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SeaBreeze Pools is a Toronto fibreglass swimming pools installations company specializing in high quality pool installations & construction

Pools for Small Spaces: Our Pool Builders Explain Your Best Options

Sea Breeze Pools

Pools for Small Spaces: Our Pool Builders Explain Your Best Options

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Even if you have a very compact back yard, you may still have plenty of room for a new swimming pool. There will be a few design limitations imposed by the size of your yard but nothing that you cannot work around if you really have your heart set on a new pool this year. To help you choose a style and size that is suitable for your property, we have listed a few ideas for you to consider in the section below. If, after reading through them, you still have unanswered questions, please feel free to get in touch with the team here at Seabreeze Pools and we will do our very best to answer them for you.

Small Back Yards: The Low Down from Our Pool Builders

So, you want a nice cool pool in which to escape the humid Toronto summer this year but you are not sure if your yard is big enough to accommodate one? As you will see from the suggestions that follow, there are plenty of pool options for those with smaller yards: all you need to do is to choose one.

  • A Pool by the Side of Your House – If you want to minimize the amount of space that your new pool takes up in your yard, you can install it right next to your house. The ability to open your sliding patio doors and leap straight into a pool is something that you and your family are sure to enjoy in the summer months. The only note of caution our pool builders would like to sound with regard to this option is that it might not be the best choice for households that include very young children in their number, owing to safety concerns. However, if your children are teenagers already this could be the perfect choice for you.
  • A Narrow, Long Pool, Running Along the Back of Your Yard – Another good choice for Toronto homeowners who only have a small space to work with, especially those with yards that are much wider than they are long, is a narrow channel that runs the entire width of the yards in question. With a decent-sized patio in front, in between the house and the pool, you will have yourself a great back yard for the summer months this year. Our highly skilled team of pool builders can recommend the best materials to build your new patio with and the ideal dimensions for your pool too if you desire.
  • A Small Plunge Pool – All many people really want in the hot summer months is a pool they can jump into and cool down in for a few minutes. They are not too concerned with being able to swim endless laps or having the space to hold a game of water polo at the weekend. For such people, our pool builders recommend a small plunge pool, perhaps surrounded by attractive wooden decking with some pot plants dotted around the area.
  • Lap Pools – On the other hand, if swimming laps is what you really want to do with your new pool, you can go for a lap pool, i.e. one that is much longer than it is wider, and install it wherever you fancy. Close to your house, along the far end of the back yard, or right in the middle: the choice is yours.

Call Seabreeze Pools today for further information on the options available to owners of homes with small back yards. Our experienced and friendly pool builders will be delighted to provide you with a detailed quotation covering all labour and materials.

How a Fiberglass Pool Installation Will Impact Upon the Rest of Your Landscape Design

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There is no getting away from the fact that installing a fibreglass pool anywhere in your backyard is going to have a major impact on how you landscape the area as a whole. However, when created and implemented by an expert landscaping contractors, there are many landscape designs that are sure to complement both your new pool and your Toronto home. In this short article, we take a look at some of the factors to bear in mind when considering new landscape designs that will work well with a pool.

Landscaping Ideas for Yards with Fiberglass Pools

Before you get together with your pool builder and landscape designer, consider the following factors concerning your new pool. Each will have an impact on the type of landscape design that you choose for your backyard.

  • Size – The size of pool that you have installed will play a big part in deciding what type of landscaping layouts are practical in your yard and garden. Large fibreglass pools will naturally form the focal point of any design you may consider whereas smaller pools can either be used as a focal point or as an attractive corner feature. If you want a larger pool but you would rather it did not dominate the landscape of your yard, you might like to consider planting trees around the perimeter, or tall-growing shrubs, to screen it from view.
  • Shape – Fiberglass pools come in many shapes and sizes so if you are keen on a particular landscape design idea, you can probably find a pool that will suit it perfectly. Generally speaking, regular rectangular pools work well with formal gardens that feature simple geometric patterns whereas freeform pools lend themselves to more casual designs. However, there are no hard and fast rules so if you want to try a freeform pool in a formal garden or a rectangular one in a natural wilderness landscape, there is nothing to stop you from experimenting.
  • Location – The single biggest factor that will affect the type of landscape designs you can use will be the location of your new pool. Position it right in the middle of your yard and you will have no choice but to make it the centrepiece of whatever design you choose. Place it in the corner furthest from your house and you could have two separately landscaped areas in your yard, especially if it is screened from view by a row of mature trees.
  • Surround – The materials you choose to build the pool surround will influence your choice of landscape design too. Neutral-coloured patio tiles are a good choice for garden designs that feature plenty of terracotta pots whereas beautifully stained decking could go very well with a nautical theme that includes a selection of smaller water features to complement your new pool. If you go for one of the rectangular fiberglass pools that are available, it will be easier to install the patio or decking. However, as long as you hire a skilled team to perform the work, anything is possible.

