Creating the perfect backyard or outdoor entertaining space requires great ideas and expert execution. That’s where an experienced professional like one of our Plungie Partners can work wonders! Our trained and trusted partners offer services including pool landscaping and fencing, along with great tips and ideas for all kinds of projects.
We reached out to three of our Plungie Partners — Branching Out Co., Brizscapes and Black Group Landscape & Construction to get their ideas and expert tips for a successful landscaping project!
Landscaping trends are often changing, thanks to a regular injection of new ideas, different approaches to sustainability, and fresh products on the market. There are a few landscaping trends that our partners are seeing more and more of this year.
According to the team at Black Group Landscape & Construction, the coastal theme is already making waves:
“We are seeing a lot of coastal and Hampton vibes as people are loving [using] the Plungie pools to create a holiday resort theme in their own homes, so you can essentially step outside and feel like you're away on a holiday.”
This aesthetic works wonderfully for backyards of many shapes and sizes, combining formal gardens, manicured grass areas, and a neutral colour palette.
Light-coloured pavers and rocks create a bright environment and lend themselves to that beachside vibe, which is especially effective when the statement piece is a Plungie!
We know that yards are shrinking as homes get bigger. Full-service design and construction company, Branching Out Co., have found that this trend is causing homeowners to maximise their available backyard space:
“We've noticed a lot of people wanting a more compact pool… Plungie pools are great for that because they still want to have a backyard to live in and have a dining area or an area for kids to play or, be able to evolve with them rather than just having one giant pool."
The perfect entertaining space isn’t complete without a pool. Branching Out Co. is designing more and more projects where the pool is a key part of the outdoor entertaining area:
"People are wanting to make their pool area an extension of their house. A lot of people are adding a pool closer to the house, whereas it used to be shoved up the back out of the way. Now they want it to be part of their living zone.”
Installing a Plungie adds a whole new dynamic to your entertaining area, allowing some guests to lounge and swim while others relax by the pool.
The versatility of a Plungie gives you plenty of options when it comes to your entertaining area — install your pool above ground to create a feature, choose semi-recessed installation for your sloping block or add decking to complement your in-ground pool.
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Finding inspiring landscaping ideas for your project is an important part of the process. It’s a great idea to turn to the experts when sourcing ideas. Our Plungie Partners have plenty of wonderful ideas for every pool project.
Award-winning landscapers, Brizscapes, have found that above-ground pool installation is a great way to create a statement in your backyard.
“The main focus shift is having the pool out of [the] ground, creating a pool that is a feature statement of the area…with Plungie this can easily be done. Fully in-ground is done by everyone, but if you have a pool that you can sit on a stool next to and have a conversation with that person in the pool, it creates a whole new area of entertaining.”
Director of Design and Operations Manager at Branching Out Co., Sarah Palatucci, has seen great results with mosaic tiling on the Plungie Arena:
“We've had a couple do mosaic tiles. The one who did, she had the arena and it was half sunken into a retaining wall…she had the waterline tile coming up and over outside, which looked really, really impressive. Because it was only half out, even though it was quite a big feature, it didn't cost as much as you would think it would. ”
Our partners have overseen many successful pool installations and landscaping projects over the years. Here are their top tips for homeowners considering installing a pool in their backyard.
Branching Out Co. founder, Nick Palatucci says the key to a successful project is planning:
“The main thing people need to do is think about the pool earlier…especially for people who are planning to do a knock-down rebuild. We get people all the time coming through who have just built their house and now a pool is going to cost them 20 grand more than it would have if they'd thought about it at the start of the process.”
Although it may seem overwhelming to build your home and pool at the same time, doing so could save you time and money in the long run according to the team at Branching Out Co.
“There's this mentality of ‘we’ll pop the pool in later and it will be fine, so easy’. But it's going to cost money...and then your backyard gets ripped up again.”
Another top tip from Branching Out Co. is to get approvals for your entire landscape design, not just your pool.
“If you're having approvals done for your pool, make sure they include the whole backyard that you want around the pool…so you're not left with the pool, but you can't put your deck around the pool or any of the other things you wanted. You don't want to have to do another approval through another company because you didn't know that you needed it.”
There are many costs that you may not be aware of when you start a pool project. Over the years, Branching Out Co. has found that the main surprise for homeowners is the cost of crane hire.
“[Homeowners] sign the contract and go oh, actually it's going to cost another 8 grand for the crane. You know, we try to make our quotes as transparent as possible.”
If it’s your first time installing a pool, it’s hard to know what project costs will be involved. A Plungie Partner can give you transparency around the process to ensure your project runs smoothly.
Plungie Partners have the knowledge and experience to make pool installation easy. The biggest tip from Black Group Landscape & Construction is to lean on their expertise to bring your vision to life.
“Use our expertise to assist with design and the layout, pick the right pool, think about surroundings, themes and practicality as well keeping in mind your budget. Then we can work out how we are going to achieve this together… preparation and knowledge is essential.”
The team at Brizscapes also recommends choosing a full-service partner that can create a practical and cohesive landscape design:
“Engage a landscape company like Brizscapes that can offer an all-inclusive design with the pool and the landscaping to surround it. We can think in terms of usability of the pool area but also the surrounding areas, ensuring that you get the best use of the land/area the client has.”
Our Plungie Partners offer a range of complementary services that make installing a pool easy, no matter how big or small your project is. They’re here to work with your specific requirements and budget and cater to different lifestyles, themes, and ideas. In short — they’re here to help make your dream backyard a reality!
Thank you to Branching Out Co., Brizscapes and Black Group Landscape & Construction for sharing their expert knowledge and tips. Find a trained and trusted Plungie Partner in your area and start planning your dream backyard today!