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HYBRID DIY POOL CONSTRUCTION

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Hybrid DIY

Facts & Figures

For instances where full-service pool building companies seem too expensive, and full-DIY is too much to handle, the hybrid DIY pool building method lets you run with the project, achieve desired results and save money.

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You save almost 25% on the cost of a new pool by simply employing the tradesmen directly. We provide detailed working drawings and visit the site at key stages to ensure all work is carried out as per the design, and when the work is finished we commission the pool and hand it over to you. This approach to swimming pool design and construction utilises generic (and local) tradesmen that are employed by the homeowner in a standard way to carry out a majority of the work, and leaving the specialised work to be done by very skilled tradesmen like plumbers & electricians, an approach that you might occasionally see in 'Grand Designs'.

Typically, with a full-service pool building company, after the initial client consultation, the first stage of the process is concept design and sketches. This is very useful for getting a first-hand feel of what can be achieved and knowing what is involved, this includes site surveys, initial design discussions, site layouts, hand sketches, and simple renderings.

 

Once the concept is frozen, the next step is to make general arrangement plans & sections, technical drawings, and finishes schedules. All this information is fed through the 3-D software to make realistic renders and illustrations, and the final package is ready to go out for execution.

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On commencement of works at the site, the pool builder monitors the progress and checks for quality control. For complex projects, specialist contractors need on-site guidance and so this stage involves project kick-off, site visits, quantity surveys, ongoing project support, and sign-off on completion.

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Now with a FULL DIY project, you can get working drawings and telephonic support, but there is no on-site support or project coordination available, and that's where the concept of HYBRID DIY comes into the picture.  With prior experience in building both indoor and outdoor pools, we are fully capable of doing concept designs, sketches, 3-D renderings, and even walk-through videos even before the work starts on site. And once the work starts on site, we can manage the tradesmen employed directly by you and sign off on each stage.

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A few reasons why this approach is a better way to construct a pool are:

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  • We provide impartial advice so the pool is designed to suit your property and your style, and not to suit the preferred way of installation of your pool contractor, most of whom will give you conflicting advice anyway and make it difficult for you to think objectively.

  • You have complete control over the pool installation process and quality, and you can enjoy the build with a sense of satisfaction as it progresses.

  • No massive up-front advance deposits thus eliminating the risk of your losing money if the pool contractor proves to be untrustworthy.

 

How are savings of 25% achieved?

 

To answer this question, we have to do some reverse calculations based on the prices on our website, and since most of the pools built in the UK are mediums sized, let's use a medium-sized tiled pool as an example.

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So for a medium size 8m X 3m insulated TILED pool the total cost including hired specialist tradesmen & labor to install the pool (with no DIY effort from yourself and also no markups from a full-service pool company) would be:

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  • Pool equipment fully installed:    £15,000 (£11,000 materials + £4,000 labor)

  • Pool finishes:                                 £12,000 (£6,000 materials + £6,000 labor)

  • Pool shell:                                      £12,000 (£8,000 materials + £4,000 labor)

  • Pool excavation:                            £5,000 (£1,500 plant hire + £3,500 labor)

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Total: £44,000 including all materials and labor - done as a fully self managed project.

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Most of the pool companies in the UK employ subcontractors to do at least three major operations of a pool build, excavation, pool structure, and pool finishing. Standard mark-up in the industry on these items is between 50% and 100%, so for a medium size 8m X 3m pool

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The total invoice from a pool contractor would look like this:

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  • Pool equipment fully installed:    £21,000 (£15k + 40%)

  • Pool finishes:                                 £18,000 (£12k + 50%)

  • Pool shell:                                      £18,000 (£12k + 50%)

  • Pool excavation:                            £9,000 (£4.5k + 100%)

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Total: £66,000 including all materials, labor, and markup - done as a full-service lump sum contract

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Using the HYBRID DIY process with us, the total cost looks like this:

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  • Pool equipment fully installed:    £15,000

  • Pool finishes:                                 £12,000

  • Pool shell:                                      £12,000 

  • Pool excavation:                            £5,000

  • Design & Coordination fees:       £5,000

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Total: £49,000  including all materials, labor, and design + coordination fees - done as a HYBRID DIY project

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A saving of £16,000 or 24.24% on the lump sum price of £66,000

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*All prices including VAT

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The cost savings can be significantly more if the local tradesmen are below the VAT threshold, and quite a few of them are.

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The point to note also is that these are the savings for a 'standard' tiled skimmer pool, the pool contractor's mark-ups increase as you go up the options scale like spa, sauna, steam room or the pool design becomes more complex, increasing to almost 100% on items like automatic covers, water features and infinity pools. 

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The savings in some cases can be almost up to 50% of the total cost of building the pool. Remember, the first consultation is free of cost, with no obligation, so if anything is not clear or you are unsure, just call us, send an email to selfbuildpools@gmail.com, or fill-up the form below, it only takes 30 seconds.

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