. If considering a pool, think of having an intelligent pool installed. To get in touch with happy Compass Pool owners, locate your closest Compass Pools dealer to arrange a free onsite consultation. Or learn more about pool cleaning and making smart pool decisions in our printed pool magazine that you can request for free.

Video transcription: We get a great number of people who come to us and talk to us about putting in their first or their second pool who are really well researched. The more research somebody does in the swimming pool market, the more likely they are to become a Compass customer.

We also get a really high percentage of people who are getting their second pool. They may not have got a pool from Compass where they were living originally. But if they’ve moved or they’ve built a new home and they decide that living with a pool is something that they don’t want to miss out on, it’s amazing how many of those people, for their second pool, come to Compass.

The reason is they’ve owned another product. They’ve owned a swimming pool that has no doubt taken them a fair bit of time and energy and investment to keep that pool looking and operating the way they want it to. They’ve had that experience and now they’re coming to Compass because they just don’t want to have that responsibility anymore. They’re generally looking for Compass’ exclusive Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system.

If you’re busy and you really want to own a pool but you’re concerned or put off by all the work friends and other people have told you is associated with a swimming pool, come and talk to us. We’ll show you how we can make that work disappear. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

How much will a swimming pool cost & how to best compare swimming pool quotations?

The cost of your swimming pool will depend a great deal on the site it is to be installed on. We can send out one of our experts to assess your particular situation and give you sound advice about the best way to build. We will then be able to give you an idea of price, once we have assessed the conditions. Please call us on 1300 667 445 to tap into the great advice and expertise we are able to offer.

Video transcription: I get a lot of calls throughout the day from people who are in that early planning stage. The first thing they say is, I want a quote on an eight metre pool or a six metre pool or whatever it is. Realistically it’s hard to be able to do that. Putting the pool and all of the equipment and all of your choices aside, it’s about your site.

Being able to ballpark a pool on the costs, I don’t know if you’re on a slope. I don’t know if you need to have a standard bond beam on your pool. I don’t know if your pool is going to be raised up a little bit. I don’t know if you’re in the building stages and we might have to pop the pool in prior to the house being built.

There are lots of different things that can happen as a part of your site visit that are definitely worth bringing up rather than you making your own assumption as to what can and can’t be done. The things pool builders can do are endless. There is always a way.

Fundamentally the most important thing that you will do, rather than get the price over the phone, is have someone come to your site and look at what is involved in your project. They will then be able to recommend to you the smartest way to build it, based on your site and the things that you would like to have as part of your pool. I could not recommend it enough. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Video transcription: There are many reasons people choose a Compass swimming pool. That’s pretty important when you do my job.

One of the great things about it is that we have a small number of people out there who have soil conditions called reactive soil. One facet of our swimming pools is that they are literally twice as strong as a traditional fibreglass swimming pool and they’re built to ground conditions. Anyone who has done a lot of research on reactive soils and the right product for their place often ends up with a Compass pool.

Another reason people choose Compass pools is for a unique ability to be able to install these pools up out of ground, to put them in some really unusual site conditions that have generally only been the domain of concrete pools.

When you spend some time talking to Compass pools, you’ll soon come to understand that the process for building a Compass pool is totally unique. The product that we have here at Compass is different from anything else that is on the market.

In fact we pioneered a couple of different technologies when it comes to the construction of swimming pools. Those technologies are a really important feature of owning a pool that is going to last in the sense that it is going to be durable and give you something that you’re going to be enjoying potentially for the rest of your life.

Something that we’re excited to offer you and will give you tremendous peace of mind when owning a Compass pool is the warranty. The warranty associated with your Compass pool is totally unique and it is unique in the industry. We can’t wait to talk to you about it if given the opportunity to come out and talk to you.

Another great feature of that warranty is that it is backed by a company, an Australian company, that has been manufacturing swimming pools for thirty-five years with the benefit of being continuously owned by the same family. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Do you need a water tank when installing a pool and why is it important to know your pool’s water capacity?

Video transcription: We’re often asked, if I install my pool, will I need a water tank? That is a really good question. As a general rule, pools up to around about ten metres generally don’t need a water tank. As soon as you exceed the ten metre mark which correlates to the number of litres in that pool as a rough rule of thumb, if your pool has more than 40,000 litres of water in it, under the BASIX rules it’s generally required that you install a water tank with your swimming pool.

