Sure, it’s the middle of January. Sure, it’s the dead of winter. Sure, there’s probably a snowdrift piled up ten feet deep outside the doors of your condo building right now. But you know what? We live in a wondrous age of technology, modern plumbing, and indoor heating, so none of that means that you can’t keep that pool party going all year long!
When it comes to building a solid, cohesive condo community, pools can be a boon. They bring people together and create a common space where the only real goals are play, fun, and good times. However, that being said, pools can require a lot of maintenance and plenty of board involvement to keep things afloat (pool pun!) and running the way they should. Thinking about moving into a condo building with a pool? Considering investing in a pool within your existing condo community? Not really interested either way, but just wanted to think about sitting poolside for a minute to mentally escape the harsh reality of the Alberta winter? Read on!
Buying a Condo in a Building with a Pool
So, you’re in the market for a condo, and you’ve found one in a building with a fancy-pants swimming pool that’s sure to be the envy of all your non-pool-having friends. Hold on a second before signing on that dotted line, though – there’s more to consider when buying into a building with a pool than just what it’ll do for your social status.
- Location, location, location
While swimming pools are attractive amenities by any standard, they come with their own fair share of considerations, as well. First off, it’s important to consider where the pool’s located within the condo complex. If we’re talking about a simple in-ground pool that exists in its own little space on the main level of the building, the inherent risks there are fairly low. However, if the condo in question has a swanky rooftop pool and patio, you’re looking at a whole different set of variables.
- Leaks and additional expenses
With a pool comes to water, and with water comes the potential for leaks. Pools on higher levels require a greater level of management (and are therefore pricier to maintain and operate) because leaks have this tricky tendency to travel downwards (gravity!), and the last thing any condo board wants to deal with is complaints of water damage from residents in 15A all the way down to 1A! It doesn’t take an economist to realize that with additional maintenance comes additional costs, usually in the form of higher condo fees – so, if you’re considering moving into a building with a pool, be sure to ask yourself: Will I use this pool enough to offset the additional expense? If the answer’s yes, well, the last one in’s a rotten egg!
Bring the Pool Party to You – Installing a Pool in Your Building
Maybe you’re happy with almost every aspect of your condo building’s set up right now, but you feel like there’s just one, big, watery thing missing – your board wants to install a pool. As we’ve already mentioned, pools can be great for building community within a condo building and can provide a fun, central place for folks to get together, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. However, there are plenty of realities to consider when thinking about installing a pool in your building.
- Set up and upkeep
First, there’s the impact on costs to consider. Pools are much more than just big holes in the ground filled with water, after all. There’s the initial install to consider (which can end up being quite expensive!) in addition to the regular maintenance and upkeep that cleaning chemicals, mechanical components, and water consumption all bring to the table. This is further compounded by any collateral costs that might be incurred as the result of leaks or catastrophic failures that might come up.
- Preventative maintenance
Now, that being said, when it comes to avoiding leaks, there are preventative solutions out there. In fact, one of our very own Catalyst innovation connections has the potential to help cut these concerns off at the pass. If you find yourself in the market for a pool, consider installing pressure variation sensors and pairing them with shutdown valves to ensure that if a leak does occur, it’s detected immediately and action is automatically taken to lessen the damage resultant from this critical malfunction.
- Property value reality
Finally, if you’re still very much onboard Team Pool, keep in mind that one argument you won’t be able to use to push this decision though is that of increased property values. As desirable an amenity as a pool might be, installing one really does very little to boost your building’s property value. In addition, pools bring with them the additional logistical issue of how to enforce safe use. Most condo boards won’t want to pay a lifeguard to keep an eye on things during swimming hours, and so it must be made clear, for liability’s sake, that the pool is Use At Your Own Risk – and even then, be ready to deal with the eventual unfortunate inevitability of someone slipping and hurting themselves on the pool deck.
All these considerations aside (and yes, we know, that’s a LOT to consider), there really is nothing quite as fantastic as being able to go for a quick dip in the middle of the cold, blustery January winter. Are there things to think about when signing up for an in-building pool? Absolutely – but as long as you approach these concerns with a detail-oriented mindset and go in with eyes wide open, your condo’s pool will soon be the envy of friends and family alike.
Looking for advice on taking the next step towards keeping the pool party going all year long? Contact us at condominium management Edmonton, and as long as we’re good to stop by for a swim every now and then (kidding, kidding!), we’ll point you in the right direction!
