Dream Pool

Most fibreglass pool projects in Wellington cost between $50,000 and $130,000, depending on the pool model, your site conditions and the features you choose. Larger pools or more extensive outdoor living areas can run higher.

The main things that shift the final figure:

• The size and model of pool
• Site access for excavation and the crane
• Ground conditions, rock and drainage
• Retaining walls or engineering, if your section needs them
• Filtration, sanitisation and heating
• Automatic covers and other equipment
• Fencing, paving, decking and landscaping

Every property is different, so we don't quote off a price list. As a SPASA Gold Award-winning pool specialist in Wellington, we start with a free, no-obligation site visit and give you a detailed quote, so you know exactly what's involved before you commit to anything.

Once consent is granted and work starts, the pool shell and equipment usually go in within one to two weeks. The full project, including fencing, paving, decking and planting, typically takes four to ten weeks.

That first stage covers excavation, craning the shell into place, plumbing, electrical work, filtration and commissioning. The rest depends on how much work surrounds the pool, and on local weather.

Because a Leisure Pools shell is manufactured before it arrives on site, there's no curing time the way there is with concrete. That's the single biggest reason fibreglass is faster, and why most families are swimming within weeks rather than months.

We install the pool itself. For paving, decking, pool barrier (fencing) and planting we work alongside your landscaper or builder, or we can recommend people we work with regularly.

Yes. Any pool that can hold more than 400mm or more of water needs a compliant safety barrier, and that barrier requires building consent. Depending on size and design the pool structure itself may need separate consent too, though some smaller fibreglass pools only need consent for the barrier.

We handle the consent process for you, from preparing the documentation through to dealing with the council directly. We work regularly with Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, Kapiti Coast, Horowhenua, Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa councils, so we know what each of them wants. You won't need to navigate it alone.

Both make good pools, but they're different propositions. A concrete pool is built in place over several weeks and can be almost any shape, but it costs more, takes considerably longer, and needs resurfacing periodically through its life.

A fibreglass pool arrives as a finished shell, so installation is far quicker. The smooth, non-porous surface resists algae, which means less scrubbing and fewer chemicals year after year.

For most Wellington homeowners fibreglass gives the better balance of durability, low maintenance and long-term value. It's why we install fibreglass exclusively, and why we're particular about whose shells we install.

Not all fibreglass shells are built the same way. The materials, the manufacturing process and the structural construction vary a lot between brands, and you can't tell the difference by looking at them.

We install the premium Leisure Pools range exclusively. Their shells are built using Composite Armour™, a multi-layer composite construction that makes the shell exceptionally strong while keeping the flexibility that suits New Zealand ground conditions. Every shell also has a gelcoat finish that's smooth underfoot and naturally resists algae, so it stays easier to look after over its life.

We chose to work with Leisure Pools because we believe they are one of the best fibreglass pool manufacturers in the world. We only want to offer our customers the best, and their focus on quality, innovation and building pools to last really aligns with our own standards.

We're also a family business, so we love that Leisure Pools shares many of the same family values and approach to doing business.

Every Leisure Pool is backed by a comprehensive manufacturer warranty.

Leisure Pools provides a Lifetime Structural Warranty, defined as no less than 35 years, covering the structural integrity of the pool shell. Composite Armour™ pools are also covered by a Lifetime Structural Osmosis Warranty, providing protection against structural osmosis for the same minimum period.

Unlike some warranties, the Leisure Pools Lifetime Structural Warranty is not prorated, meaning the level of structural cover doesn't reduce over time.

Greater Wellington's clay soils, coastal exposure and occasional seismic activity all matter when you're putting a permanent structure in the ground. A fibreglass shell has a degree of flex, which helps it cope with minor ground movement better than a rigid material can.

The gelcoat finish helps as well. It doesn't harbour algae the way concrete or tiled surfaces do, so a swimming pool in Wellington stays cleaner through our humid summers with fewer chemicals, and the finish holds up under UV.

We install the Leisure Pools range, which runs from compact plunge pools that suit small urban sections through to larger family pools for swimming and entertaining.

Popular models include the Reflection, Elegance, Absolute, Acclaim, Harmony, Esprit and Olympus, along with the Amalfi and Capri spa pools. Many include wide entry steps, full-length bench seating, shallow splash areas for younger children, or an integrated spa.

Colour changes the look of the water more than most people expect. The range covers everything from bright tropical blues through to darker, more natural tones. We'll help you compare colours against your house, paving and planting, and it's worth seeing a finished pool in person before you settle on one.

Less than any other in-ground pool type. The gelcoat surface is non-porous, so algae struggles to take hold. That means less cleaning and fewer chemicals than a concrete or tiled pool needs.

Routine care comes down to:

• Testing the water regularly
• Emptying the skimmer baskets
• Keeping the filtration system running properly
• Clearing leaves and debris
• Vacuuming, or letting a robotic cleaner do it
• An occasional service check

Most of our clients add a robotic cleaner and an automated water treatment system, which takes most of the routine out of it. Nearly all of our clients choose a Halo™ magnesium mineral system rather than chlorine-only sanitisation, which makes the water feel softer and is gentler on skin and eyes.

We'll show you how to look after your pool when we hand it over, and we're on the end of the phone long after that.

Every project starts with a free site visit. We look at your access and ground conditions, talk through what you're after, and recommend the model that suits your section and your family.

Once you've accepted the quote, we coordinate the build:

• Site assessment
• Council documentation and consent
• Excavation
• Delivery and craning the shell into place
• Backfilling and commissioning
• Co-ordinating with your plumber and electrician
• Installing filtration and sanitisation equipment

We install the pool. Paving, decking, fencing and planting are handled by your landscaper, or by someone we recommend and work alongside regularly.

We keep you in the loop the whole way through. The thing customers tell us most often is that there were no unexpected surprises, which is exactly what we're aiming for. If you'd like to get started, book a free site visit and we'll take it from there.

Yes, and it's more common than you'd think. Plenty of homes across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Kapiti are on a slope, and it rarely rules a pool out.

A sloping site usually needs some combination of retaining walls, extra drainage, engineered foundations, specialised excavation or careful crane access planning.

We work all of that into the site assessment and arrange quotes from any additional sub-trades needed for the project, so costs are understood from the outset rather than appearing later.

As an experienced pool specialist in Greater Wellington, we've installed on a wide range of difficult sites. We'll tell you honestly what your section needs and recommend the most practical, cost-effective layout for it.

Running costs come down to electricity for the filtration pump and any heating, water treatment products, replacement consumables and servicing.

Fibreglass keeps these lower than concrete does, because the gelcoat reduces algae growth and chemical use, and because modern pumps, filters, cleaners and sanitisation systems are far more efficient than older ones.

A pool cover and a heat pump are the two things that make the biggest difference. Together they cut evaporation and heat loss, which lowers running costs and extends your swimming season by months. If you want to swim beyond summer, they're worth building into the budget from the start rather than adding later.

For a typical family pool using an energy-efficient variable-speed pump and quality filtration system, annual running costs for electricity and water treatment are generally in the order of $900–$1,500, excluding optional heating.

Heating costs vary depending on the time of year, desired water temperature and whether a pool cover is used. A quality cover can significantly reduce evaporation and heat loss, making it one of the most effective ways to lower ongoing operating costs.