Swimming pool

[dreetje]

I want too make a swimming pool by my house,with filter and pump ,water treatment etc. etc.(10mx5mx1,5m)Somebody knowe,s what it will cost?,or a website in thailand where i can find this.

[fester]

I am just digging a hole in the ground to do a 8x4x2 small pool in Isaan, and I can't find a good guy...

Start here with this link (thanks to dr_pat_pong for the link) and start sweat...

Swimming pool A-Z

Please let me know, I have nearly given up! TiT

[dreetje]

Yes,i also read this site,but its the same with everything.Some mary a thai lady and devorce the same year,and others stay for ever,some guys have all the luck.You wil never know.I also ask on a other site about a swimming pool,and they told me that it cost +/_320000 bath,but the builder stays in pattaya,and my house is in Surin.I think its better to have someone from or nearby Surin city.

By the way,were you have a house in isaan?

[dreetje]

Here is it........................................

Is anybody know how much its cost(+/-) to make a swimming pool?(5m x 8m x 1,5m)with water filter and pump etc.,or have anybody a good www adress in thailand,were i can look for prices?

Comments

Have a look in the Pattaya Trader there is a full page of adverts for swimming pools the size you are looking for is about 320000B The website is WWW.ISSWORLDWIDE.COM edd.

[jayenram]

A friend of mine in Sankha is currently researching the cost of building a swimming pool. He has checked the Surin area but has not come up with anyone (yet) with sufficient knowledge/experience. I'll post any further relevant developments.

[dreetje]

ok,iwill hear from it later

[croftrobin]

Currently having a small pool built about 8m x 3m   - I live just outside Prakonchai.

Hired local labour to dig the hole - built up breeze block walls in the ground hole before before installing metal framework and concrete - Purchased pump and am haggling over an imported Lacron Sand Filter price at the moment - Next step is the chlorinator - Costs so far are relatively low - nowhere near the 300 k mark anyway - A house nearby had one built and cost was >700k - A Dane who was well shafted I think!

Tiling is in progress at the moment

I'll update when I've more info and costs

[tet]

Well my swimming pool is almost finished now. I am waiting for the roof plates and then it can be finished. Seize 9x4.5x1.8

meter overflow system.. I did the plumbing myself, then you only have to buy a pump,filter,multy and normal valves,nipples etc this will be about 100.000 bath for a pool this seize. But you need some experience in plumbing. But first you need to have a proper plan including plumbing and dont forget you have to turnover all the water in the pool at least once a day

that means you have to filter and pump more than 60.000 liters a day, therefore buy a high rate sand filter and at least a 1 hp pump this can turnover your pool in about 7 hours.

[MaiChai]

Firstly, building a pool in Thailand should be mega cheap: concreate, white cement, tiles, plastic pipes and steel rods are available everywhere for next to nothing as they are standard build materials. Cheap labour is also available everywhere. The only things that will be expensive are the swimming pool specific things: pump, leaf traps, pool cleaner, etc; these are likely to be imported. I'm planning to build one soon, and have been researching this for a long time.

Recently did quite a lot of concreating to build a large box drain for the rainy season: I got through 18 bags of Portland cement, 5 cubic meters of gravel and 5 cubic meters of sand. All the materials cost me less than 6000 baht. I did pretty much most of the work myself as all the local labourers are related to my wife, and while their labour might be cheap, buying them beer, coffee and lowcow would considerably bump up the cost of the construction! It was an experiment in how cheaply I could do the job, with a view to using the experience to build my pool.

I want a large pool as I'm a swimmer as I like doing lenghts.

I've live in Thailand about 8 years, and would warn some of you out there that value for money is a rather new concept in Thailand, and generally small entrepreuners will take you for as much as you are prepared to pay. So don't pay too much for your pool!

I can confirm its mega cheap to build small pools in Thailand; two friends have done so.

Some points. Don't forget Thailand is a hot country. Bear this in mind when you design your pool. I intend to build a roof over mine so that it is indeed a cool refreshing experience! This will add to the cost, and needs to be factored in. A roof can be built quite cheaply using a wood or steel frame. You also need to consider how you will keep the dust out in the dry season, not to mention Thailands wildlife (frogs/snakes/etc). A pool cover would most certainly be required. Finally; Thailand has regular flooding. In my village, I have been flooded 3 times in 8 years; my pool will be raised considerably so that it won't get flooded, and I will be getting my wifes cousin to deliver quite a number of dump trucks of dirt to raise the level (he is the local government contract maintainer of dirt roads).

Hope the info helps.

