We built a pool exactly the same, however we didnt use laminated glass but a monolithic piece of 80mm thick Plexiglass 3mx2m from Germany. This reduced the overall cost of the pool considerably. Pool was fantastic and doubled as a water feature when not in use. Incorporating LED lighting allowed the pool to take on the mood of the night. The only downside we found with the pool was that after heaving swimming and sunscreen the waterline of the Plexiglass would need a clean. Other than that it gained lots of comments and was even used for photo shoots and promo work.

we've had several swim spas and the best location was undercover and within easy connection to a shower as it's easier to keep the spa clean when users shower first! swim spas are quite noisy so a space where the noise effect can be minimised on your other activities and the neighbours' is also important...dug into the ground could help reduce the noise but set higher users would have to climb in not jump..they're not as forgiving as a swimming pool and can be easily damaged by more than gentle activity! perhaps set on the ground with a deck built around them with a proper pool fence for safety, an outdoor shower, in full view from the house and screened from the neighbours..enjoy

Hi Chris, This is an interesting question! I am familiar with the design principles for humid climates although I have not built in Queensland before - but your instincts are correct to question the humidifying effect of pool water on indoor air temperature if built adjacent to a home's interior in Queensland. Because humid climates benefit most from permeable walls with air-circulating; i.e lots of windows / screens allowing air to pass through the building, assisted by ceiling fans for passive cooling etc, you generally don't want to add any more humidity to the air in the direction of the prevailing wind, otherwise you will significantly lessen the cooling-effect felt indoors. You also want to prevent sunlight striking large amounts of unshaded paving directly in front of your window openings as this heats up the humid air before entering the interior, and generally speaking lightweight construction with a raised floor provides better passive cooling and ventilation effects than thermal mass on the ground. Having said this, many homes are thermal mass on the ground anyway, and simply resort to lots of air-conditioning to keep temperatures lower whilst lowering humidity indoors! In other words, although the general thinking would be to avoid pools in front of the interior within the line of the prevailing winds, I think it would also come down to personal choice; and if you were careful with pool placement, wind direction and opening-window location as best you can be, you would be able to architecturally integrate the pool with the house whilst trying to avoid the humidifying effects. So whilst having the pool right in front of the rear living area for maximum visual effect might not be advised, having it to the side might be quite possible. It would be important to avoid large expanses of paving, and try to have lots of greenery around the pool to improve the microclimate. Having a look at a few pool contractors websites based in Queensland, I can see many examples where the pools is built up to the building. Many offer a FAQ page where you can ask questions, so I would start with asking them for their opinion (i.e. http://precisionpoolsqld.com.au/contact-us/) This website seems is a good resource for ideal construction principles for a warm-humid climate zone; http://precisionpoolsqld.com.au/contact-us/

Hi Lisa, It took a very long time from signing the contract, to actually starting the dig. We signed in July, and pool handover was Christmas Eve, so just be aware, the salesperson may say it only takes 10 weeks. But once the dig started, it was very quick and seamless, no hidden extras, very happy with their communication, once they started the dig. It was radio silence, until my husband started ringing, and we got a dig date! But I believe all the companies are extremely busy. Good luck.