The main thing to bear in mind when landscaping around a new pool is that you do not have to make the pool the main feature of you backyard unless you really want to. Many homeowners in Toronto and elsewhere believe that whichever of the fiberglass pools currently on the market they decide to install, it is bound to dominate the landscape of their backyard but this is simply not the case. There are many possibilities you can explore, especially when working with a company like Seabreeze Pools, which offers landscape design services too.

Decking for Your Pool Installation: Which Material is Best?

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While the size and shape of your new pool may be the biggest factors in your mind when you start to request quotations from local contractors, sooner or later you will also need to consider the material you want to use for the decking around your pool. To help make your choice a little easier, we have made a list of the most popular choices for Toronto homeowners below, along with our thoughts on the pros and cons associated with each option. Have a good think about how you want your new pool installation to look, how much money you are prepared to spend on the decking, and how much time and effort you are prepared to devote to its maintenance, before you make your final decision.

Choosing the Best Decking Material for Your New Pool Installation

As mentioned above, cost, ease of maintenance, and aesthetics are the main factors to focus on when selecting your pool decking.

  • Poured Concrete – This is one of the cheapest options, making it popular with homeowners who want to keep the cost of their new pool to a minimum, but it is not the most attractive as far as most people are concerned. The fact that it is prone to cracking in cold weather may concern Toronto residents but repairs are relatively easy to perform so if you are looking for a low cost option that requires little in the way of maintenance, concrete is well worth considering.
  • Precast Concrete Pavers – Another low cost option, concrete pavers move with the ground when it contracts and expands, so there is no need to worry about cracking if you choose this option for your new pool installation.
  • Stone Paving – Large flagstones laid on top of a compact aggregate bed, rather than on top of poured concrete, will avoid issues with cracking and because flagstones are available in a wide variety of colours and materials, you are sure to be able to find some that suit your tastes perfectly. The main disadvantage of this particular choice is the fact that it is one of the most expensive. You will also have to invest a little more time in maintenance, weeding in between the flagstones and keeping them clean.
  • Wood – Timber decking is one of the most attractive options for a new pool installation as far as many people are concerned. It may be relatively expensive when compared to poured concrete or concrete pavers but it certainly looks good when properly installed. However, it will need to be refinished on a regular basis so be prepared for higher maintenance costs in the long term.
  • Spray-On Coatings – There are a number of low maintenance coatings that can be sprayed on to poured concrete to produce a more attractive finish, and one that is cooler to the touch in hot weather. Although these coatings offer budget-conscious homeowners a low cost option with a wide choice of colours, they won’t negate concerns with cracking in cold weather.
  • Brick – Smooth brick decking looks really good with older period properties and is somewhere in the middle of the range as far as cost is concerned. If you go for this option it is worth shopping around to make sure that the bricks you purchase are a good match for your property.

For more information on the various different types of decking available, please call or email us whenever you have a moment to spare. Our experienced team will be happy to help you with your new pool installation in any way they can.

5 Things Inground Pools Do Better than Above Ground Pools

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If you are currently struggling to decide whether an inground pool is worth the extra cost compared to that of an above ground installation, you are sure to find this article of interest. In it, we are going to look at 5 things inground pools do much better than their above ground counterparts. Once you have finished reading, we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about new pools if you would like to call us during business hours. Alternatively, you can get in touch via email and we will call you at a convenient time.

Why Inground Pools Are the Best Choice

Although they are more expensive to install than above ground pools, there are a number of advantages they have to offer that makes them the best choice in our opinion, and that of most industry professionals.