[dreetje]

Yes i also was thinking about too do it by myself.But,i think you could not just dig a hole put some iron bars en than put condrete over it.The ground is putting some pressure on the concrete,and than some cracks and bursts wil come in the concrete.You dont think so?But when it is cheap like that!Why not.

[keestha]

The cheapest offer I could find in Phuket, back in 2001, was 495000 for a 32 square meter swimming pool, including sundeck, internal children's swimming pool, and an island inside the pool that I needed to prevent having to cut down one more coconut tree.

The fact that I dont stay in Phuket but elsewhere in Southern Thailand may have added to this figure. Reportedly companies in Pattaya are offering it at a lower price.

Sure it must be possible to do it cheaper yourself, if you have the specific knowledge needed to build a swimming pool ,it is not that just any crew of construction labourers can do it. Anyway beware: Some farangs who have built swimming pools have ended up being proud owners of fishponds.

[MaiChai]

Digging a hole, steel mesh grid, concrete and finishing off the surface with white cement and marble sand is the way its generally done in the US. The trick is attention to detail. I have researched this quite extensively.

[edd]

i considered an inground pool but as we need to return to the uk for several months a year and i did not want to come home to dead buffalows/snakes/and black gunge,so i bought a canvas above ground pool from a dealer in bkk and had it sent upto udornthani.

this cost 300 uk pounds including pump,filter,cover,ladder and chemicals infact everything i needed to get started.

it takes about 30 minutes to erect and 18 hours to fill. 180 baht from the water meter.

it is a round pool its 15 feet accross and great to swimm in.

when we leave  it takes 2 hrs to empty and 2 hours to clean dry and put away.

have a look on the internet there are plenty to look at.

i hope this is of help.  

          edd  

[MaiChai]

Cool edd. Can you tell us where you bought it from (company, address, phone no). I havn't searched for suppliers for pool equipment in Bangkok yet, and I will need to buy the pump, etc, from somewhere, and hopefully not get ripped off in the process.

PS: I wanted to post a photo of typical pool construction, but the board doesn't seem to allow posting of images.

[Martin]

i considered an inground pool but as we need to return to the uk for several months a year and i did not want to come home to dead buffalows/snakes/and black gunge,so i bought a canvas above ground pool from a dealer in bkk and had it sent upto udornthani.

this cost 300 uk pounds including pump,filter,cover,ladder and chemicals infact everything i needed to get started.

it takes about 30 minutes to erect and 18 hours to fill. 180 baht from the water meter.

it is a round pool its 15 feet accross and great to swimm in.

when we leave  it takes 2 hrs to empty and 2 hours to clean dry and put away.

have a look on the internet there are plenty to look at.

i hope this is of help.  

          edd  

Thanks for the guidance, edd.

I've been thinking about having a small pool, but doubtful about the hassle of having a hole dug etc. etc.

An above-ground pool as you describe sounbds great.

I'm in Udon Thani province, too. Any chance of getting the details of how you did it?

[dreetje]

After a long search, http://www.u-thaipool.com/default_e.htm

[george]

Anyone have built a pool in Thailand? Your input is much appreciated! Tell us how you did it!

[MaiChai]

I've put some photos on my website demonstrating how its done. Its not as hard as you think. Check out http://thaibies.com/swimmingpools/

Its my next big project when I have the time. Will probably raise the level of the land for the pool when I'm back in a couple of weeks, and let it settle. A couple of friends have built pool's, and really its not difficult. I will build a cover over mine; keep the heat off it (and me!).

I would hate to see any of farang buddies being ripped off for a pool, when you can do it yourself for next to nothing, what with having all that free time in LOS to manage a project such as this  :laugh:

The plumbing/pipework needs come careful consideration. I put something up on my site when I get time.

[huski]

MaiChai,

Checked out your web pics of the pool construction. Glad to see what looked like a healthy size bond beam & the concrete (gunite) was pnuematically applied and not hand packed.

Didn't see any tile on the pool, so there is pebble mixed in with the finish on the final stage? That is the way to go for a more natural look.

I would recommend an ionization system for purifying the water as this will almost replace the need for any chemicals in the water.

[MaiChai]

Tiles are cheap in Thailand, and it seems an obvious thing to do. I researched this, and would recommend you don't over do it with tiling. Water can get behind them and lift them, and it can take a lot of time to lay them, and they have to be laid well. A popular compromise is to have a row of tiles along the water line of the pool.

You can get some nice tiles for the edging of the pool from Home Mart, but you probably have to get them to order them for you. Check out the tiling brochures in Home Mart.

