It’s common for foreign buyers to install a swimming pool at a home in France, which will greatly increase your rental prospects and the rent you can charge if you plan to let. Note that many self-catering holiday companies won’t take on properties without a pool. There are many swimming pool installation companies in France or you can buy and install one yourself.
There are various types of pool, each with advantages and disadvantages. Above-ground pools are the cheapest but can be unsightly. A 15m long oval pool can be installed for as little as €2,500, and smaller ‘splasher’ pools can cost less than €500, although more elaborate fibreglass or wooden pools can cost €6,000 or more.
In-ground pools come in three general types: moulded fibreglass (or ‘one-piece’) pools, which can simply be ‘dropped’ into a hole in the ground and cost around €10,000 for a reasonable size moulding; panelled pools, which can be bought in kit form and put together without professional help and cost from around €5,000; and concrete block pools, which normally require professional installation and are therefore usually the most expensive option, costing from around €18,000 for a 10m x 5m pool.
You need planning permission to install a pool of more than 20m2 and should apply a few months in advance. And regulations introduced in January 2003 mean that all pools except those that are totally enclosed in a building must have an approved safety system (i.e. an alarm, fencing, safety cover or enclosure). Failure to comply with regulations can lead to fines of up to €45,000. Details of requirements and other information about swimming pools can be found in Renovating & Maintaining Your French Home.
Pools require regular maintenance and cleaning, which is also expensive (heating a pool, particularly an outdoor one, can cost a fortune, especially in cooler regions). If you have a holiday home in France or let a property, you will need to employ someone to maintain your pool (you may be able to get a local family to look after it in return for using it).
This article is an extract from Buying a home in France. Click here to get a copy now.