The other tipping point is not just 40,000 litres, because you could have a pool or a volume of water that is a lot less than 40,000 litres, the other trigger is whether the overall project exceeds $50,000 in cost.

Here is another tip. When you’re thinking about the pool, if you’re just trying to avoid a water tank, and you think, I’ll cut down the size simply so I don’t have to have one, really think about. This is something you are likely to live with for a very long time. Most people who are thinking about installing a pool are not thinking about moving from the house in a couple of years. So you’ll soon forget the little bit of extra money you spent on the water tank in the planning of your pool. This is something that is going to be with you for life. If that means you’ve got a greater swimming area or something that suits your lifestyle better, that’s really what we would suggest is the most important consideration. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Video transcription: One of the great things about Compass Pools and one of the great technological breakthroughs is that we won an Australian Design award for creating a product called Maxi-Ribs. Maxi-Ribs lets us take our unique ceramic core shell and free stand the pool without using retaining walls. What I mean by free standing is a that this pool is not necessarily a pool that is actually inserted into the ground. In some cases that pool may be partially out of the ground, meaning it is above ground, or it might be fully out of the ground. There are many approaches and versatile aspects of actually installing a Maxi-Rib pool. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Learn more about how we use Maxi Rib to build infinity pools.

Video transcription: A lot of people who come into the display centre to have a bit of a chat about what sort of pool might be right for them, the first question they always want to talk about is what shape or what size is going to fit in their block or the space that they’ve got in mind.

That is important definitely, obviously for what is going to fit in the area that you’ve got. But more importantly, or just as importantly, is how you see yourself using your pool. If you’ve got a heap of kids and you’re imagining it’s going to be pool party at your place every weekend, then you want to make sure that you’ve got a really kid-friendly pool. What that means is a nice say, a 7, 8, 9 metre pool is perfect for a big family, great for kids.

If you’ve got a shallow to deep, that’s great for kids. They do like to have that deeper spot they jump in. If they’re the type of kids though who just want to put the volleyball net up and be playing games against each other, then the deep in the middle pool is great for them.

Little kids love having somewhere to hold onto all around the edge of the pool. There’s a safety step ledge around all of our pools which makes it really easy for them to do that. Or if you’ve got someone who might have had an injury or has a bad back, a nice idea might be to pop a hand rail on to that pool to assist them in using the pool.

Really shapes and sizes don’t just come down to the space that you’ve got, it’s how you see yourself using your pool. I would have a good think about that prior to locking anything in. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

What are your design options for fibreglass pools?

Video transcription: Compass technology gives us some incredible versatility. We’re now able to build lap pools up to 30 metres in length and at custom lengths. So we’ve moved on from just having a pool that is one set size. We also have the ability to add optional side steps to some of our swimming pools. We can do things such as recess Sunpod water features and create elements to a pool that are just not regularly seen in the fibreglass swimming pool market.

We have the ability now to connect bodies of water where we install a pool and we might install one of our wader pools or a nice spa or something like that and make all this connected and flow. It just adds to the overall wow factor of having a swimming pool. Let’s face it, a swimming pool is swum in a lot and that’s fantastic but for the other half of the time it’s a water feature. So we want this thing to look as amazing as possible. If you’ve got ideas and concepts and you want to talk to us about them, we’re all ears.

Often we build pools and because of the nature of our product, because we have a shell that is capable of being installed in places that have not been the domain of traditional fibreglass pools, we get some complicated jobs. We certainly don’t shy away from the complication. What that will often involve is our in-house engineer working with you and us to work out exactly how we’re going to ensure that pool is going to be installed in a way that is effective and stable for the duration of your life.

Over the last thirty-five years, Compass has put a tremendous amount of effort and focus into working out how to make a swimming pool as easy and as friendly to own as it possibly can be. Come and talk to us about all of the unique Compass options. When it comes to swimming pools, we are truly different in every approach that we take to ensure that you have a pool that you’re going to enjoy for as long as you’re in your house. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Video transcription: When thinking about installing your pool, thinking about where it goes may come naturally. This might be, ok, that’s the spot I’m definitely going to have my pool installed. Other properties might have tremendous flexibility. There can be a little bit of consternation about where that pool is exactly going to go.

