Dream homes with swimming pools that will make you feel like you're on holiday every day

If you could splash out on one of these, which would it be?

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When the sun is out and the temperature rises thoughts might turn to how lovely it would be to have a swimming pool in your garden. Imagine loungers on one side, a poolside bar on the other and endless hours relaxing with your feet dipped in the water or drifting around on an inflatable swan.

For many homeowners this isn't practical due to space and budget and also the bother to keep a pool maintained, but for some lucky people a pool is a 'must have' when looking for a new pad and they have the big budget to bag a brilliant one.

Not all dream homes with a pool conform to the stereotype of a rectangle of chlorinated water surrounded by patio slabs, although there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but some are total luxury and some are provided for by nature. But even if a pool is not on the summer horizon for you at your abode, nosing around other people's pools can be fun.

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Website Checkatrade estimates that adding a swimming pool in your garden or inside your home has a number of variables including size, materials used, the location of your home within the UK and the finish you desire including tiling and the area around the pool, as well as any challenges of the site including any slopes and access issues.

The website estimates for an indoor pool construction is between £60,000 - £175,000 with an overall average cost coming in up to £115,000. For an outdoor pool the construction could range between £60,000 - £110,000 and the overall cost of the project up to £85,000.

There might be hidden costs you weren't expecting too, such as survey of land prior to building the pool, any disruption to mains water or gas supplies, unexpected excavation costs, the actual design of the pool and the area around it, and making good any damage to your property or garden.

Also, don't forget once the pool is ready to dive into you need to maintain it, including a cover for bad weather and products to keep the water fresh and you may want to consider a retractable cover or even a roof to protect the new, watery member of your family.

But if you want an even fancier swimming pool, like a hydrotherapy pool, infinity pool or endless pool, then the costs keep going up, so putting aside the enjoyment you will surely get as a payment for splashing out on a pool, how much value will it add to your property?

Pre Covid-19 pandemic, the figures range from between 5% to 7% of your home's overall value added by the existence of a swimming pool according to website bankrate.com. But since the pandemic and the series of home lockdowns, plus some of the hottest days on record, a study from Direct Line's Select Premier Insurance suggests that figure now stands nearer the 15% mark.

If space and budget are issues there are of course alternatives, such as inflatable mini pools, above ground pools that cut the cost of construction with little excavation needed, and of course the ever popular hot tub. But it's always interesting to see Welsh homes for sale with some of the best and most unusual swimming pools included in the purchase, just in case that lottery win comes up.

If you're going to splash out on a high-end dream home with a pool then it doesn't get much more impressive than this contemporary, Huf Haus style home nestled into the headland above the popular Pembrokeshire coastal town of Tenby.

After the breath-taking view and location have amazed you, it's the Huf Haus style of this home that is just as engaging. Called Kingswood, the house was built in 2013 and has a swimming pool that would not look out of place on the Malibu coast, and arguably has the best sea view from a pool in Wales.

The location is exemplary, overlooking the iconic and pretty coastline along Tenby harbour to St Catherine's Island. The views expand to the horizon and on a clear day include the Gower peninsula, Carmarthen Bay and even Devon, across the water. Find out more about this dream home here.

The four bed Kingswood is on the market for offers in the region of £3m with Savills, Cardiff 029 2036 8900 and Contact Fine & Country Narberth on 01834 862138.

This historic house was built on the site of an early religious settlement near the village of Rockfield, established by Ancrerites in the 11th or 12th century, the source of the property's name, The Ancre Hill. Originally a Welsh longhouse, of which an 18th century fireplace and small cellar remain, the property was altered in the Georgian period, in about 1820 and then remodelled in 1881 and later still two Victorian wings added plus servants' quarters.

Situated just down the road from the famous Rockfield recording studios, the house can offer the peace of the countryside or a tempting jamming session at the neighbour's landmark abode that has welcomed artists such as Queen, Coldplay and Oasis, so you'd better get practising.

And the pool area looks like a snapshot of a stunning, characterful villa where rock stars would be happy to stay and party. The garden feels like a slice of the Mediterranean, the most sociable area found around the gorgeous swimming pool nestled within a charming courtyard. Ancre Hill is on the market for £3,150,000 with Fine & Country Monmouth, call them on 01600 775930 to find out more.

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Some garden pools are very special because they are supplied by nature. This family home located in the village of Dolanog that once operated as a B&B has its own wild swimming pool and it couldn't be more idyllic, surrounded by countryside and expansive views.

The pool, officially named Lyn Dolanog, is a huge feature of the property and is fully stocked with trout and carp with water lilies around the edge along with specimen trees. A condition of the planning permission at this home called Tan Yr Allt is that the pool cannot be used as a standalone fishery and is only used by owners and guests of the property - good, who would want to share this stunner with anyone else?

The pool provided by nature that comes with a six bedroom house is for sale with a guide price of £750,000 with Savills, call their Telford branch on 01952 239500 to find out more.

Two choices of water at one house address at this pretty blue terrace property - the beach or the pool - but you will have to share both with a few neighbours, but that's hardly a hardship.

