It’s common for foreign buyers to install a swimming pool at a home in Spain, which, if you’re letting, greatly increases your rental prospects and the rent you can charge.
Many self-catering holiday companies won’t take on properties without a pool. There are many swimming pool installation companies in Spain or you can buy and install one yourself.
Above ground pools are the cheapest, but they’re unsightly and are advisable only as a stop-gap or for those who really cannot afford anything better. Expect to pay around e3,000 for an 8m x 4m above ground pool. A better option is a liner pool which can be installed by anyone with basic DIY skills. A liner pool measuring 8m x 4m costs around e12,000 fully installed, around the same price as a conventional pool. A saline water option costs a bit more, but gives a better quality of water and offers lower maintenance costs. A concrete, fully-tiled pool of 8m x 4m costs from e15,000 to e20,000 installed, including filtration and heating, and can be almost any shape.
You need planning permission to install a pool and should apply a few months in advance. Pools require regular maintenance and cleaning (twice a week in summer). If you have a holiday home or let a property, you must employ someone to maintain your pool (you may be able to get a local family to look after it in return for being able to use it). Hot tubs, Jacuzzis, spas and whirlpools are also popular, and cost from around e4,500 to e6,000.
If you have an outdoor pool, put a plank across it at night, so that any animals (or humans) that fall in have a chance to get out again.
This article is an extract from Buying a home in Spain. Click here to get a copy now.