White cement mixed with marble sand is a popular finish in America. The white cement is readily available in Thailand, not sure what you would mix it with. They quarry marble near where I live, so I wonder if you could get someone to crush it into sand? You can mix a blue die with this to give a nice blue pool, but the recommendation is to keep it as light as possible. Darker blues will heat the water up more (not what you want in the hot season). White will keep it as cool as is physically possible.

I think its worth having a roof over the pool, unless you want to get skin cancer or only swim in the early mornings or late afternoon! A good idea for this is to build a structure using steel welded box sections (a popular method in Thailand), and then use cement roof tiles or the cheaper, lighter and larger asbestos like roof panels. You need some way to release the heat that will build up under a roof, so some type of opening to let the heat rise out, or one of those steel rotating cone like things. Keep the sides of this building open so that air can flow through.

A trick might be to see how Thais do their pools at cheap/mid priced hotels (the high end ones will probably be no expense spared and OTT for most people building on a budget).

These pictures are taken from building pools in the US. Some local adaption will be required in terms of techniques and materials. I suspect you will need to work the concrete in by hand (but then you can probably afford to hire many hands!).

A cubic metre of concrete delivered in a mixer truck was just over three hundred baht. A truck holds two cubic meters. I live upcountry, so Bangkok/Pattaya, etc prices will be more than this!

[jaideeguy]

HELP!!!!

I’m in the process of building a swimming pool in Chiang Mai and am doing it using a local contractor. The few ‘pool contractors’ I interviewed did not impress me with their capabilities and their costs were roughly 2x what I calculated using a high value of the current costs of cement and steel [the major cost of the shell]. That was to be expected as pool contractors in the west are ‘sharks’ too.

I am now at the point where I need a good, reliable POOL SUPPLIER for pump, filter, and mainly support for installation etc. the two companies that I contacted seem to be ‘sharks’ as well and if any of the readers of the forum could give me a recommendation for a pool supplier in the Chiang Mai area that is reliable, knowledgable and honest [does that combination exist in LOS?].

I can be contacted directly at [email protected] and would appreciate any info asap.

[tuky]

great thread, great info.

we will be building a pool soon too, I have been wondering how to do it and how much it will cost.

Keep the info rolling in

thanks

[mai_ra_bu_cheu]

Great thread about pools. I am wanting to eventually have a good sized pool.

Ain't decided where build a house yet, so bought a blowup plastic pool from tesco lotus- 300 baht. Great for my toddler, and I must admit that I lay in it in my backie for about 15 min. Cool and comfortable - kinda floating and with a air cushion for my head. About 18 inches deep.

One concern about building a big pool - how the ###### do you stop all the local kids from using it? I stay next to a school, and would have to build a big wall to keep them all out. There are no laws here like in Oz, where a good sized fence(locked) must be built. Could be a death trap!

[Thetyim]

I would recommend an ionization system for purifying the water as this will almost replace the need for any chemicals in the water.</font>

Huski,

Any chance of some more details ?

The chemicals are expensive and I have to drive to CM to get them.

How much would a system cost ?

[Viper]

All good stuff, i to am in the process of researching for a new pool. Materials, labour, location in the garden, etc etc.

I have been advised to purchase a pump larger than the specific pump supplied for the particular size of your desired pool. This is mainly due to the fact that small or undermanagable pumps are likely to fail. This could also prove costly, lead to more maintenance schedules or replacement.

Keeping your pool clean and clear is all a matter of balance. Just enough sanitizer, enough water movement, the right pH and temperature, and regular brushing and vacuuming.

The two most important things to consider are sanitizer and water movement. Stagnant water breeds bacteria and other micro-organisms, which is fine if you are a pond, but not so desirable if you happen to be a swimming pool. Humans also introduce bacteria into the pool, as well as oils , maybe the occation jam sandwich, while you can fish out the sandwich, bacteria are harder to capture.

To combat such assaults, a sanitizer is used, which kills the bacteria and helps control algae growth. The most common sanitizers are chlorine and bromine based compounds. Bromine tends to be easier on the skin and mucous membranes. These compounds must be added routinely to the pool during the course of the summer to maintain high enough levels to prevent bacterial growth. The levels are measured in parts per million (ppm). If your sanitizer level drops below recommended levels for more than a few days the pool may turn cloudy. Routine super chlorinating or "shocking" your pool burns out any residual algae or bacteria.

Now, all the sanitizer in the world won't keep your pool clear without some method of circulating the sanitizer and filtering out the debris that accumulates. That is where your pump and filter come in, besides running up your electrical bill that is...

