Plunge, Lap, Family or Resort — Which Pool Suits Your Yard?

The first question we ask when someone calls is the simplest: what's your yard like?

Not how much you want to spend. Not what you've seen on Instagram. Just the shape and size of the space you've got to work with — because that decides everything else.

After two decades of looking at Brisbane backyards, here's our honest breakdown of the four main pool styles and who they actually suit.

Plunge pools — for the courtyard crowd

A plunge is usually 5×3m or smaller. Deeper than a wading pool, big enough to cool off, too small for proper laps. They suit narrow inner-city blocks — think Paddington, Bulimba, New Farm — where every square metre is fought over.

The maths is pretty good. Our 5×3 Plunge Package goes in turnkey from $35,900. You get a real concrete pool, the same Zodiac/Waterco filtration as our $70K builds, and the same 10-year warranty. What you don't get is room to swim laps.

Good for: couples without kids, entertainers, anyone with a small but well-designed yard. Not ideal for families who actually want to swim.

Lap pools — for the swimmers (and the long blocks)

Anything 7m or longer that's narrow — usually 3m wide — counts as a lap pool. They're brilliant for fitness, they make narrow blocks look intentional, and they photograph beautifully along a side return.

Three of our most popular packages — the 7×3, 8×3, and 9×3 — are essentially lap configurations. Pricing runs from $44,900 up to $53,700 depending on length.

Good for: anyone who actually wants to swim, narrow blocks, and homes where you're treating the pool as a sculptural element along one side.

Family pools — the all-rounders

This is where most of our work lives. A 6×4m or 7×4m pool is enough for kids to muck around in, deep enough at the far end for adults, big enough for floaties and pool parties, small enough not to dominate the yard.

Our Family Pool I (6×4m) is the most-built package we have. $44,900 turnkey, plus $11,890 if you want an integrated spa. Most clients in that size end up adding the spa.

Good for: families with school-age kids, suburban blocks, anyone who wants the pool used 365 days a year.

Resort pools — for the big block

Once you push past 7m × 4m, you're into resort territory. These pools start to anchor a backyard rather than fit into one. Done well, with the right deck and landscaping around them, they're properly stunning.

Done badly, they swallow a yard whole. The deciding factor is usually whether your yard is big enough to give the pool some breathing room — at least 2m of deck on three sides, ideally more.

Our Resort I (7×4m) starts at $48,900. Our Grand Pool (10×4m) sits at the top of our standard range at $62,800. Beyond that we're into custom territory, which we still do plenty of.

How we actually decide

Honestly? We come out, walk the yard with you, and look at three things:

• The available footprint after fencing, easements, and setbacks
• Where the sun hits at 2pm and at 5pm (matters more than people realise)
• Your access for excavation and concrete trucks

Then we sketch. Usually two or three options at different sizes and price points. No charge, no commitment.

If you've narrowed it down to two styles, come and have the conversation — it'll save you a lot of guesswork.

— Mike