The short answer
In Athens and Piraeus we mainly build small pools and plunge pools in yards and light wells, plus pools on roof terraces with a structural adequacy certificate. The wall panels pass through a normal front door, so most jobs need no crane or large machine.
How much space you need
A small pool for cooling off and relaxing starts at around 3 × 2 metres. To swim a few strokes, allow at least 5 to 6 metres in length. Around the pool you want a path to walk on and a place for the plant room, which can be a small box in a corner.
At the site visit we draw the pool on a plan of your garden, so you can see what is left for a table and loungers. See also the page on a small courtyard pool.
How we work in tight spaces
The biggest issue in the city is not the pool, it is the way in. Many houses in Kallithea, Nea Smyrni or Agios Dimitrios reach the garden only through a side passage or through the house. The steel walls come in sections two people can lift, so they get through.
For digging we use a mini digger or, if even that does not fit, we dig by hand. Spoil leaves in bags or on a small truck. We schedule noisy work for permitted hours so the neighbours have nothing to complain about.
A pool on an apartment or house roof
A rooftop pool is a way to get a cool dip with a view in a built-up area. Before anything else, a civil engineer has to check that the slab can take the weight. One cubic metre of water weighs a tonne, so these are serious loads.
In an apartment block you also need the agreement of the co-owners, under the building's rules. More on the rooftop pool page.
Water and power in the city
In the Athens basin pools are almost always filled from the mains. A small pool needs only a few cubic metres, filled within a day with a hose. For power, a separate line from the house panel for the pump and lights is enough.
Because small pools hold little water, they warm up fast in June and cool down fast in October. A small heat pump makes a big difference and takes little space.
