A complete renovation of a 13.4m × 5.46m outdoor pool originally built by the client’s father in 1976. With strong sentimental value, replacement was ruled out in favour of retaining the original shell, twin Roman ends and distinctive character. XL Pools transformed the tired marbelite pool with new mosaics and paving, while completely modernising its hydraulics, filtration, heating, treatment, lighting and cover.

We believe this project deserves to win because sometimes the right answer is not to replace an old swimming pool, but to understand what is worth saving.This pool was originally built by the client’s father in 1976 and had been used by his family, including his mother, for many years. Nearly 50 years later, the marbelite finish and surrounding paving were tired and the equipment was outdated, but the pool itself still meant a great deal to the client. He wanted the benefits of a new pool without losing the pool he remembered.We therefore retained the original reinforced-concrete shell and, importantly, its unusual symmetrical design with twin Roman ends. Rather than redesigning it to follow current trends, the renovation was deliberately sympathetic to the original pool.The marbelite was removed and replaced with mosaics, while the paving surround was recreated to follow its original layout. At first glance it still feels like the same pool, just brought back to life.Behind the appearance, however, very little remains from 1976. We installed new pipework, skimmers, suction and return fittings, filtration, automatic water treatment, UV, lighting and inverter heating. An additional suction was incorporated to improve the

The client wanted to modernise the pool without losing what made it special. Originally built by his father in 1976 and enjoyed by his family for decades, retaining its character was far more important than simply replacing it. We therefore kept the original reinforced-concrete shell and distinctive symmetrical layout with twin Roman ends. The tired marbelite interior was replaced with mosaics and the surrounding paving was recreated in keeping with the original design, giving the pool a complete refresh without making it unrecognisable. The client was closely involved in aesthetic decisions but trusted XL Pools to lead on the technical design. We recommended a complete upgrade of the filtration, pipework, water treatment, heating, lighting and fittings, alongside a modern Coverseal automatic safety cover. The result retains the pool the family remembers, but makes it safer, more efficient and significantly easier to operate and maintain.

This project involved the complete refurbishment and recommissioning of an existing 1976 reinforced-concrete freeboard swimming pool measuring 13.4m × 5.46m, with depths ranging from 1.3m to 2.6m and an approximate water volume of 125m³. Retaining the existing structure was important to the client, so the reinforced-concrete shell was inspected before refurbishment and confirmed as structurally suitable for reuse. Localised repairs and re-rendering were completed where required before the pool was waterproofed and finished in new mosaic. A 600mm twin-wall groundwater inspection chamber was installed to provide a means of monitoring groundwater conditions around the existing structure. Although the original shell and twin Roman-end layout were retained, the mechanical and hydraulic layout was comprehensively modernised. Existing pipework, skimmers, suction fittings and return fittings were replaced, with an additional low-level suction incorporated to improve the hydraulic arrangement. Filtration is provided by a Waterco Micron30" side-mount filter operating at approximately 15psi and using glass filtration media. This was paired with a Waterco AlphaFlo 2HP single-speed circulation pump delivering approximately 18.5m³/h. For the approximately 125m³ pool volume, this provides a turnover of approximately 6.7 hours and a filtration rate of approximately 48m³/m²/h. Circulation comprises two Certikin wide-mouth skimmers, a Certikin anti-vortex main drain connected with an additional low-level suction outlet, and two Certikin wall returns. The suction arrangement provides redundancy so that if one outlet becomes obstructed, the remaining outlet can accommodate the design flow. New Quadraflex suction and return pipework with approximately 55mm internal diameter was installed and pressure-tested to 15psi before backfilling the trenches. Water treatment was modernised with a Bayrol automatic pH and chlorine dosing system. This provides continuous monitoring and automatic chemical control, making operation significantly easier for the client while maintaining consistent water conditions. An 80W Pool Technologie UV system provides secondary treatment, assisting water clarity and chloramine reduction. Heating is provided by a Polytropic Master Inverter L+ air-source heat pump. The inverter system was selected to modulate its output according to demand rather than continually operating at maximum output, improving efficiency when maintaining the required water temperature. The previous basic pool cover was replaced with a Coverseal automatic safety cover. This represented a significant improvement to the original pool, providing increased safety while also reducing evaporation, heat loss and debris entering the water. Combined with the inverter heat pump, the cover considerably improves the overall energy efficiency of the refurbished pool. New pool lighting was installed as part of the renovation, alongside replacement penetration fittings. The surrounding paving was also completely renewed while retaining the geometry and appearance of the original pool surround. New reinforced-concrete footings were constructed to frost depth with horizontal and vertical reinforcement, providing a suitable long-term foundation for the replacement paving. Appropriate external wet-area finishes achieve an R11 slip-resistance rating. All electrical works were completed by a qualified NICEIC-registered electrician in accordance with BS 7671. Circuits are protected by ≤30mA RCDs, equipment is contained within appropriate IP-rated enclosures. Weather and minor supply-chain issues caused some disruption during construction, but no significant problems affected delivery. The more important technical challenge was determining how much of a nearly 50-year-old pool could sensibly be retained. By confirming the integrity of the existing shell and preserving it while replacing the ageing mechanical, hydraulic and finishing elements, we avoided unnecessary demolition while still providing the client with the performance expected from a modern swimming pool. Following commissioning, the client received a full handover covering operation, safety and equipment use, together with an Operation & Maintenance Manual containing relevant certificates, drawings and maintenance information. The result is effectively a new modern pool built around a sound 1976 structure: retaining the part that mattered to the client while comprehensively upgrading the elements that determine its safety, reliability, efficiency and ease of ownership.

XL Pools Ltd