When we’re generally talking about installation of a pool and you’re thinking about it in relation to your lifestyle, what is most ideal is that the pool becomes an extension of your living area. It’s an area that is connected to your house. You may want to see your kids swimming and so forth, which is an important factor as well.

Being able to look out of the windows onto something that, when you’re not swimming in it, let’s face it, is just an expensive water feature, this is an important factor for putting the pool in. When we put that pool in, that pool is going to stay in that position for as long as you own it. So some careful consideration about how that is done is a really important factor.

Yes, we have to take into consideration what the rules are and whether there are any issues in terms of putting in the pool there from another point of view such as pipes or things like main sewers and different things and certain setbacks from fences. But we have the luxury and the ability to even incorporate parts of the house inside the pool area.

You can never have an area that basically steps up or doors that open up and flows straight onto the pool area. That is an issue. You always need to have some sort of fencing between it, but you can certainly use a wall, modify windows and so forth so that they comply with the pool fencing code and allow that area to be basically connected to the house. That may or may not suit your property, it just depends.

But some careful consideration as to where that pool goes is a really important thing. Really we have a lot of customers who are out there who are building and designing their house so the whole pool is a feature. That is something that we think is tremendously valuable when it comes to not only your enjoyment but even resale.

So when we’re thinking about where that pool is going to go, at Compass, we put a lot of effort and energy into training our people so we’re in a position to come out, consult with you and really determine what we think is going to be the best place to maximize the enjoyment and the long term benefits of you owning a Compass pool. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Increase the WOW factor of your pool by customizing its colour

Fantastic colour options from our fibreglass swimming pools

Video transcription: One thing that you really have to consider when planning your new pool is what colour it’s going to be. The good thing about the Compass pools range is the Bi-Luminite and the Vivid series of colours offer a huge range. You can go from a nice grey base, the stony rivers, the creeks, through to shallow water of the beach, through to the deepest part of the bluest oceans.

The reason we’ve got such a great range is to cover what everyone’s choices are. If you want a real wow factor, bright, modern sort of design, there’s definitely going to be a pool colour that is going to fit into it.

The beautiful thing about the Bi-Luminite surface of the pool is it’s reflective of the mood of the day. So the colour you’re going to get in the morning is going to be different to full sun, to early evening. You’ve got so many choices and there is definitely something for everyone.

Go out and have a look at the pools. A lot of my customers, if they’re a little bit nervous about it or they can’t quite decide, I always find who is in their area, who has got that colour and we give them a call. They go straight out there and have a look at their pool. Each pool will be a little bit different in the surrounds that they’re in, so it is a really nice thing to do. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Why do Compass Pools clients choose a Compass Pool

Video transcription: Another fantastic testament to the Compass pool is that we have a lot of people who are not too far dissociated from the pool industry purchasing a Compass pool. We do a lot of pools for real estate agents. They know the power of introducing a prospective buyer to a house and saying, hey, this pool literally looks after itself.

I’ve had a couple of great experiences working with a few council people this year. They’re choosing their Compass pool for really specific reasons. I put a pool in just recently for the head inspector of one of the local councils here. He’s got an interesting job. He would go out to properties and he would issue them with what is called a final occupation certificate. That usually happens about twelve months after someone has had their pool installed.

Out of self interest, he was building his own home and wanted to install a pool. Every time he went to a property, he said to someone what do you think of your pool? People would say, yes, the kids enjoy it. There is a bit of work associated with it. Then he found someone who owns a Compass pool. Every time he spoke to a Compass pool owner, they’d say, it’s great. We don’t have to do anything. All of a sudden, this particular gentleman thought Compass was the right company for him.

I recently had a great experience working with an MD of a local council. I’d put several pools in for some of his staff and he didn’t know it. I immediately thought, this is how he knows about us.

But when I asked him about why he was installing this Compass pool or even how he found out about us, he said, this house is really important to us. We designed the house and we built the house. We always thought a pool would really complement it but we just weren’t sure. One of the reasons we weren’t sure is we are really only intending to stay here for the next ten to twelve years. So I asked a very good friend of mine to come over and give me their recommendation as to whether or not we should put a pool in.

