Posted: July 2009

Situation

A family of four living on a lakefront property near Seattle, Washington, was inspired to add an indoor pool to their home when they were able to buy an empty lot of land next door. But this family’s concerns with energy efficiency and integration with their existing home needed to be addressed.

The first step was to decide on the pool location and size. Because the property has a significant steep slope towards the water, the family had the option of creating a new level below the main house. With guidance and planning from Potter Construction, the family decided to build their pool addition alongside their existing home. This approach kept the original living quarters intact, allowed the pool area its own unique roofline to allow for more airspace, and allowed enough room to install a large machine room at the far end of the pool area.

The family wanted a 50 foot pool to allow for adult lap swimming.   An indoor pool of that size has special airspace and machine room requirements.   The benefits of properly designing the HVAC system cannot be overstated.  Inadequate HVAC can create so many problems that some homeowners stop using and even drain their indoor pools.
 

Maximizing Energy Efficiency

To maximize energy efficiency, the roof was built with commercial grade structural infrastructure panels (SIP) from Premier Building Systems in Tacoma, WA.  Compact fluorescent light fixtures were selected for their long lasting, low energy bulbs.

“We needed windows and doors that would be resistant to the atmosphere.  So we selected aluminum sliding doors and windows and then looked for the best heat loss rating of all the manufacturers.  Fleetwood Windows were the winner by far.  Their windows also had the oversized openings which made the room feel like it is part of the outside”, states Gary Potter of Potter Construction.

The final result is truly unique and gets daily use. The pool area itself has vaulted ceilings, sliding glass doors that open to the lake view, a band of windows above to let in lots of light during the long winter months, an open shower and dressing room.

The main living quarters have become the family’s center, featuring the kitchen, dining room, a paperless office with dual computer desk, and a swimming pool—all open and visible, within just steps of each other. “We can make dinner, do homework, work around the home office, and even go swimming—all while keeping an eye on everyone, without dropping  everything to do it. Our kids (and their friends) are very happy indeed.” says the home’s owner.

“This project was a bit different from a typical remodel.  Due to its size and structural framing it included several elements of a commercial project. The pool area required steel reinforced framing to incorporate the large doors and windows with a lake view, and we used a new SIP panel roof system. We also installed a commercial size mechanical system for heating the house and pool—it was a challenging project that turned out great.” Gary Potter, Potter Construction.

This story was written by the team at HomeSavvi – your guide to finding local resources, ideas & tips and expert advice about home remodeling.

Potter Construction is an award winning Seattle based design build firm that specializes in whole house, kitchen, and bath remodels.  To learn more about Potter Construction on HomeSavvi, click here.