Ideally, your pump should run for about 10 hrs a day. If you have problems keeping your sanitizer level high enough, run it more. Be aware that problems keeping the sanitizer level up may be caused by high bather load or poor circulation due to pump malfunction. To some extent, lots of activity in the pool will help circulate the water.

Sometimes though, even if your sanitizer level is high enough, the water is still cloudy. This can be caused by a few factors and is usually easy to remedy. The filter is what removes particulate matter from the pool water, this is called polishing the water. If the filter is dirty or clogged, it can't do its job. Watch the pressure gauge on your filter, if it jumps 10psi or higher than normal it is time to backwash, "bump" or clean the filter media, depending on whether you have a sand, cartridge or DE filter. There are also filter cleaning products available which extend the life of the media.

Finally, if the water is still cloudy and your filter is clean, then it is possible that the particulates are too small to be trapped by the filter. A coagulating agent, usually a polymer, can be used. This will aggregate the particles and allow them to be trapped by the filter. This will usually work within a day, but you need to watch the pressure gauge on the filter, and clean it as the pressure rises.

I hope this settles a few burning questions....

[Ajarn]

<font color='#000000'>Anyone have built a pool in Thailand? Your input is much appreciated! Tell us how you did it!</font>

Here's mine. Finished 3 months ago. 200,000 baht, total, including pump house and landscaping. All first class materials. 2x10x1.80

[Ajarn]

I would recommend an ionization system for purifying the water as this will almost replace the need for any chemicals in the water.</font>

Huski,

Any chance of some more details ?

The chemicals are expensive and I have to drive to CM to get them.

How much would a system cost ?

About 40,000 baht minimum, when I checked locally...

My chemical costs are not bad..I use trichlor tablets, one every 3-4 days, 60 baht each...

Once you get it down, maintenence is easy. My total mothly costs are less than 2,000baht, including electric costs for the pump

I have been advised to purchase a pump larger than the specific pump supplied for the particular size of your desired pool. This is mainly due to the fact that small or undermanagable pumps are likely to fail. This could also prove costly, lead to more maintenance schedules or replacement.

In my experience, it's more important that you get the right kind of pump....It must be self-priming with a built-in filter (not the pool filter). 1.0 hp is plenty, in most cases, but I also have a solar heating system on my roof, so I got a 2hp Italian motor (forget the Chinese ones, imo) purchased locally(20,000). I later learned that I only needed a 1hp or 1.5 (10-15,000 baht locally) for my needs. Expensive lesson. A smaller pump will save quite a bit in electric costs, too.

The quality of your foundation, structure, plumbing, and tiling are extremely important to avoid future problems. I'm thankful that I was lucky in this regard. Real easy for mistakes to come up later and, for the most part, any major repair could likely mean destroying your pool just to access and fix the problem...

Took a month in my case. Went through 3 different labour crews. No real labour problems, but only because of constant attention by me, and my consultant. Believe me, every person imvolved with your project will be looking to add to their wages...Not passing on the usual 15-20% discounts they get on quoted prices, making their own receipts, sending 4 workers when you've contracted and are paying for 5.....Bringing in grandad and pocketing the difference, while grandpa is either clueless or slow as....or both. Which adds to your labour time, so you get bad quality at more than twice the price.

Ya' gotta use some cajones to stay on top, but you gotta be cool about it, too. Lots of ways for resentment/loss of face to show in the workmanship, so it's much like playing chess, maybe. A great learning experience and interesting challenge for some .

I do know a guy who is from Pattaya, and a real hustler- and smart, too. But, the guy knows everything you need to know about constructing pools, and his attention to construction details was greatly appreciated by me. But, don't let him take you by the hand....I made that mistake in the very beginning (dam trusting American), but caught myself quickly enough to recover, but he was always trying to pull the wool over my eyes on money stuff, if I didn't pay close attention. In the end, we both compromised a bit, and I would still use him again.

PM me if you want his phone number. Buyer Beware

[tuky]

Our house is nearly finished, so it is research time.

I bring this thread up again just in case there is anybody out there with new information.

Cheers

[Ajarn]

Our house is nearly finished, so it is research time.

I bring this thread up again just in case there is anybody out there with new information.

Cheers

I think I've already shot my wad on the topic...

Do you have any questions?

[Pink Mist]

Nobody has mentioned salt water pools, I would have thought they would be more suited to LOS as opposed to chlorine because of the higher sunlight levels. I know this to be the case in QLD.