Having a swimming pool can be a great addition to your backyard, but the regular upkeep and potential for drowning of small children and pets can make many people decide to do away with their pool and instead fill in that spot with something more desirably. Here we take a look at five potential options for what you can do with the empty spot where your pool was once located.
Build a Deck
Having a deck can not only provide plenty of room for your family and friends to gather during summertime cookouts, but it can also increase the overall value of your home and property potentially more than a pool would.
Decks can be installed over the deck or can be constructed in the empty spot left where a pool was demolished and removed. While the initial cost of removing a pool and installing a deck can be high, the long term value is good if you are planning on selling your home in the future.
Decks can be wood or composite, and can be made to any size and shape you request. They can have benches, built-in planters, and other additions. You can also construct a brick patio and install outdoor kitchens or stylish burn pits to increase your overall enjoyment of your backyard.
Create a Koi Pond
If you love having a water feature, but don’t like the upkeep of a pool, installing a koi pond or other water feature may be the best choice. Koi ponds can be large or small, and can have a wide range of attractive additions such as waterfalls or fountains.
Once established, koi ponds are extremely low maintenance. They also provide a place for you to enjoy live fish of vibrant colors right in your backyard. A koi pond or other water feature oasis can be a wonderful place for you and your family to enjoy a book, relax in a hammock, or meditate with the sound of water behind you.
Do Some Gardening
Once a pool has been removed or decommissioned, the fill dirt used in that area can be a great place to start a garden or small orchard. Plants of all types can be an enjoyable hobby for all ages to enjoy, and can help reduce stress and increase your overall happiness and wellbeing.
Having an edible garden with crops, berry bushes, and dwarf fruit trees can be a great way to move your family one step closer to being self-sufficient as well. Planting tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, and a wide range of common edible plants is great for enjoying a fresh salad or doing some preservation canning.
Install a Sunken Patio
Once you have drained your pool, the next step would be to have it demolished and removed from your property, but this can be extremely costly and time consuming. Instead, turn it into a sunken patio by adding furniture, potted plants, outdoor lighting, and other accents.
