Pools and Gardens

I am buying on the first phase and have started to think about getting information and prices about pools and gardens.

Not knowing the area very well does anyone have any information regarding this or had any indication of prices and what to expect etc.

Thanks Shaggi

Hi Shaggi, try contacting the Property Services for Finca Parcs they seem to have everything you need covered.  www.fincavalleyspain.com 

Hi Shaggi,

We have been living in Hellin, about 10 miles from finca Parks for about 3 years. This summer we were looking for someone to do this kind of work, the only people we could find locally were -- Piscinas y Tenis in Albacete  tel 00 34 967 511 057 -- contrary to their name they do not do tennis courts. However they quoted 13,000 Euros for a 8 x 4 meter pool with roman steps. That seems to be in the right area, and there is also Piscinas Servicasa  967 502 544 www.servicasa.biz

There are a lot of things to consider with pools, do you want permanent concrete, glass fibre, or plastic.  Chlorinated or salt water or filter bed cleaning systems. below ground, above ground or infinity. You can spend lots happy hours looking these up on the internet.

You may prefer a new site for the 'local' english language newspaper, it's not really that local but it's as close as you'll get, and is brimming with adverts for this kind of work. I'm sure you could find somebody willing to travel, and of course they will speak english.  The site is very new and I couldn't make it work passed page 36, which is a shame as most of the adverts are at the back, but I'm sure they will sort that out soon. Go to www.roundtownnews.co.uk  then to on-line paper and then rtn south. you turn the pages by draging the corner with the mouse and you can zoom in by pressing the + sign, look for the 'go back' sign to go back to normal size.

Of course you must see a pool they have completed, and speak to it's owners before deciding on a contractor.

If you would like more information let us know, also if anyone is looking for accommodation in the area close to Finca Parks please contact us.

 

Hi Shaggi,  what model have you got on phase one ?   all of the smaller ones come complete with pools already,  however I know the property management company are already speaking to various registered companies as I have already requested info on a pool/hot tub and air con, if you decide to go it alone to do make sure you use a reputable company that offer guarantees, and most important of all make sure that they obtain a licence from the town hall before they do the work, lots of dodgy dealers out there that disappear when you have a problem !       Biddy

Hi Everyone, Im a newbie to this forum and please excuse me if you have already covered my question previously.  I have one of the smaller houses on phse 1 that comes complete with a pool,  its the first time Ive had a pool so a bit green in this area, what is the most cost effective,  keeping the pool filled all year round and have the pool people look after it or to empty it when were not there.  Any info on the topic would be much appreciated.  Thanks   Palo

Hi Palo,   I have always kept my pool full to avoid problems, the weight of the water will help prevent the pool from collapsing among many other things.  The cost for re-filling the pool  over and over will far outway the cost of keeping the pool full, plus you have the question of wasting water, you would not be able to use it for the garden because of the chemicals. According to the price list I have for pool care the smallest pool would cost around  600 pounds a year for the pool company to clean and maintain.  Hope this gives you a bit of an insight.   Chingo

Hi Palomino,  as Chingo says, it always pays to keep your pool full. 

You will find that up in Castilla La Mancha the locals all allow their pools to go green in the winter, the conditions here are rather different  to those the coast. Apart from the obvious temperature differences and shorter season for use, the main thing is that it is not illegal to use tap water to fill your pool. In Murcia for instance there is a potential 50,000 Euro fine for using a hose pipe to fill your pool, in Castilla La Mancha, the water board simply ask you nicely to fill it at night. It does take rather a long time and is expensive. 

Probably the best solution to your problem is to invest in a good quality pool cover, this will mean that the pool can look after itself when you are not there, will need far fewer chemicals in the summer and none at all in winter. This will mean you don't have to clean it when you are ready to use it (as the locals do) and you would be using fewer chemicals, which is both cheaper, and avoids the problems of chemical saturation. I understand that there are now solar heating pool covers which substantially lenghten the season. The initial cost of the cover would probably be less than a years service charge.

Hope this helps,  Sandy

 

 

Hi Sandy and Palo,  I think there are for's and against in what ever method you choose to use,  I have had my pool for eight years now, the first year I puchased a cover and put the pool to bed as the term is,  lowered the level of the pool to just under the skimmer and applied the winter chemicals, in April I removed the cover and then started to get the pool in order for use from the 1st May, what ever the weather I am determined to at least get in the pool on the 1st, even  If I do go a lovely shade of blue and purple. One of the problems I experienced was after a couple of weeks of heavy rain there was a large puddle of rain water in the centre of the cover, this was impossible to shift unless it was to go straight into the pool which defeated the object really, however it did start to attract mosquito type flies much to the annoyance of my grumpy old neighbour.  The following year I gave the cover a miss, put in the winter chemicals,  kept an eye on it and then just cleaned as and when necessary, the sight of a nice crystal clear pool was far better than looking at the cover for me anyway. There was hardly any difference in the running cost with either method as the Summer months are when it is imperative to keep the pool clean and the chemical balance correct, failing to do this can cause numerous problems not only to the quality of  the pool  water but also the users,  ie ear and throat infections, upset stomachs etc etc.  Sometimes after the heavy Sahara rains if you are not careful the pool can go a nice shade of pea green, the only way to get over this is to shock the pool, a bit of a pain really as it puts the pool out of action for a few days. Maybe the locals are happy to let their pools go green, but Im sure this would not win you any brownie points with your neighbours.  I am fairly certain that it is illegal in most places to INITIALLY fill your pool from tap water, plus the fact it would take a few nights to fill it anyway, however most places will turn a blind eye to topping the pool up outside peak hours,  you can also have a pool that fills itself up automatically.  I hope Im not coming across as a Know it All, I just wanted to give you the benifit of my own experiences over the past years.  I am sure you will have great pleasure in owning your own private pool, nothing beats it, especially in those long hot Summer evenings, lovely dip first thing in the morning and just before bed at night.    Enjoy      All the best Chingo

Thank you  to all of you that have rently contacted us direct with regard to Pool Construction and Garden Design, just to let you know that our website is currently being updated to include more comprehensive info on both, this will include plans and designs etc etc.  We will also be producing a News Letter early in the New Year which will give more extensive details on all of the service we are now able to offer clients of Las Higuericas.  Please contact your respective agents for more info, all clients  that have registered their interest with us direct will receive this info automatically.  Thanks once again   Finca Valley Management Team

** EDITED ** Commercial post

This message was last edited by EOS Team on 1/10/2008.