Trends in Pool Houses

Across the country, homeowners are transforming their backyards into outdoor living areas designed for entertaining and relaxation. While pool houses are nothing new, it wasn't until the 1990s, and the home improvement boom (currently a $230 billion industry), that they really took off. In the last couple years, the swimming pool industry in general only increased slightly (up 4.9% in 2003 from two years before), but pool houses really took off -- sales increased about 50% in the last year.



Pool houses are getting to be an expectation in luxury housing areas where four car garages and swimming pools are commonplace. And we're not talking about little one-room shacks where you can take a quick shower. Today's luxury pool houses include kitchens and bathrooms built using ceramic tile floors, granite and marble countertops, handcrafted cherry cabinets, and expensive luxury appliances like Viking grills and rotisseries. Many pool houses make the jump to full-blown guesthouses with bedrooms or small offices with high-speed Internet access.



How much does a pool house like this cost? Ultimately, size will influence the overall price, but these backyard additions can be expensive. Some pool houses cost as much as $1000 per square foot. This is because they frequently have plentiful kitchen and bathroom space, the most expensive rooms in any house.