Depends on where you live. A lap pool down a large deck gives the best of both worlds and provides a nice water feature for a deck. I need water to truly relax. Bigreader - where in FNQ did you live?

my daughter in law was advised by the pool company not to plant bamboo as once established they do shedd quite a lot and as stated above a root barrier is essential and if leaves not cleaned out of pool will eventually cause trouble clogging the filtration, they planted a pleached hedge and magnolias in large tubs and it looks beautiful, I love the look of bamboo but just be wary , if you are a gardener like me you will sweep up your leaves daily so it's really a matter of choice as to the amount of work you wish to do, good luck, it looks a lovely area.

we can't read the dimensions on the plans but it appears that the block isn't flat so the placement of access to the rear is affected by the slope and the reason for access...do you want/need to have an extra garage with driveway into the far back yard or just vehicle access for occasional gardening or pool maintenance? and this plan has the most exposure to the east and west which, depending on your climate, can be the most challenging to manage ...are there any changes possible to the plan or have you considered other plans for this block?

Summer in Australia is all about the outdoors. For many homeowners, spending summer lazing around on the back deck or beside the pool is the best way to enjoy that Aussie sun. But which deck is the right deck? There are a few questions you need to consider when choosing a deck. Is the material fire safe? Does it have a great appearance? Will it resist salt and chlorine? What is the slip resistance? Is it safe to walk on? Is it pet friendly? DECO explored 4 main types of decking around pools and spas. TIMBER The three main types of timber decking available are Pine, Rainforest Merbau and Hardwood. Timber is a really beautiful decking material, however, it requires a lot of maintenance including painting/oiling every 6-12 months, stripping and re-sealing every 3-4 years, and over time it will deteriorate. A timber deck has great dimensional stability, although it is subject to shrinking and warping, as well as having a poor fire safe rating and poor resistance to salt and chlorine. COMPOSITES Composite decking is manufactured product from either China, Australia or America. Chinese and Australian composites are inclined to fade rapidly and have some dimensional stability issues. American composites have a higher plastic content, making them the most durable of the three. The plastic, however, retains a lot of heat and becomes impossible to walk on with bare feet in direct sun. All composites fail for slip and chemical resistance and have a poor fire safe rating. FIBRE CEMENT SHEET + TILES Fibre cement sheets and tiles are another decking option; however, they do not provide the traditional appearance of a timber deck. This material is a durable, pet friendly and water-resistant (although the decking will become slippery when wet) decking as well as maintenance free. This particular type of decking is a good option for bush fire zone areas (BAL FZ). ALUMINIUM DECO product DecoDeck combines the natural look of timber with the strength and durability of aluminium. The decking system features a strong box section extrusion, anti-slip polyurethane powder coating and allows for expansion and contraction. DecoDeck is manufactured using powder coating sublimation technology to achieve a beautiful natural timber appearance. There is no maintenance, painting, sanding or oiling required. It is comfortable to walk on and will not retain heat like other decks do. DecoDeck withstands harsh environmental conditions and is a non-combustible product. For more information on DecoDeck please visit www.deco.net.au