MUCH MORE THAN BUILDING A SWIMMING POOL

At Gorka Lomeña, we mainly build swimming pools as part of home renovation, refurbishment and outdoor improvement projects.

Our experience is particularly focused on pools that require more specialised execution: bespoke structures, overflow or mirror pools, integration with terraces and gardens, concealed pool-cover systems, and projects where architecture, structure and services need to be resolved together.

A swimming pool may seem like a relatively simple construction.

But behind the finished result there is structure, waterproofing, hydraulics, services, levels, drainage and many details that need to be carefully studied and coordinated.

IT ALL STARTS WITH THE GROUND

Before building a swimming pool, we need to know what it will be supported on.

That is why we carry out a geotechnical ground study before constructing the structure. This study allows us to understand the characteristics and bearing capacity of the soil and identify conditions that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as the presence of water or a high groundwater table.

This is no minor issue.

A swimming pool measuring 8 × 4 metres with an average depth of 1.50 metres contains approximately 48 tonnes of water. Add the concrete structure and the total can easily reach around 70 tonnes, depending on how it has been designed and built.

All that load needs to be properly transferred to the ground.

Using the information from the geotechnical study, the technical team can calculate and design the foundations and structure and, where necessary, define drainage or other specific solutions.

Before thinking about how a swimming pool will look, you first need to make sure it is properly built from the ground up.

DESIGNED TO BE ENJOYED

A swimming pool forms part of the architecture and the garden, and naturally we want it to look good.

But we also want it to be comfortable, safe and enjoyable when it is actually being used.

That is why we study its proportions according to how it will be used: whether it is mainly intended for swimming, family enjoyment, whether children will use it regularly, or whether it will have a more landscape-oriented role.

Length matters, but so do width, depth, access points, steps and relaxation areas both in and around the water.

Sometimes a few extra centimetres or half a metre in a particular dimension can make a considerable difference to how the pool feels and how comfortable it is to use.

Aesthetics and functionality should not compete with each other.

The best swimming pools are those that are not only well integrated into the project, but also make you want to use them.

A SWIMMING POOL NEEDS CARE

A swimming pool is not finished on the day it is filled with water.

Like any other installation in a home, it needs maintenance to remain in good condition and operate properly over the years.

Filtration, water treatment and balance, cleaning, equipment, waterproofing and certain mechanical elements all require attention and regular checks.

That is why we also consider maintenance from the design stage and work with solutions and equipment that allow it to be carried out reasonably and efficiently.

We also continue to work with the same specialist pool contractor with whom we have completed numerous projects, allowing us to maintain continuity after construction whenever an element needs to be checked, adjusted or maintained.

A well-built swimming pool will still need care.

The difference is that this care should be the normal maintenance a swimming pool requires, rather than the consequence of problems that could have been avoided from the outset.

WHEN THE PROJECT DEMANDS MORE

Our structure and experience are particularly suited to projects where the swimming pool forms part of a larger intervention or involves particularly demanding construction.

Overflow or mirror pools, bespoke structures, water in the ground, significant changes in level, architectural integration, concealed cover systems and certain technical details all require many decisions to be studied and coordinated before work begins.

It is precisely on this type of project that we can add the most value.

Because building a good swimming pool is not simply about making it look beautiful on the day it is filled with water.

It is about ensuring that the structure, waterproofing, services, finishes and integration with the surrounding environment are all properly resolved so that the pool continues to work correctly for many years.