There is nothing that defines summer to me on Nantucket than the 3B’s…Beach, Boating, and BBQs by our pool! Growing up in Maine, there were not many homes with pools. It was a luxury to have one and they were almost all above ground. We wanted to give our family great memories and a nice place to relax during the craziness of Summer. Also, it adds a good amount of value to your home depending on the size and materials used. A win-win for our family!
As you begin to plan, some questions to ask yourself are…do we go with Gunite (blown concrete), liner, container pools or something that blends into the landscape? What is our budget? What is the yearly maintenance cost? Is it salt water or chlorine? Do we want a spa, sun shelf, diving board, slide, water feature? What will the materials be for the pool surround? What kind of tile? How deep do we want it? Do we want swim-outs on either end? Will it have an auto cover or fencing around the perimeter? It has to have one or another due to regulations. Once you have determined your pool must-haves and your wish list, it is time to begin speaking with pool installation companies.
Building on Nantucket definitely has its set of challenges. Putting a pool in is on top of that list! Pull the proper permits, be patient, get at least 3 bids, do your research and just breathe. If you are wavering on putting one in, keep in mind that it may take up to 2 years. It took us about 10 months from permitting to swimming. I have heard from pool companies that there is a significant waitlist so it is best to start early.
As they say “Keep an eye on the prize!” Not only will you be creating a backyard oasis for your family to enjoy for years, but this project will add significant resale value to your property. If it so happens, that you decide to rent your home, this amenity is one of the top requests for vacationers. It can add thousands of dollars to the rental rate.
In the end, we decided on an 18x40 gunite pool. With this type of concrete pool, it is a mixture of colored glass beads, and small rocks that are shot into the form, to give it the interior color you desire. We decided on granite for the stone surround. We incorporated enough granite for at least 4 chairs, a fire pit area, and additional lounge areas. My biggest piece of advice is to have enough stone for the chairs and a pathway area (if applicable) if you plan to have some grass surrounding the pool. I see projects that have only one or two rows to surround the pool and the chairs sit on the grass. This is not a good idea as one will be dragging grass, dirt, and fertilizer on their feet and right into the pool. It may cost more but do it right the first time! We chose glass tiles around the pool and on the edge of the steps. We decided against having the spa inside the pool as we may want to use it beyond summer. To keep the pool open through the fall or beyond, just for the spa would be a huge waste of money. We added a sun shelf with a bubbly feature. I love the beaches on Nantucket but having a pool adds another layer of luxury for some Summertime fun!
As mentioned, take a breath and be patient. There are things you cannot control so don’t stress too much about it. All will be worth it when you’re sipping a cocktail on a unicorn floatie and looking up at that beautiful blue sky!
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