With the heatwave pushing temperatures towards the tropical, the average sun-starved Brit is probably squinting suspiciously at the sky, mopping a damp brow and pining for a refreshing dip.
Fortunate folk with enormous bank balances and even larger back gardens, can, of course, commission a top-notch pool with all the trimmings.
But even the humblest of homeowners can probably afford something large, sturdy, and full of water to throw themselves, or their kids, into when the mercury starts to climb above 25°C.
Here's a run through what's on offer, from bargain-basement paddling for cash-strapped households to state-of-the art temples for economic Olympians.
The Above-Ground Option
The first, and cheapest, type of pool is the (usually) self-assembly above-ground option, a version that ranges from modest splasher pools to constructions that look like small reservoirs.
 If you're looking for a really bargain-basement place to cool off in the summer sun, you won't get anything cheaper - short of a well-aimed bucket of water - than an inflatable vinyl paddling pool.
A & P Pools have a good range, starting at just £99. A metal-framed splasher pool (15' diameter x 36") with a ladder will set you back £375, and a larger version costs £495. The advantages are obvious - cheap and quick to assemble, they can be taken down and folded away until the next decade when the sun shines. But keep the garden forks out of reach or your fun in the sun will turn into a remake of The Dambusters. |
 Further up the ladder are larger, rigid-walled above-ground pools. These generally have either galvanised steel or timber panels - prices start at around £1,200.
Some of these, it has to be said, are not the exactly aesthetically pleasing, but they're certainly large enough to swim a length or two. Alligator Above Ground Pools will sell you the mighty oval-shaped Oceanic (18' x 33' x 48" deep) for just £2,995. |
Piscinelle pool
 At the higher end of this section of the market, there are some very attractive options - notably the timber pools sold by Alligator, the cheapest of which is a hexagonal 4m model and costs £3,995. Jensen Davies' timber pools start at £2,799. Fans of Big Brother will be familiar with the stylish Piscinelle pools, which come in two shapes and ten sizes. Prices start at £5,500, and go up to £12,000. Add 15 per cent for the company to do the installation. Sizes range from 3.5-10 metres (2006 prices). One of the advantages of the Piscinelle pools, is that they can be dropped into raised decking or a raised patio, or dug into a sloping site to give an in-ground effect. Packs come with pumps, plumbing and tools for assembly but in most cases you'll have to buy a separate heater. The advantage of the above-ground pool, aside from cost, is that you avoid digging and debris, but the downside is that the completely above-ground pool can look like a giant bath tub and take up a lot of space. You'll also need to prepare yourself for a very large flat pack challenge. |
The second type of pool is the DIY kit, an affordable in-ground option for those who fancy a spot of physical exercise before they take a dip.  DIY kits take various forms. The most traditional is a block and liner pool - dig a hole, lay the concrete base and blocks and then install the liner.
You can also get galvanised or polymer (a plastic compound) panel versions. Simply dig a hole, lay a concrete base and clip the panels together. The third DIY version is the one-piece fibre glass pool. This is basically a large fibreglass tub which is inserted into the ground - a fast and easy option, and a good bet for those who don't feel confident dealing with block work. Finally, a relatively recent arrival is the Polypool-a DIY kit constructed using sealed heat- retaining thermal panels. This is made exclusively by Polypool, who market it as an eco-friendly, energy-saving and easy to assemble product. A & P Pools are one of the main suppliers. |
Swimtek DIY Fibre-glass
 Prices for DIY kits will vary enormously depending on the size and shape of the pool you choose, the accessories you specify, the kind of finish you want (steps, roman end?, and what the kit includes: most will include filter, pumps, piping, and fittings, but you will probably have to buy a separate heating system (from £1,500 to £3,600). You'll also need to factor in the cost of building materials, the price of machine hire and soil excavation, and the cost of soil removal (which can be up to £2,000). So although Spata say prices start at around £5,000, the most basic DIY swimming pool is more likely to cost around £8,000 -£10,000. After that, it's up to you, but you can easily spend £20,000 before you do your first belly flop. |
Spata Gold Medal Winner, by Portrait Pools  If all that self-assembly and DIY simply sounds like too much hard work, you can always commission a company to build you a pool from scratch.
