Composite pool in Batumi: shell, installation, equipment

Composite pool in Batumi: what it is and who it suits

A composite pool is a ready-made fibreglass shell that is made in a factory and delivered to the plot in one piece. It is set on a concrete slab, backfilled, connected to the equipment and filled. People choose a composite pool in Batumi when they need a pool quickly: from preparing the excavation to the first swim takes 3–5 weeks, not the 3–4 months of a concrete pool. The gelcoat surface is smooth, algae cling to it less than to mosaic joints, and such a shell is easier to clean.

Limits of composite

• the size is limited by what can travel down the street and through the gate: usually up to 8 m long and 4 m wide;
• the shape and depth come from the manufacturer's catalogue;
• a crane or loader crane must be able to reach the installation spot;
• with high groundwater, an empty shell can be pushed upwards.

If you want a special shape, an overflow edge or a large size, it is better to build a concrete pool. For a standard house or a house to let, composite is often more practical: quick, predictable and without a long building job in the garden.

Base and installation

We dig an excavation with room around the shell, compact the bottom and pour a reinforced slab dead level, following the same rules as a slab foundation. The shell is lowered by crane, levelled and connected to the pipes. Backfill goes in layers at the same time as the shell is filled with water, so the pressure outside and inside rises together and the walls do not deform. In ground with high water we lay drainage under the slab, and after installation the shell is never left empty.

Delivery: checked in advance

The shell travels on a low-loader, with a load up to four metres wide. Before ordering we check the whole route: narrow streets, bends, wires, branches, bridges, the gradient at the entrance. If the low-loader cannot reach the plot, the shell is lifted by crane over the fence or from a neighbouring plot, and sometimes a smaller shell has to be chosen. Composite is easiest to install before the plot has a fence and paving.

Equipment and heating

Composite shells come with fittings for skimmers, inlets and lights. The equipment is the same as for a concrete pool: filter, pump, heat pump, a dosing station or salt electrolysis. For a house to let we recommend automation and electrolysis: the water does not need checking every day, and guests get a clean pool. More on such houses on the house to let page.

Shell colour and what goes around it

A light shell gives turquoise water and heats up less in the sun, while a dark grey or graphite one gives a deep colour and warms the water by a few degrees on its own. Around the shell we lay coping and a pool surround falling away from the pool, so rainwater and dirt from the lawn do not get into the water. Under the surround we leave ducts in advance for the lighting cable and the pipes to the plant room, if it stands separately.

How much a composite pool costs

A 4–5 m composite pool with installation and equipment costs from 36 000 ₾, a 6–7 m pool from 51 000 ₾. A concrete slab and backfill from 5 400 ₾, delivery and crane placement of the shell from 3 600 ₾. A pool heat pump from 11 400 ₾, a salt electrolysis unit from 6 900 ₾. Coping from 170 ₾ per linear metre, a winter cover from 57 ₾ per m². The final cost is set after a site visit, an access check and an agreed estimate.