If you run a gym, health club, or boutique studio in Zimbabwe, you already know the truth: the pool is a membership magnet. It’s where early birds get their laps in, mid-morning clients smash aqua classes, and rehab clients quietly put in the work that keeps them coming back.
Our job at Premium Pools is to design and build (or renovate) a pool that looks great, feels amazing, and—crucially—runs affordably month after month.
Why a gym pool makes business sense
- Attracts and retains members: Swim access and aqua classes are sticky benefits that boost sign-ups and reduce churn.
- All-weather programming: Heated water + covers = usable hours from dawn to dusk, most of the year.
- Low-impact training: Ideal for beginners, seniors, and rehab clients—broadens your market without crowding the weight floor.
Everything we design flows from those three outcomes.
Start with programming, not tiles
Before we talk finishes, we plan how the water will be used—laps, lessons, aqua-aerobics, rehab lanes, even water-polo practice for schools if you partner locally.
That shapes length, width, and depth. A typical health-club brief might be 18–20 m with two lap lanes, a shallower instructional zone for classes, and steps wide enough for seniors to feel confident.
If your brand is more boutique, a shorter 12–15 m heated lap pool with a crisp aesthetic can punch above its size when programming is tight.
We’ll also map flow: where members enter from the changerooms, where towels and bins live, where the coach stands, and how prams or mobility aids get in without drama.
If you’re in Harare’s leafy suburbs, we’ll check afternoon shade lines; in windier spots, we’ll angle the pool to keep chop down during classes.
Indoor vs outdoor (and the bit nobody budgets for)
Outdoor pools are simpler and beautiful—think morning light, fresh air, and lower build cost. Indoor or enclosed pools extend your usable hours and make winter training easy, but they demand humidity control and sensible glazing. We’ll give you the plain-English version:
- Ventilation and dehumidification for indoor/enclosed pools so windows don’t sweat and ceilings don’t suffer.
- Non-slip, warm-underfoot surfaces around the water so members keep shoes off without regretting it.
- Acoustic treatments where classes get lively—your yoga studio next door will thank you.
Build quality for Zimbabwean realities
Zimbabwe’s sun is generous and its dust is… enthusiastic. We engineer gunite/concrete shells for local soils and finish for durability:
- Finishes: UV-stable tile or premium marble plaster that resists chalking and cleans quickly between classes.
- Coping & handholds: Rounded, comfortable edges; integrated grab rails where coaching happens.
- Decking: Textured pavers or composite that stay cool underfoot and drain properly.
- Lighting: Warm, even underwater light for dawn and dusk; glare-aware fixtures so coaches aren’t squinting.
It looks premium on opening day—and still does after thousands of sessions.
Water & energy strategy (where OPEX lives)
This is the quiet engineering that keeps levies and bills tame. We size the hydraulics first:
- Oversized filtration running at lower velocities for clearer water and fewer backwashes.
- Variable-speed pumps programmed for low overnight circulation and higher loads before class times.
- Covers that staff will actually use—manual reels for small pools or discreet automatic options for showpiece decks.
- Heating: a solar + heat-pump combo sized to shoulder seasons so members stay happy without ZESA surprises.
- Chemistry automation: Salt-chlorination or liquid dosing with ORP/pH control to keep water stable (and skin/eyes happy).
- Backwash recovery: Capture, settle, and divert to irrigation or pre-filter top-up—simple plumbing that pays back quickly.
We’ll model running costs so you can see before/after numbers in plain English.
Popular configurations that work
- Two-lane lap + class bay: 18–20 m with a shallower corner for aqua-aerobics and lessons—our most requested layout.
- Compact boutique lap pool: 12–15 m heated lane with generous steps and a bench for coaching cues; perfect for high-end studios.
- Partnered school/gym set-up: Shared spec with lane ropes and deeper mid-section for occasional team training.
Accessibility & safety that feels natural
Good safety feels invisible. We design wide entry steps, rails where seniors expect them, non-slip surfaces, and clear depth transitions so new swimmers don’t get surprises.
Anti-entrapment fittings, compliant gates/fencing (for outdoor pools), and clean sightlines for lifeguards or staff are standard. You’ll get a simple handover pack: daily/weekly checks, chemical handling, and emergency contacts so new staff don’t guess.
Operations: coach- and cleaner-friendly
A brilliant class can be undone by a clumsy layout. We plan equipment storage for noodles, dumbbells, and lane ropes adjacent to the water; hose bibs and drains where your cleaning team needs them; and plant rooms that are dry, ventilated, and reachable without wheeling drums through the cardio floor.
Labels on valves, clear SOPs, and sensible sensor placement mean fewer after-hours callouts.
Renovations: when the smartest pool is the one you already have
If your pool looks tired or runs hot on utilities, we can usually fix it without starting over. Typical wins:
- Reline/re-tile for a clean, modern look (and to stop micro-leaks).
- Plant-room refit with VSD pumps, right-sized filters, and automation.
- Lighting & deck refresh to sharpen the brand feel.
- Covers + backwash recovery for immediate savings.
- Heat strategy updated to solar + heat-pump with tidy controls.
We’ll phase the work so classes keep running as far as possible.
Programming ideas that sell memberships
Keep it simple and consistent: early-bird lap slots, mid-morning aqua-aerobics, afternoon learn-to-swim, and two evening conditioning classes weekly.
Layer in a rehab hour in partnership with a local physio, and consider family splash sessions on Saturdays to drive secondary spend at the café or juice bar. Great water keeps the schedule full; a full schedule keeps the membership base sticky.
FAQs
What depth works best for classes and laps?
A smart compromise is 1.1–1.4 m for class zones with 1.6 m down the lap line. You get stable footing for aqua work and comfortable turns for swimmers.
Is salt water better for a gym?
For communal use, salt with automation is a great balance—stable water, softer feel, and fewer “chlorine smell” complaints.
Can we add a pool to an existing gym space?
Often, yes. We’ll check structure, services, ventilation, and access. If indoor, humidity control is part of the first conversation.
How do we keep heating affordable?
Use covers, programme VSDs around class times, and size solar + heat-pump for shoulder seasons rather than mid-winter vanity temperatures.
Do you train staff?
Absolutely. We’ll hand over checklists, coach the daily/weekly routines, and offer seasonal tune-ups so water stays consistently great.
Ready to make your pool the reason members stay?
If you want water that looks gorgeous, feels amazing, and doesn’t bully your bills, we’d love to help.
Contact Premium Pools to discuss gym and health-club pool design, construction, or renovation.
Also see: Water-Saving Commercial Pools (our Zimbabwe-specific standards), Hotel/Lodge Pools, and School Pools for sector examples.
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