I said, who was that? Were they a Compass pool owner? He said, actually, they’re not. They were a local real estate agent. She came over and said, I thoroughly recommend that you put in a pool. This type of house commands it and you will get a lot of enjoyment from it. What you do is, you don’t put anything in but a Compass self-cleaning pool.

Wow! That’s pretty exciting for us. That’s pretty much where our technology is today. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

What are the main benefits of pool circulation systems?

Video transcription: With ten years’ experience working with Compass Pools, probably the biggest inclusion for a swimming pool that makes the biggest difference when I talk to people and revisit pool owners is certainly the Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system. Everyone gets really excited by the fact that it cleans the swimming pool. That’s a great thing and we love the fact that it does. But the in-floor cleaning and circulation is so much more than that.

It’s a system that is designed to effectively circulate the pool water. Let’s face it, a swimming pool is very similar to a bath, it’s just a lot bigger. If you get in the bath at night and make the water all dirty, when you get out you can pull the plug. You can’t pull the plug easily on your swimming pool. So some time ago, the industry determined, how do we make that pool healthy? To do it, we’ve done it through the use of sanitisers and a fairly basic circulation system.

That circulation system consists of a skimmer box. That skimmer box system, which is installed at the top of the pool, is the only exit point for water. This is a real challenge because that system is purely taking the water from the very top of the pool, taking it usually through a pump, a filter, a sanitiser and then returning it at the opposite end of the pool, generally through two return lines.

Anybody who works in the pool industry knows that is a fairly ineffective way to treat water. How we know this is, if you go up and put your foot into the top layer of the swimming pool and say, that feels nice, and then you dive into that pool, you’re going to get a very distinct temperature difference. The water on the top is heated by the sun that continually travels across the pool and that warm water actually accumulates or lifts up all the chemicals. So they sit very concentrated in that top layer of pool water.

The idea with an in-floor cleaning and circulation system is to stir that chemical right back through the pool so we have a chemically treated pool that is healthy from top to bottom. All the chemicals don’t just stay in the top layer where they are getting evaporated and you’re having to spend more money trying to make that pool look after itself. Circulation is one of those fundamental aspects that we really want to get right in the swimming pool.

Not only does Compass have its Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system but Compass also has another system that is designed to circulate water effectively. This is fundamentally different from what any other pool manufacturer is producing today. The benefit of these systems is not only do we get a healthy pool from top to bottom, we also get a pool temperature that is even right throughout the pool.

We’re able to reduce the chemical consumption within the swimming pool and we’re also effectively able to reduce the electricity draw on the pool from having water so effectively turned over in the swimming pool and by the ability to employ energy efficient pumps with both of those systems.

There are lots of different options when it comes to the inclusions you choose with your Compass pool. Each of those options that suit a range of budgets have been carefully considered to ensure that we’re doing the absolute utmost in how we treat that water, how we effectively turn and stir that water through the pool. We want to ensure that we make it healthy for everybody to swim in that pool with the least possible effort, time and energy having to be spent on your pool. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Pool maintenance: Does owning a swimming pool require a lot of hard work?

Video transcription: One of the great reasons people choose Compass Pools is we’re often told, our friends told us not to get a pool and that’s why we’ve come to you. That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense, does it? But what that tells us is that they’ve been out and they’ve been heavily influenced by somebody who owns a Compass pool.

It is usually somebody who owns a Compass pool with a Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system. Those friends, family or the people they’ve been influenced by have told them, our pool is easy. What people are saying about owning a swimming pool in terms of it being a lot of work or maintenance to do, that can literally disappear. We’d welcome you to come and talk to us about how we can make that happen for you.

You’ve only got to ask somebody who owns a Compass pool what they think of it. If they own a Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system exclusive to Compass, wow you’re going to get a very different story about the ownership of a swimming pool. It’s great when our customers come to us really understanding how easy and how nice their life can be with a pool that takes them very little effort to look after.

One of the exciting things about working here is I can’t tell you the number of times that somebody has walked in the door or I’ve turned up at somebody’s house and I’ve said, how did you hear about Compass pools? They’ve said, Joe down the road, has one of your pools, he’s had it for eight years and he’s never cleaned it. We hear that a lot. The reason for that is that Compass Pools was the first company in the world to create the world’s first in–floor cleaning and circulation system for fibreglass pools.