The customised pool tends to take two main forms - liner and concrete. But, as with the DIY kit, you can also get galvanised and polymer panels, one-piece fibre glass versions and polypool heat-retaining versions. The difference between concrete and liner is a matter of debate - liner pools have traditionally been the poor relation but according to Spata, new construction techniques and advances in materials make it difficult to tell the difference - though your bank balance will certainly remind you. |
Spata Pool of the Year, by Penguin Pools  Prices for customised in-ground liner pools, says Spata, start at around £30,000.
For a customised concrete pool start at £45,000 and, depending on what you want, keep counting. These guide prices include VAT, filtration units, pipe work and pumps (but not heating systems). The ultimate in swimming pool luxury is a concrete indoor heated pool with it's own specially designed building. Sprayed concrete, the material used in commercial pools, is the top of the range. Needless to say, when it comes to price it really is a matter of how deep your pockets are. The Bedfordshire-based company Easy Pools recently installed a pool for a famous singer. It included waterfalls, a spa and sauna and all manner of fancy features. The final bill was £600,000 (no, it isn't a typo!). Just the thing to drive the roller into. |
Basement pool London,
Trompe l'oeil & murals by Capital Interiors  According to Spata, heating and maintenance costs roughly £500 a year for the summer season - though this can vary widely depending on size of pool, amount of use, whether or not it has a cover etc.
The materials, location, soil type and even the wind levels will also alter the average figures as will the type of heating system you use. For an eco-friendly option there's always solar heating - after the initial outlay for the panels the heating is free, and no, it doesn't have to be sunny to generate power. On the maintenance front, the two main costs are water treatment and pool cleaner. Water treatment costs are likely to be between £150 and £300 for a full year (dependent on amount of use and whether it is a hard or soft water area.) A pool cleaner, which keeps the pool free from debris, is an essential piece of equipment. A manual cleaner is likely to cost around £100, and automatic one anything from £250 to £1,000-plus. |
Enclosures & Covers Airdome
 Given the unreliable nature of the British summer, it makes a lot of sense to invest some form of cover to keep the rains at bay while you power through your five miles before breakfast. Pool enclosures can raise the water temperature by up to 10°C, which will help reduce your heating bill. It will also keep leaves and debris out of the water, reducing the pressure on your filtration system and keep your kids safe from the water's edge. |
 Options range from inflatable pool enclosures (the cheapest) - large plastic bubbles like something from The Prisoner - to telescopic covers which enable you to make the most of the weather by sliding the pool cover back on hot sunny days.
You can also, of course have a permanent timber or conservatory-style pool buildings constructed to keep the elements at bay. (see our directory below for details of companies). |
 Safety covers - invariably advertised with a beaming family jumping up and down - aren't just for safety.
Apparently an uncovered pool will lose 75 per cent of its heat through evaporation so it's well worth the investment. You can buy either manual or automatic. |
Michael O'Flynn
1. The UK residential pool market is estimated to be worth £175 million per year.
2. There are an estimated 210,000 in-ground residential pools (outdoor) in the UK.
3. About 3,000 new in-ground pools are installed in the UK annually.
4. Estimated costs: hundreds of pounds for the most basic splasher pool; £7,000 for a top of the range above-ground pool kit; average of £30,000 for a liner pool; in the region of £45,000 for a fully-tiled, reinforced concrete pool.
5. Fifty per cent of pools are of concrete construction
6. Ten per cent of pools are made using panel systems
7. Five per cent of pools are made utilising one-piece pool shells.
8. About three per cent of the pool market is now made up of wooden pool constructions.
9. About 15 per cent of in-ground pool purchasers have previously owned a pool.
10. The above-ground pool market relies on warm weather to prompt often impulse sales.
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