Small Yard, Real Pool: Shapes and Features That Fit

A lot of Lowcountry homeowners assume their yard is too small for a pool. Camp Pool Builders hears that often, and its answer is that you would be surprised. The company says lot sizes have shrunk in recent years and that its designers have become adept at building in smaller areas, including some challenging properties. A tight yard changes the design. It doesn't rule one out.

Start with shape, not square footage

Camp's shape options include freeform, lagoon, Grecian and geometric, and the company says the choices are unlimited. Each does something different in a small space.

A geometric pool, with straight edges and clean angles, tends to line up with the house and the property lines, which wastes less of the yard around it. A freeform or lagoon pool uses curves, so it can wrap around a tree, a patio or an awkward corner of the lot. Grecian designs, typically a rectangle with a classical, shaped end, add some formality without needing much extra room. Camp's designers will suggest the best way to use the size and shape of your yard, which is more useful than choosing from a catalog picture.

Pick a pool type that works with the space

Your construction method matters here too. Camp's shotcrete pools can be built to any size, shape and depth profile, and the company says that if space is an issue they can be designed to maximize your area. Fiberglass pools come from pre-set designs, so the fit has to be right from the beginning, but you choose the depth profile, coping and decking. Bring your lot measurements to the first meeting and let the design decide which makes sense.

Features that earn their space

In a small yard, every foot has to do a job. Camp builds a long list of features, and several of them are good at doing two things at once.

• Tanning ledges: a shallow shelf inside the pool where you can lounge or let kids splash, which can replace a separate deck lounger area.
• Cabo shelves with umbrella sleeves: a built-in spot for shade, so you aren't carrying a freestanding umbrella around the deck.
• Integrated spas: one structure and one set of equipment, rather than a second footprint in the yard. Raised walls can set the spa apart visually.
• Waterfalls and fountains: they add sound and movement, and the sound helps cover noise from the neighbors.
• Jump rocks and grottos: they turn a small pool into a place with a personality.

Camp says almost anything you can imagine is possible. Tell them what you want, and they'll tell you what fits.

Think about the deck and the surroundings

The pool is only part of the footprint. Decking, coping, tile and landscaping all take space, and in a small yard they decide how the pool feels. Camp's work around Hilton Head Island and Bluffton includes pools with travertine decks and raised stone spas, stacked-stone walls, paver surrounds and screened lanais. The materials you choose can make a compact space look deliberate instead of crowded. A deck that's too narrow around the pool, with nowhere to put a chair, is a common regret, so sketch your daily routine into the plan.

Designs are free, so try a few

One practical advantage for a small-lot buyer: Camp's pool and spa designs and estimates are free. You can see how a custom pool will look in your backyard before you commit to anything. The process is simple. Kevin Camp sets up a meeting to talk about your interests and your budget, finds out what you envision, then designs for your lifestyle, your yard and your budget. The same representative who designs your pool supervises the project from start to finish.

You don't have to arrive with a finished plan. A rough idea of how you want the pool to look is enough, and the design meeting is where Kevin builds on it with advice about what your particular yard can hold.

Bring photos and a short list

Before the meeting, browse the portfolio and note what you like. Bring a short list of must-haves and a longer list of nice-to-haves, and be honest about your budget. Camp's team can work from there. You don't need to know the right terms. Describe how you want to use the pool: laps, lounging, kids, entertaining, quiet evenings. The shape and features follow from that.

If you have a small yard on Hilton Head Island or in Bluffton and you've been told a pool won't fit, call Camp Pool Builders at (843) 683-2862 and ask for a free design. The answer may surprise you.