This three bedroom house is part of the popular Innisfree development and offers great potential as either a main residence or holiday home. The property has its own access, via a path through a lawned area to the front of the house, and patio doors to the rear, leading onto the communal gardens and the fabulous heated outdoor pool.

From a lounger you can feel like you are holidaying at your own Mediterranean mini hotel, or jump in the sea at Llansteffan Beach for an extra option for cooling down and splashing about. The blue house by the blue water is for sale for offers in the region of £350,000 with West Wales Properties, call their Carmarthen branch on 01267 236655 to find out more.

This dream home is not your typical house — and the five-bed, detached house on the fringes of Merthyr Tydfil can also offer a garden built for partying in the hot summer sun.

Yes, there's a pool for a cooling dip in the water when the sun gets unbearable, but there's also the rather unusual addition of two hot tubs. You've heard of 'his and hers' basins, towels, wardrobes, and even bathrooms, but how many homes in Wales can boast a hot tub for each half of a couple? Yes, this home has 'his and hers' hot tubs.

It's a house that demands a party indoors and outdoors. Outside, there's the inviting, Love Island-style garden that not only has the pool and the double hot tubs, it also has a glass-walled sauna in the corner that overlooks the pool, just in case it's not hot enough for you at the moment.

In the day, the garden is a fabulous outdoor space that has been designed for relaxing by the pool with a refreshing drink, chatting in the sociable hot tubs, and alfresco dining on the immaculate lawn. But it's at night that the garden really comes alive.

Fitted with LED lights on many levels, from the ground to the top of the fences, the outside space sparkles at night and provides a mesmerising sight and a party atmosphere.

Add in the coloured lighting in the hot tubs, the internal lights in the sauna and the underwater swimming pool lights and it feels like your holiday abroad will never be needed again - just step out into the garden for your perfect and permanent staycation. This party pad is on the market with Ramsay & White Estate Agents for offers in the region of £849,950, call them on 01443 803510 to find out more.

This dream home for sale is one of the capital's hidden gems, nestled amongst mature woodland and bordered by the Nant Fawr Stream, anyone checking out the estate agent photographs for this luxury house might think it was located within the rural landscape of the Vale of Glamorgan or Monmouthshire.

But this bespoke, architect-designed unique house called Nant Fawr is actually situated within a leafy corner of Cyncoed, arguably Cardiff's most expensive suburb and part of an exclusive collection of only four dream homes.

The intriguing design of this particular five-bed detached house for sale tempts you to wonder about the internal layout. Once past the kitchen, central lounging area and a cosier sitting room, the house has a window that maybe no other home in Cardiff can boast - an internal window that looks out onto a surprise indoor swimming pool.

From the outside, this house gives you no hint at all that hiding inside is a generous-sized indoor swimming pool. There's space for lounging at one end of the inviting pool and glass doors that open out onto a patio area that surely creates the perfect layout for a perfect pool party.

At the end of the room there's a handy shower room to wash all the pool water off, plus a room that is currently being used as a storage and pool pump room. The house is for sale for £2.2m with estate agents Kelvin Francis, call their Cyncoed branch on 029 2076 6538 and also with Savills, call their Cardiff branch on 029 2036 8919 to find out more.

There's lots to surprise you about this house for sale called Plas Heulog near Conwy, from its design to its features and facilities. The property sits in three acres of pretty gardens with glorious views that will make it hard to want to go inside.

The estate agent states that outside are terraced gardens with an abundance of trees and shrubs, an array of shrubs and trees, and well cared for lawns. Paths encircle the boundary and lead down to the woodland entrance where there is a detached garage tucked away.

A paddock lies to the south of the gardens and stretches up to the house where there are two small stables and a garage. The land then wraps around to the side and rear of the property where two Shetland ponies enjoy their retirement in the paddock.

When you do come back from walking the land, the four bed, two bath detached rural retreat will offer you a house through the ages, dating back to the 1870s and obvious later additions and one is the private, heated outdoor swimming pool tucked away in the back garden.

This area offers an oasis of peace as well as a pool to enjoy with an adjacent log cabin so you don't have to traipse pool water into the house when you dry off - or you could just let the sun do it. This immaculate house and tranquil garden is on the market with a guide price of £1.2m with Coast & Marina Properties, Deganwy, call them on 01492 580500 for more details.

A combination of cottage, countryside and coast is surely an appealing one to many house hunters with a hefty budget to spend, but add in a swimming pool too and some may melt. Located in Gileston, Vale of Glamorgan there are stunning rural vistas and coastal views to fully mesmerise you too, but the pool can definitely compete for your attention too.

The substantial four bedroom 17th century character property is set within a large plot of land that includes a detached, one bedroom holiday let called Pebbles whose visitors will surely be overjoyed to learn that the property also has a heated swimming pool onsite.

The cottage that has potential for a wonderful country life near the beach as well as potential to yield an income or to house other members of the family, who will all want to hang out by the pool no doubt, is for sale with a guide price of £925,000 with pa black, call the Cowbridge branch on to find out more.

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Dream homes with swimming pools that will make you feel like you're on holiday every day