  • Aesthetics – There is no arguing with the fact that a well-built inground pool, surrounded by a sympathetically landscaped yard, is far more attractive than the average above ground alternative. If aesthetics are important to you, you should definitely focus on the range of inground pools that are currently available.
  • Property Value – The value of your home is likely to increase by a significant amount in the event that you install an inground swimming pool. On the other hand, an above ground model will make little or no difference to how much your Toronto property is worth as far as potential buyers are concerned. While neither option will enable you to recoup the whole of your investment in the event that you decide to sell up and move, an inground installation will allow you to recoup a much higher percentage of the money you spend.
  • Ease of Maintenance – Inground pools, especially those that are made from fibreglass, are much easier to maintain than their above ground equivalents. If you decide to purchase an above ground pool, you can almost certainly look forward to spending more money on keeping it in good working order than would be the case were you to have an inground one installed in your back yard.
  • More Choice – You will find that as far as shape, size, and depth are concerned, inground swimming pools offer far more choice to Toronto homeowners than above ground pools. If you would like to use a diving board with your new pool, you will have to go for an inground installation as an above ground one will just not be deep enough. Similarly, if you would like a large, Olympic-sized pool in which you can do endless laps every morning, inground is the only way to go.
  • Longevity – A quality inground, fibreglass pool will last much longer than an above ground model, making it a much better choice for homeowners who want a pool they can enjoy for many years to come. The cost of keeping an above ground pool in good working order, as mentioned earlier, is much higher than the cost of maintaining an inground swimming pool. If you want to stand any chance of getting as much use out of an above ground installation, you will need to replace the liner every few years and ensure that all moving parts are serviced on a regular basis.

Call us today to request more information on inground pools or a detailed quotation for a new installation. At Seabreeze Pools, we always put our customers first so if you should hire us to build your new pool, you can look forward to enjoying a level of service unparalleled in the industry.

7 Traits of All Good Pool Builders

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Enlisting someone to build a fibreglass pool in your Toronto yard is a big deal. Any mistakes could be costly and wind up doing long term damage to your property. But how do you know that the pool builder you hire is capable of doing the job right? Is there some kind of litmus test you can give them that will prove their integrity? Or is finding the right pool builder little more than dumb luck? Fortunately, luck only plays a part if you don’t know what to look for when interviewing potential pool builders.

Traits That Separate Good Pool Builders from Bad

Building a fibreglass pool isn’t rocket science, it’s pool science and in some ways it’s nearly as tricky as trying to send something into space. As such it requires a set of abiding traits on behalf of the pool builder to ensure a successful outcome. Those traits are:

1) Understanding of the product – While fibreglass pools today come in a wider array of styles than ever before there will still be times when a customer wants something that’s above and beyond the scope of standard fibreglass construction. At that point the pool builder has to recognize a line has been crossed and simply say “Sorry. Can’t do that.”

2) Experience – A $10 word you need to be able to apply to whoever you chose to build your pool. Sure everyone has to start somewhere but ‘somewhere’ shouldn’t be in your backyard. It may sound cold but let the novices gain their experience ‘somewhere’ else and leave the installation of your pool to the experts.

3) Speaking of Experts – Whoever installs your pool should be a fibreglass pool specialist. If fibreglass pools are just one of several types they install consider taking a pass. After all, you wouldn’t want your car repaired by someone who normally does tractors and you wouldn’t want your fibreglass pool installed by someone who normally installs gunite pools.

4) Responsiveness – Have you ever had a conversation with a contractor where they just sat there glassy-eyed while you talked about what you wanted? If pool builders aren’t paying attention to you during the preliminary discussions how responsive do you think they’re going to be if something goes wrong during the build process?

5) Preparation – A good pool builder shows up to the first meeting prepared. They have all their promotional material, a list of references and a notepad and pen to jot down the important points you make. They also bring a camera to take photos of the site for later reference and can provide you with a ballpark estimate for what your desired pool will cost.

6) Willingness to correct their mistakes – Like everyone else pool builders sometimes make mistakes. The bad builders will look for ways to integrate their mistakes into the final product or simply deny they did anything wrong and try to dump it back on you. The good guys will recognize a mistake quickly and take whatever measures are necessary to fix it.

7) Openness and honesty – The amateurs will quote you a price to get the job and then gradually throw in add-on after add-on until the price you thought you agreed to is a distance memory. Others will disappear in the middle of the process to go take care of something else leaving you in the lurch. And still others will walk away declaring the job complete when it clearly isn’t. The best companies understand the value of playing it straight and how such behaviour ultimately leads to more work, not less.

Seabreeze Pools are the Toronto area’s most experienced and trusted pool builders. Call them today to find out more about having a beautiful fibreglass pool installed in your yard.

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