Buying a family home is a big investment that needs to deliver on all fronts. Your first requirement will be for the right number of bedrooms, sufficient bathrooms, a great family kitchen and plenty of living space. You may also be looking for a property that offers additional leisure space for a media room, a gym or an outdoor pool.
If you are thinking of buying a property that has space for a pool in the garden, or an existing pool that needs replacing, your first port of call should be a professional swimming pool company with experienced pool designers who can advise on the right size, design and construction for your needs.
If you’re buying a house that already has a pool or a spa that you are planning to keep and use, you need to ensure that it is in full working order and excellent condition at the point of purchase. First off, take a look yourself to see if you can get an idea of the overall condition of the pool. However, even if everything looks fine, there may be problems lurking that the untrained eye simply can’t see. Pools can be notoriously expensive to repair if the equipment is outdated or defect, or there are any leaks. Rather than being faced with an eye watering bill for what could run into thousands of pounds for major repairs you didn’t realise were necessary, apply the principle of ‘buyer beware’ and get a pool survey before you buy.
Assuming that you are a prudent property purchaser, you will already be in contact with a Chartered Surveyor to carry out a RICS HomeBuyer Report or Building Survey in addition to any mortgage valuation that your lender will require. Increasingly, mortgage and insurance companies will request that a pool survey is carried out as part of your home survey. In fact, if the outdoor pool is situated close to the house, your mortgage lender may insist on a leak detection report to confirm that the building structure is not compromised by any water leaks coming from the pool.
Commissioning a pool survey is good advice for anyone buying a property with a pool, with many benefits that will more than likely outweigh the extra cost.
• A swimming pool survey will provide a good indication of the condition of the pool. The knowledge gleaned will enable you to budget accurately and sensibly for repairs and maintenance, saving you much financial heartache in the longer term.
• While there are no industry guidelines for pool surveys, there are plenty of experts able to carry out useful inspections. Clearly, a visual ‘snapshot’ inspection will be cheaper but less informative, while a specialist in-depth investigation is likely to throw up a great deal more information.
• For best results, ask your Chartered Surveyor to recommend a qualified pool engineer who specialises in pool inspections and service and maintenance work for pools, pool rooms, filtration equipment and chemical controllers.
• A swimming pool survey can serve as a useful bargaining tool when you make an offer on the property. The survey finding can identify existing defects that will need immediate attention, as well as potential problems that will need addressing in due course.
• Where the pool survey findings specify extensive defects or flag up future problems, this information can be used as justifiable leverage to negotiate a more realistic purchase price with the seller.
• Finally, if you are happy with the rest of the property, you should not be put off by a swimming pool that is in need of substantial repair or refurbishment. Having a pool in your garden can be a great asset
