Swimming pool or swim spa or nothing?

Building new PPOR is Melbourne (New estate, not luxury location) and thinking of fitting either a lap pool, or a swim spa (Fastlane Pools, Small Swimming Machines, Swim Current Pools - swim spa version) - which one do you think would be better? Anyone tried swim spa from fast lane?

Main function: swimming exercises, good for my bad back
Main users: me
Frequency: approx. 3x a week 30 mins each
Cost: either option cost about 50k excluding fences and paving

The lap pool option - 2 x 13m, 1.3m deep
Pro:
- it's a real concrete pool, I know what I can expect in terms of swimming
- looks better
- I'm not an Olympic swimmer, I can just do many tumbleturn

Cons:
- expensive
- unremovable
- potential issue when the times come to sell
- only used mainly by me
- maintenance

The swim spa from fast lane
Swim Spa Perth | Swim Spas Adelaide | Swim Spa Cost
The largest 5.18m with stronger machine

Pro:
- portable, I can move it to the next house
- relatively less maintenance
- Can be used by hubby for spa all time of the year (plus friends when they visit)

Cons:
- expensive!
- less pretty
- I'm not sure about the swimming experience
- potential issue with maintenance/ machinary


Option 3
Buy car, learn to drive to local pool. But this is unlikely to happen during weekdays. Not much time. I'd like something I can access before or after work


Input?

 

I vote for your own lap pool. It's a PPOR so investment criteria don't apply.

 

It's a tough one. I've got a pool so can't speak about spas. Pools take a fair bit of maintenance as you gathered, and it's expensive when things go wrong (which seems to be fairly regularly). I spend at least some time every day though in the pool. It's good exercise without leaving the garden. It looks beautiful. I feel like a millionaire lol. So short answer, in winter and/or when it's costing me money I think why the hell have we got this thing? When I'm floating around on my inflatable lounger, looking up at the palm leaves swaying and waiting for hubby to bring me a cocktail I think, oh yer, this is me!

 

Pool in Melbourne? I hope it's indoors and heated otherwise it might be warm enough to swim comfortable 1 or 2 days a year!

Happy medium and use one of these in a plunge pool Stationary Cord Hip Belt Swim Trainer ?

 

*cough*
Outdoor ....

Heated yes - solar heated

The stationary belt works well for you?

 

I think you'd be better off learning to drive and driving to the local pool. At least then you'd have year round access.

No idea! I don't like swimming, I just saw it on fb a while ago and thought it was a good idea.

 

13 m isn't long enough for a proper lap pool. 20-25 m is minimum IMO. I use the bungee cord. It works fine in our 10 m pool. The rest of the time it's to relax and play in.

I don't know much about the endless swim spa's.

 

My fav length is 50m
The endless swim spa, largest size 50k with the swim system etc so the same as a lap pool

 

Based on your opening post it seems that you might be over capitalising. PPOR is different as it's about lifestyle but just be sure you are likely to stay there for a while before you sell. Also I am from Melbourne originally. Even with solar your swimming season will not be more than 6 months. Maybe the portable stand alone version of the endless spa would fulfil more than just swimming and have flexibility of moving with you.

 

I've tried the bungy cord thingy that @Kinnon Bell posted (similar brand, anyway) and it did take a few sessions to get used to. It was already a bit old by the time I started to use it (another family member had been using it for training in our pool for at least a year or so) and because it was always left out in the tropical sun, after a few sessions it broke from being perished.

I have been meaning to get another one and give it a go again, though, as I'd like to do swimming training and our pool is way too short (~8m) for laps.

Re your OP - for a PPOR that I was going to stay in for a while, I'd get a lap pool, hands down. The only issue is the Melb temps, so I'd probably want a decent heating system and a cover so that I could use it all year round. Just put a step along one side and a couple of jets so your husband can use it as a plunge pool / "spa" as well...?

 

Go to the local pool. You cannot train in your own pool, much like its near impossible to train in your own gym.

Get the pool you want to cool off and lounge about in.

 

Yes. Even as is with new built it'll already be over capitalised.

Hence the hesitation. I never lived in Melbourne. I never know whether I'd like to run crying back to Sydney maybe should decide after the house is build.

@Bran my current apartment pool is about 15m. Sufficient to keep my shoulder and back better (hence I said I'm not a really fast swimmer, nor good at kicking). The current pool is an elevator away, hence I always use it after walking the dog at 6:30am. There's a 50m pool nearby with 15mins walking time. Went there once in 2 years, just a bit too far to fit in my schedule