Have you ever thought about building your own pool? Maybe you’d just like to know how to design a beautiful backyard oasis. Or perhaps you’ve already got a pool and want to learn how to transform your space into the ultimate summer party area. Whatever you are interested in, Blue Haven offers a dedicated Pool School for anybody who is interested in learning more.

 This course covers everything from pool design and seeking council approval to decorating and saving money on your build. Best of all, the course practically pays for itself with all the exclusive supplier discounts included. So, let’s explore all the great things you can learn with Blue Haven’s exclusive Pool School.

 

Designing your pool

All good pools, and indeed, any type of building, construction or home improvement project, starts with a solid design. The design phase is where you can let your imagination run wild. Naturally, you’ll need to keep within certain limitations, such as your available space and any council conditions. But you can be as creative as you like. 

Once your design takes shape, you’ll also learn how to turn your ideas into a more formal, structured plan. In this part of the course, you’ll learn about different pool styles and how to put them into a complete design that’s suitable for the next stage – council approvals.

 

Seeking council approval

All building projects require council approval. Most pool builds fit comfortably into normal building approval guidelines. However, if certain aspects fall outside of council regulations, you may still be able to seek development approval. Alternatively, you’ll need to adjust your plans to suit the council’s regulations.

 During Pool School, we teach you about standard council guidelines and offer some tips on ensuring your design passes. While a knock-back from the council isn’t the end of the world, your build process goes a lot smoother if you can gain approval on the first attempt.

 

Budgeting and money-saving tips

Budgeting is the key to any project, but it’s also the area where most people go wrong. We can teach you how to budget correctly, taking into consideration all of the costs you can realistically expect. Every project is different, so all budgets are different. But we’ll give you the skills to analyse every aspect of your pool build and plan accordingly.

 Without solid budgeting, you risk running out of money before completion. Or alternatively, you might get the pool built and operational but have to sacrifice other planned aspects, such as pool covers or outdoor entertaining areas. With clear budgeting, including allowing for unforeseen expenses, you can build your pool exactly how you want it.

 

Troubleshooting and keeping your build on track

Remember we just mentioned planning for unforeseen costs? It’s so important because most projects run into issues somewhere along the way. Whether it’s unavailable materials, a tradesperson cancelling on you or lengthy delays due to poor weather, it’s much better to plan ahead.

 Keeping your pool build on track really comes down to planning. We teach you how to take a project-management approach and always have contingency plans. If something goes wrong during your build, don’t worry. There’s always a way to get back on track, and we’ll show you how.

 

Decorating techniques

If you thought that pool styles were a simple choice between fibreglass or concrete, think again. There are countless ways to decorate your pool to add a certain look, feel or just a touch of elegance. We’ll show you how to use colour, texture, finishes and much more to improve your residential swimming pool. From mosaic tile patterns to highlighting features such as tanning ledges, there is so much you can do with your pool.

 We even give you some tips for decorating the spaces around your pool. After all, if you go to the effort of designing a beautiful swimming pool, you definitely want the surrounding areas to be comfortable and relaxing, too.

 

Transforming your outdoor pool space

When we address your outdoor pool spaces during Pool School, we go a lot further than just decorating. Of course, decorations are the cherry on top of your entire exterior design. But the other elements truly turn your backyard pool space into a sanctuary. Consider things like poolside furniture, patios, cabanas, outdoor showers and toilets. There is a whole lot you can do with an outdoor area.

 Of course, most people are constrained by their available space, so we focus on ways you can create a comfortable and functional area around your pool. Learn how to work within space restrictions to give you, your family and your guests the best pool facilities possible. The great thing is that you can use so many different styles, and we’ll touch on several of these during the course.

 

Alfresco dining areas

While not directly related to pool building, most people would agree that an outdoor dining area goes hand-in-hand with a backyard pool. There’s nothing better than firing up the BBQ for a big lunch while friends and family relax by the poolside or play in the pool. There are, of course, some safety considerations when putting a pool close to an outdoor kitchen or entertaining area. We’ll go through those to ensure you don’t run into any issues.

 We can show you how to turn any space into an alfresco dining area. From style and furniture tips to patio building and landscaping, we’ve got plenty of great advice. We’ll touch on the exclusive Pool School benefits soon, but participating in the course also gives you vouchers and discounts for poolside furniture, outdoor kitchen equipment, and much more. So, you’ll walk away with plenty of outdoor dining area knowledge and the tools to make it happen. 

 

Pool and outdoor lighting

Another aspect of your outdoor entertaining areas is lighting. While you don’t really need it when enjoying your pool in the bright summer sun, you’ll definitely appreciate it if you want to use the pool area in the evenings. In the Pool School course, you’ll learn how to incorporate stunning lighting ideas into your build. This might include pool lighting to ensure you can take a dip in the evenings. You may also consider stylish lighting for your cabana, patio, alfresco dining area or any other space you build around the pool.

 Lighting is extremely important, not just because it makes your pool more functional. It’s also a safety consideration to ensure people can move freely around your pool in the dark. Remember, even with your required pool fencing, any additional safety measures around pools are always encouraged. So, from basic safety lighting to extravagant entertaining area lights, we can give you plenty of tips.

 It’s worth mentioning, though, that only licensed electricians may perform electrical work in Australia. If you consider adding lights to your pool or outdoor entertaining area, ensure you consult with a fully licensed and insured professional.

 

Adding value to flip houses

As a bonus part of Pool School, we’ll teach you how swimming pools can be used to instantly improve a home’s value. When flipping houses, the focus is often on making improvements as cost-effectively as possible. But in reality, it’s not about how much you spend – it’s about the value you add and your Return on Investment (ROI).

 For example, if you painted a house to add $10,000 worth of value, but it cost you $9,000, it’s barely even worth doing. You’d be better off spending that $9,000 on something that could add $15,000 or even $20,000 worth of value.

 Just because a pool is considered a ‘luxury’ item doesn’t mean it should be disregarded. A brand-new pool installation adds lots of value to a home, so there are many situations where adding a lap pool or even a small plunge pool offers a great return on investment.

 

Exclusive supplier discounts

How many times have you signed up for something, only to find that the ‘member benefits’ are practically useless to you? For example, your health insurance usually offers some partner discounts, but bad luck if none of those partners operate in your area.

 When we started our Pool School, we wanted a way to deliver real value to our participants, not just a series of discounts and vouchers they’ll never use. So, when we put together our Pool School discounts, we wanted them to do for items you might actually want to buy. For example, some of our exclusive offers include: 

• Pool cleaners
• Electrical services
• Outdoor furniture
• Pool fencing
• Outdoor kitchens and BBQs
• Lighting
• Pool covers and rollers
• Landscaping
• Pool accessories
• Plus more

 As you can see, these bonuses all relate to pool ownership, meaning you can genuinely take advantage of the offers. Plus, the course covers itself almost straight away. Pool School costs $799. However, it includes a $500 voucher for outdoor kitchens and BBQs. It also features another $500 for outdoor furniture. So, if you were going to buy those things anyway, enrolling in Pool School has already pocketed you $200, and that’s without all the other amazing discounts on top of that.

 When you look at it that way, Pool School really is a no-brainer. To find out more, contact the friendly team at Blue Haven today. Alternatively, reserve your spot right here!

 

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