If you live in Spain or are on holiday, it is a luxury to have a swimming pool in the warm summer months. A refreshing dip in the blue water and you will feel like new again. Do you want to have a swimming pool built at your new home in Spain? Then read on.
There is a lot to consider with such a plan. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly research the options beforehand. Firstly, it is best to start an investigation with your municipality. They know which requirements and rules apply to the construction of a swimming pool. Violating the zoning rules in Spain can have serious consequences, such as fines or even in extreme cases demolition of constructed structures. Also, depending on the region/municipality where the violation was committed, fines can vary between 50% and 300% of the total value of the work.
Pool type
So check carefully the conditions that you must meet before you start building a swimming pool on your Spanish land. Also, the conditions largely depend on the type of pool you want to build and the available budget. And the type of swimming pool determines whether you need a building permit or not. For example, a swimming pool with dimensions larger than 4 by 7 by 1.5 metres is considered an ‘obra mayor’ and requires a technical project.
When making your plans, also keep in mind that you will need space for a filtration house to store the pool pump. You also need to take into account a sand filter, and all associated connections, and any lighting or heating equipment. Finally, the size and shape you can give to your new pool in Spain will depend on the available land or the purpose for which you want to use the pool.
Target pool
Do you want to be able to splash in it? Or do you think it would be great to swim laps every day? Is it mainly for children or is it mainly for adults? Do you want an inground or built-up bath? For a built-up or raised swimming pool, no works are required and in many cases no building permit.
Accessibility swimming pool
Then there is the issue of access to the swimming pool and access by stairs. More space must be reserved for a bricked-in staircase. And should the stairs be on the long or short side? Finally, you must take into account the possibilities for the construction. Is the ground on which or in which the pool will be placed rocky or soft? And is the location of existing water and electricity pipes convenient?
Regulate swimming pool
With new construction, the pool is already included in the building permit and you don’t have to worry about it. However, if you want to build a new swimming pool at an existing house and earthworks are required, the construction project must be prepared by an architect or engineer and approved by the municipality.
A permanently built-in or permanent swimming pool is a built-up area. Therefore, in this case, it depends on the plot size how much space you have left to build on. As long as it is an open pool, the surface of the swimming pool does not count towards the occupancy coefficient of the land.
Related post: The Spanish village with one swimming pool for almost every person
When the pool is completed, like any new construction, for tax and administrative purposes, this should be reflected in the Property Register and Land Registry. After the documentation is submitted, the administration has an estimated period of six months to process the registration.
Think of an automatic swimming pool cover
More and more pool owners are choosing to install an automatic pool cover. If it is closed, you increase the safety around your pool, because children and animals can no longer fall directly into the water. If you opt for a cover with solar slats, it can heat the water temperature of your swimming pool by 5 to 7 degrees. Finally, a cover with air-filled slats can lead to an energy saving of 30 to 50 percent. This is because there is less evaporation and the consumption of chemicals also decreases by 68%.
Dekobo has been a specialist in Spain in covering swimming pools for over 10 years. In the factory in Pedreguer (Valencia), tailor-made automatic swimming pool covers have been produced all these years under the strictest quality requirements and delivered throughout Spain. Knowing more? Take a quick look at their website.