That’s not something you have to have but it is pretty hard for us to install a pool today without somebody giving it really serious consideration or adding it to their swimming pool. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Great pool planning advice from the Compass Pools team

Video transcription: Having worked at Compass for a little under ten years now, one of the best pieces of advice I can give anybody considering or looking at putting in a swimming pool is take your time. A swimming pool is generally something that when people are considering putting one in, they’re usually pretty committed to their house. It usually means a long term investment in the property that they currently reside in.

This is not like going out and purchasing a motor car. If you went out and bought a motor car and decided, you know what, I just don’t like this car, there is something wrong with it, you can sell it. You can’t sell your pool without selling your house. So you want to be really careful when you think about all of the different options and all of the different inclusions that you can make part of that swimming pool.

That’s why we really encourage you to come and talk to us. We have tremendous and unique options. There are so many points of difference with a Compass swimming pool that we get pretty excited about it. We’d like to take the time and take you right through and make sure you’re fully equipped with as much information as you need. Often that will result in us getting you out to talk to some of our customers.

So take your time, there is no rush because once it’s in, it’s in for good. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Get the swimming pool you want while working to your budget

Video transcription: As a pool planner, the number one question that I get asked nearly every day of my life is how much does that pool cost? It’s a great question, it really is, but the truthful answer is how long is a piece of string? It comes down to exactly what you want and on your site.

The things to think about in being able to even give you even a ballpark range is how big do you want your pool to be? Do you want it to be five metres or do you want it to be fifteen metres? Do you want to have a very automatic system so that you aren’t manually cleaning your pool, it’s looking after itself, it’s the easiest thing in the world to own? Do you want your pool to look spectacular at night with beautiful lights in it? Do you feel that you might want to heat this pool? Do you feel that you need to have a cover over this pool?

They’re all accessory type choices that you either need to do in the first instance or you can get them later. That’s a big deal to a lot of people, what is going to be a part of it. So you’ve got your pool and accessory type things as one of the main parts of your budget.

Then we move into what fundamentally is probably the most important part of it. That is the operating system. That is what it is like to own a pool. I often tell people, if you don’t really put much thought into it and you’re all about the cheapest quote, cheapest quote then that pool will likely, in my experience, be more expensive to own. For the sake of a ballpark figure, if you say, yes, I do want something energy efficient so my electricity bills aren’t going to skyrocket or anything like that, it makes sense to get equipment that is that little bit better. That is going to give you the room to move within a ballpark figure.

The operating system, the cleaning system of the pool, do you want to buy a robot cleaner, do you want to have in-floor cleaning in the pool, those types of things is the second part of where you should be aiming some of your budget for.

Then obviously you’ve got to build the pool. You’ve got your installation. You might have a beautiful site with nice topsoil or you might have a clay site, you might have a rock site. You might have that little bit tighter access. A crane may be required to lift your pool, or an excavator may be able to do it. Those things are apart from the options and choices and the nice things that you can have which are the smarter way to be able to pull back on things so you can actually build a pool within your budget.

What you do is you get a good understanding of what you have to make a decision on, what you have to do now, what you can’t do later. Things like pool heating, love it, fantastic, but you can do something like that a little bit later on.

For the pool built to a structural level, on average for most of my customers I would say anywhere from a five metre pool through to a twelve metre pool, from basic but nice with nice features in it, which make it easier to own, through to every bell and whistle you can possibly imagine on a pretty standard sort of a site, so not on a rooftop or a cliff face or anything like that, I would say you would want to budget anywhere from $28,000 through to maybe $50,000. Most of our customers would sit $30,000 to $35,000, $40,000, $45,000. It really depends on what they want and that’s how long is a piece of string. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Concrete vs Fibreglass, which is best and why

Video transcription: We’re often asked, what is the difference between a concrete and fibreglass pool? That’s a great question. The one tremendous advantage that concrete has over fibreglass is that you can shape that concrete pool any way you want to shape it. If you want to go round a right hand bend in your yard or so forth, then you can certainly do it. But if there’s a Compass shape that appeals to you, that you certainly think is going to suit your backyard, then the benefits of a fibreglass pool over a concrete pool seriously stack up on the fibreglass side.

