Your Practical Guide to Apartment Pool Renovation Projects

Typically, apartment pool renovations can be broken down into two categories: aesthetic or functional. While many projects straddle both categories, the main factor is the purpose of the addition. If lighting is added to improve safety and accessibility, it’s functional. If color-changing lights are installed to improve the ambiance, it’s an aesthetic update. It’s helpful to break down the two categories in order to weigh your priorities based on added value. In many cases, functional updates will go further by improving safety, accessibility, and the overall use of your apartment pool.

But that’s not to say that aesthetic upgrades for outdoor amenities should not have their place in the project lineup. These cosmetic updates can add a layer of sophistication and class to a pool area that makes residents more likely to spend time there. In some cases, the cost of these upgrades is so minimal; it’s perfectly reasonable to put them ahead of functional renovation. However, when considering major changes and a large budget, functional apartment pool renovations are a better investment as they pay dividends in tenant enjoyment, safety, and property value.

Apartment Pool Renovations to Excite Tenants and Build Value

There are many changes that apartment managers can make in their pool areas to enhance the space. Some are quick fixes that create temporary appeal. Others are more long-term solutions. Here are some of the more popular aesthetic and functional pool renovations—organized by average cost—that apartment managers can consider.

Functional Pool Renovations

Aesthetic Pool Renovations

Low Cost – Floating or Stick-On LED Lights

More than an aesthetic addition, simple lights can make your pool area safer by improving visibility. However, it’s important to note that the low-cost options are limited to solar or battery-powered lights, which are most often stick-on or floating LEDs. These can typically be purchased for under $100. It may be cost-prohibitive, time-consuming, even impossible to retrofit your pool area for hardwired lighting if not already equipped.

Low Cost – Floating Fountains

A floating pool fountain is an inexpensive way to add aesthetic appeal. Some can be purchased for as little as $30. Unlike a permanent fountain or waterfall, they do little to aid in circulation as they don’t move much water and they aren’t used continuously, but they can be considered a modest aesthetic upgrade.

Moderate Cost – Pool Slides

Pool slides make the apartment’s community area fun for families, and they aren’t particularly expensive. Depending on the design, pool slides can be purchased for anywhere from $500 to $5,000 and are relatively easy to install. Most likely, they can be set up in a single afternoon. Ensure that your contractor is informed and responsible to local safety standards, and be sure to consult with your insurance company before installation.

Moderate Cost – Color-Changing Lights

Colored light bulbs can give a pool area an immediate sophisticated feel and are easy to install, provided the pool has an existing hardwired connection. You can typically find them for under $100 per light. And color-changing bulbs allow you to customize the poolside ambiance at any time.

High Cost – Built-In Waterfalls

Adding a full-size waterfall to an existing apartment pool can cost anywhere from $500 to $18,000, depending on the features you plan to include. Waterfalls are functional—as well as aesthetic—because they help improve water circulation, which limits the formation of algae and takes pressure off of the filter and pump. These can also be incorporated into unique pool grottos, which provide overhead cover and a place for swimmers to sit and socialize.

High Cost – Decorative Tiles

Even decorative varieties of ceramic or porcelain tiles will cost only about $2000 to $4000 to cover a pool, but that’s not where the brunt of the cost comes in. The more expensive part of this project comes from emptying the pool, completing the painstaking tiling labor, and then filling the pool back up again. These projects average $15,000 but can go as high as $70,000 for particularly large pools with ornate tiles. In the end, updating pool tiles may be the best way to renew a dated space and may need to be done every twenty years or so anyway.

Pool Renovation Concerns in California

Pools are among the top apartment amenities in California, so there are a lot of contractors who advertise their pool construction and renovation services. However, the wrong contractors can do a lot more harm than good. They may cut corners that could cause water leaks into the walls, as well as dirt and debris getting into the pool. When considering California pool renovations, it’s important to look at more than price alone. While the best contractors may cost a little more, they will protect the structural integrity of your pool.

Expert contractors are also prepared to operate by the book. Before emptying or filling a pool, it’s important to check if any water usage bans are in effect. California has new legislation in place that will impact indoor water use. And restrictions on outdoor water consumption are under review. State leaders are very focused on reducing water usage. It’s not unreasonable to anticipate some changes in when and how apartment managers can fill pools.

Apartment pool renovations can add function and beauty to a community space. However, it’s crucial to use the right contractors to maintain structural integrity and avoid expensive mistakes. When properly executed, these pool renovations can increase the value of a property, improve safety, and enrich the community environment.

REIG Construction provides high-quality apartment pool renovations that build value and appeal for complexes in California. For more information on our pool projects, contact us.