Maximize Your Pool Space with a Pool House
With a wide range of amenities, modern pool houses offer valuable flex space.
By Debra Maurer
It’s no secret that people are drawn to swimming pools, regardless of whether they’re interested in swimming or even putting on a swimsuit. It must be the beauty of the water, fresh air, and sunshine (if you’re lucky) that turns the entire space surrounding your swimming pool into prime real estate for family barbecues, weekend get-togethers, and getting kids and their friends out of the house… though they may be heading straight for the pool house.
For pool owners looking to expand their home and increase the versatility of their backyard, a pool house provides the space to spend more time around their swimming pool, turning their backyard into a prized aquatic oasis. While pool houses continue to be considered a luxury item, their function has gone from equipment storage and changing rooms to a multi- functional entertainment hub and relaxation zone.
Custom Size and Amenities
Unless you’re building a tiny pool house with minimal amenities or doing the labor yourself, adding a stand-alone structure is quite an investment. On average, pool houses range from $125 – $225 per square foot, but in high-priced housing areas, such as the San Francisco Bay area, projects may go for $500 per square foot or higher. “The cost really depends on your region, the caliber of a project, and the quality of the finishes,” says David Montalba, president of Montalba Architects in Santa Monica, Calif. For example, a project in California with high-end cabinets and granite countertops will be in the upper $200 while one in Colorado may cost only $100 per square foot.
Size selection will depend on the space in your backyard, as well as your budget. Small pool houses are about 300 square feet or less, while large ones are 600 – 1,000 square feet. “It’s becoming more common to build less and use quality finishes,” Montalba says. “You may only need 300 to 400 square feet of actual enclosed space for showering, changing, and sleeping. We’re working on a project with built-in sofas, a firepit, full kitchen, bar, and weatherproof TV—and it’s all outside.” Enclosed structures still maintain their indoor/outdoor environment by featuring plenty of windows, skylights, and often pocket sliding glass doors so at least one wall can be opened completely. For seasonal regions, installing HVAC turns the pool house into a four-season room, increasing your property value.
The cost per square footage will be the majority of your expense, but don’t forget the cost of hiring an architect or design firm. “With our firm, you can expect to pay $10,000 to $15,000 for the designs and planning and getting it through the city review process. We’re mostly involved in preconstruction, but we make ourselves available to work with the contractor,” says Michael McKay, principal of McKay Architecture located in Berkley, Calif. “I like to get a builder in early to obtain cost feedback before we get too far into the working drawings,” he says.
Flexible Space
The reason behind most pool houses is to provide extra recreational space. Some homeowners have a primary goal as to how they wish to use the space, but additional conveniences become icing on the cake. Your pool house can become a space for hosting parties, hanging out at the pool, or serving as a guest house. It can include a built-in kitchen, Murphy beds that fold out from the wall, and curtains that divide the space in several ways. It’s not uncommon to include a ping-pong table or pool table in one area and exercise equipment in the other, which can even include a sauna. It can also be a sanctuary for reading or a quiet area for kids to study.
Montalba recalls completing one pool house project that functioned as a music studio for several tween siblings. “The parents wanted them to have an area outside the main house to play their drums. We built thick insulated walls using staggered stud insulation, and created one room that’s actually a sound-absorbent studio.”
Style Preferences
Beyond function, style certainly plays a role in designing your pool house. While most homeowners want the pool house to complement its surroundings, should the structure match the home and pool or stand out as its own work of art? Most end up somewhere in the middle. If you’re not building the pool house simultaneously with home construction, you don’t want it to look like an obvious addition or renovation. Many homeowners integrate a few materials from the steps, patio floor, or pool decking to tie everything together. “We designed one modern pool house against a traditional home by incorporating similar materials but using them differently,” Montalba says. “In general, all aspects of the design should be considered—from the lighting to the texture of the flooring and how it reflects natural light.”
Alan Stein, founder and president of Tanglewood Conservatories, a custom conservatory and pool house design firm in Denton, Md., works to achieve an aesthetic connection from the yard to the house. “Most people look for something that creates a whole ensemble, so the pool house is not an exact replica of the house, but still related,” he says.
For those with their heart set on a formal style, Stein notes that Victorian and Georgian styles have remained popular. Victorian is decorative and exuberant with interesting shapes and colorful elements, such as stained glass, while Georgian has a staid look with more regimented features like columns and window dividers.
No matter what pool house style you choose, remember to maintain some greenery to keep the space looking natural. You don’t want to cover everything in hardscape. The landscape should be integrated throughout the design of the pool house and pool area. Builders often design much more than the pool house alone. Creating an adjunct outdoor living space—with features like firepits and pizza ovens—is usually part of the project.
With the extra space and increased versatility of a pool house, you may not only be spending more time by the pool, but also enjoying extended visits from your in-laws more than you thought!
Top photos courtesty of McKay Architecture; Builder: Ernest Culp, Bonsai Builder Construction.
Poolside Convenience
Customer: Deborah Murray
Location: Gaithersburg, Md.
Pool house model: Winthrop
“Our pool is set slightly away from the main house, and since we entertain often, we decided to build a pool house so we could have a bathroom and changing room, plus space for a sink, ice maker, dishes, stereo equipment, etc. We also needed storage space for towels, pool toys, and chemicals.
"After viewing a number of models in the Coventry Pool & Garden House Plans book, we decided to go with the Winthrop model. Our builder took the plans we ordered and adapted them to meet our requirements. We installed French doors in front, added a window in the bathroom, and revised the interior design. By positioning the pool equipment behind the pool house, the filter and pumps are essentially out of sight from the pool area.
“We sided the pool house to match our home, so it blends nicely. We mounted a weatherproof flat-screen TV to the outside wall of the pool house so we can watch baseball games and movies from anywhere in the pool area.
“Building the pool house was one of the best decisions we made when planning our pool space—we always get compliments on it!“
For ideas and floor plans, order the Coventry Pool House & Gardens Plan Book from our bookstore or call 888-768-3222 to order.