Generally fibreglass pools are much quicker and easier to install. This cuts down on both the build time and sometimes some of the associated costs that are unforeseen in relation to concrete pools. This is because of the nature of the job and the fact it is an ongoing building process.

One of the biggest points of dissatisfaction for a lot of people who own a concrete pool is surface finish. When you swim in a Compass pool and you brush up against it or the kids are playing and they get a bit rough in that swimming pool, they’re going to be hitting up against a surface that is glass smooth. It’s a really nice finish on your skin.

Most concrete pools, because of the frightening costs associated with tiling the whole pool, are usually left with a finish that is quite rough and abrasive, like small stones, like a pebble creek or such. That is one aspect that I tend to talk about to a lot of people who’ve owned both, that they’re certainly concerned about.

Talking to people who own concrete pools, they often talk about the fact that they’re much colder than a fibreglass pool. So temperature can certainly be an issue for some people. Another difference between fibreglass and concrete is warranty. When you build a concrete pool, it’s considered construction work. Construction work is covered by a six year building warranty. When we build a Compass pool shell, we’re backing our pool shell with a lifetime warranty that has even got a bigger story than that. I’d encourage you to come and talk to us about it.

The great thing about a fibreglass pool versus a concrete pool is fibreglass pools are much easier to look after. Anyone who has owned a concrete pool and has subsequently owned a fibreglass pool knows the difference. There is more work associated with a concrete pool generally because of a combination of two things. One, most pools suffer from circulation issues and concrete pools generally have a porous surface. So unless you can get your chemicals moving to the very bottom of the pool, if you get algae in that pool which usually starts at the radius and down at the bottom of the concrete pool, it’s very difficult to get out.

A fibreglass pool has an inert smooth surface making it much easier to look after and much less susceptible to algal issues. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

Looking for a self cleaning pool: discover the in-floor cleaning and circulation system

Video transcription: One of the exciting things about working here is I can’t tell you the number of times that somebody has walked in the door or I’ve turned up at somebody’s house and I’ve said, how did you hear about Compass Pools? They’ve said, Joe down the road, has one of your pools, he’s had it for eight years and he’s never cleaned it. We hear that a lot. The reason for that is that Compass Pools was the first company in the world to create the world’s first in floor cleaning and circulation system for fibreglass pools.

That’s not something you have to have but it is pretty hard for us to install a pool today without somebody giving it really serious consideration or adding it to their swimming pool.

When we talk about in-floor cleaning and circulation it’s really important not just to think about the system as a cleaning system. It’s so much more. In fact the first systems were designed to circulate water. That is the real challenge swimming pools have.

The exclusive Paramount Vantage in-floor cleaning and circulation system and exclusive to Compass is more than just a cleaning system. It’s a system that is designed to circulate water effectively. This means the distribution of chemicals right throughout the pool, proper circulation that reduces the pool’s consumption of pool chemicals. It gives us the ability to properly connect other features such as energy efficient pumps with the pool. It ensures that we run them in such an effective way that we’re really reducing the overall cost associated with owning a swimming pool. This is all with the benefit of not having to put any effort into cleaning. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.

How much does a swimming pool cost? Great advice for anyone doing research about buying a pool

Video transcription: Often people will walk into Compass or they’ll give us a call on the phone and they’ll say, how much for a swimming pool? It’s such a great question and is a difficult one to immediately answer. There are just so many different options and inclusions and site differences and things that are particular or may be particular about that pool. These will change the overall cost.

It’s not dissimilar from someone walking into a car yard where there are a whole range of cars on offer and saying, how much for a car? No one really does that because we’ve all been educated enough to know what a car is and that there are lots of different inclusions you can have.

The pool industry is not dissimilar except you probably don’t have as much information. You certainly will when you come and talk to us. If I was the salesman of a car and I said to you, would you like power steering and air conditioning with that car, you’d probably look at me today and think, this guy is crazy. Of course I want that.

There are very similar inclusions to power steering and air conditioning that you can put in your pool that are just as important as the way you see that in a motor car. They’re the things that we really want to drill down on and we’d like to talk to you about or at least make available to you. Then when you make a decision on this, you’re making a well informed decision for the long term. Give one of the team a call today on 1300 667 445.