SIZE
The size of the spa relative to the pool is not a critical issue, you can have a small pool & a large spa if you want both for relaxing more than exercise.
Remember that the bigger the spa the greater the heating costs in the cooler months.
Generally a 2.0 - 2.5 Metre (6'6" - 8'4") diam spa is about normal, if you go to much bigger then the intermacy of the spa is lost.

SHAPE
The shape is as varied as your imagination, but remembering the following.
You dont want any internal sharp corners.
You want to be able to sit face to face with other persons, not all side by side looking away from one another.
You need room for your feet & legs to relax with out being intertwined with everyone elses.
You want support for your feetso you can layback & relax without slipping under the water.

Generally you are talking a square or rectangle or hexagon or circle. (see accompanying drawing page)

You will normally have a seat area & a footwell area & you may also create a lounge area in place of some of the seating.

Remember also that you need room for access steps especially if older people are to use the spa. These steps need to go to the floor, not just to the seat.

POSITION
The positioning of the spa within or adjacent to the pool is as hard to determine as the general access to the pool.

If you have the spa close to the main entertaining area, then you will possibly find it is noisy & will intrude on the entertaining area, at the same time, some people like it close to the entertaining area so conversations can take place between people in the spa & those on the surround area.

If the spa is placed on the far side of the pool then its use can be a semi seperate identity from the pool or the general dry entertaining area.
In this case it is nice to have some small dry standing or sitting area adjacent to the spa.

The spa can be set to have its top at the same level as the deck of the pool or it can be above the pool deck level.
The upset spa with a wide edge around can be advantageous for providing seating around the spa (wet seating) & can also act as a barrier for preventing people from accidently stepping back or forward into the spa or for foreign matter blowing in to the spa.

ENTRY
When the spa is connected to a pool, constideration must be given to possible access from the pool direct to the spa as well as access from the surround deck to the spa.

As mentioned previously you will need to provide steps for safe access to the spa.
Remember that when the spa is operating, you can not see the steps (or lack of steps) so they must be constructed so that people can judge where the steps under the water are & how high they are.

If you have set the spa above the surrounding deck, then you will need to provide a step for each 200mm (8") you have risen.

In many cases especially if older people are to use the spa then you should incorporate a hand rail for ensuring safe access.

COMBINED SYSTEM
When incorporating a spa with a pool, consideration must be given to the method & level of incorporation of the pipework, filtration & chemical treatment systems.

BASIC LEVEL - The filteration system which normally operates the pool has two valves on the return line, one which allows water to go back to the pool through the normal returns & one which sends the water through the spa jets to the spa pool from where it runs in to the pool & is then drawn back to the treatment system via the skimmer. There is a seperate air blower to provide air to the floor or seat air inlets.

This is a simple low cost system but has the disadvantages that:
heating of the spa is very inefficent.
The filter has to work at a higher than normal operating pressure when directed through the spa jets.
A larger than normal pump needs to be used to provide adiquate pressure for the jets.
(short term low capital cost & high operating costs).

PRIMARY SYSTEM - This system has the following characteristics,
Both the suction line & the return to pool lines have valving so that the spa can operate as a seperate indntity to the pool when heating is required.
The line returning to the spa does not go to the jets but to a normal return eyeball low down in the spa footwell & there is a seperate spa suction incorporating a skimmer & lower level safety suction connected to the filter pump suction via the valving
This means that all heating, filtration & chemical treatment is consentrated specifically on the spa when required.
There is a seperate jet boost pump adequately sized for the jets which draws from its own safety suctions in the foot well of the spa & returns directly to the spa jets.
There is an air blower which provides air to the fittings in the floor or seat of the spa.

With this system as with the Primary System, there is normally a connection from the pool return to the spa to allow water to circulate through the spa when it is not in use just from the pool treatment system, this line will always need a check or non return valve to stop water running from the spa to the pool other than over the spill way where it should normally go.

SEPERATE SYSTEM
ULTIMATE SYSTEM - With this system, the pool has one set of circulation, filtration, chemical treatment & heating & the spa has a parallel system plus its jet boost pump & air blower.

INSULATION
When constructing a spa pool from concrete as part of a swimming pool, it should be standard practice to place 50mm (2") of polystryene foam between the soil & the spa concrete or between the pool concrete & the spa concrete.

This will provide good insulation against heat loss & will save its own cost in a very short time with heating bills.

Many pool builders will say that it is to hard to use, but you have to pay the on going bills, not them.

There will be areas where you will not be able to use the foam such as in the bond beam which would incorporate the structural component of the pool with the spa but consideration should be given to its maximum use.

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