A pool is only as good as the team that builds it. Most are not good enough.

A standard outdoor concrete pool with basic filtration, heating and a tiled finish starts from £40,000. Indoor pools — which require additional structural work, specialist ventilation to manage humidity, and often a pool enclosure — typically start from £80,000. Pool houses, changing rooms, plant rooms, saunas and steam rooms add cost depending on size and specification. RCB provides a fixed-price quotation following a site survey and design stage — we do not give indicative prices that inflate later.

Both add value and lifestyle, but the answer depends on how you intend to use the pool. Outdoor pools are lower cost to build and maintain, but usable for only part of the year in the UK climate without heating. Indoor pools are year-round facilities but require specialist dehumidification ventilation to protect the building fabric — humidity from an indoor pool will cause serious structural damage if the ventilation system is inadequate. For high-net-worth properties seeking maximum year-round use, we generally recommend indoor or covered pools. RCB designs both to the correct specification.

Structural waterproofing — also called tanking — is the application of a specialist membrane system to the reinforced concrete pool shell that prevents water passing through the structure in either direction. Without it, water migrates through microscopic cracks in the concrete over time, causing structural damage, ground movement, and eventual pool failure. A correctly applied structural waterproofing system, combined with correctly designed expansion joints and penetration seals, is what separates a pool that performs for 30 years from one that starts leaking in year three. RCB specifies and applies structural waterproofing as a non-negotiable element of every pool build.

It depends. Below-ground outdoor swimming pools in a residential garden are generally permitted development and do not require planning permission, provided the pool does not cover more than 50% of the garden area and the property is not listed or in a conservation area. Pool houses, gazebos, changing rooms or any structure above ground will require planning permission if they exceed permitted development limits. Indoor pools within the footprint of the existing house are generally dealt with under Building Regulations rather than planning. RCB confirms the planning position for each project before any work begins.

Yes — and combining these elements in a single build programme is more cost-effective than commissioning each separately. Many RCB pool clients add a sauna, steam room, outdoor hot tub, and a wine cellar to the same project. The groundworks and M&E runs are shared, the building control application covers the whole scope, and the programme is managed as one. If you are already excavating for a pool, it is the ideal moment to build the basement wine cellar or plant room you have been considering.