The aquatic attraction of a property with an outdoor swimming pool

Is there any home addition that suggests success quite as eloquently as the swimming pool?Not only is it a non-essential nice-to-have, but the outdoor variety tends to be in use only sporadically over the summer months, meaning that the running costs per swim are that much dearer.The flipside to that, of course, is that taking a dip is all the more enjoyable when the hot weather comes along.Which leads us to the nitty-gritty; we all know swimming pools aren’t cheap, but exactly how much might the outdoor type set you back?The cheapest option is an above ground pool, which does the job, but won’t add much to the value of your property; one measuring 12 ft by 24 ft will cost around £2,500.If you want a permanent-looking pool built into the ground, entry-level versions start at around £4,500 for a DIY kit. A customised liner-kit installed by a professional will cost around £25,000, and a mosaic-tiled concrete pool will set you back £45,000.The step up from there is a ready-made carbon ceramic pool that is dropped into a hole in your garden, and these range from £50,000 to £150,000.Then of course, there’s heating. This can cost as little as £64 per summer season for a small pool heated by gas, to £2,500 per season for a large pool heated electrically (although that bill could be cut by around 75 per cent by installing a ground-source heat-pump).One way around all of this, of course, is to buy a property that already has an outdoor pool. The following three properties all do and are all currently for sale in our area.The Old Hall at Bramham is a Grade II-listed house dating from 1681 and remodelled during the 18th and 19th centuries. The first floor has five en suite bedrooms, including the master suite which also has a dressing room. In addition there is a second-floor flat with a sitting room, games room and two en suite bedrooms.

The leisure facilities include an outdoor heated swimming pool, spa with hot-tub, sauna and shower, a gym (in the orangery), and tennis court. The property is set in 28 acres, and the gardens include a glass house, kitchen garden and even a Victorian folly. There are also stables, a store, a range of farm buildings, and, across the courtyard, two flats and a cottage.

In addition, there are about 13 acres of meadow, pasture and amenity woodland, and two Christmas tree nurseries.The Paddocks at Little Ribston is a five-bedroom family home with nine acres of gardens and paddocks. A true equestrian property, it has a substantial barn, manège, solarium and stocks, heated tack room, 14 stables with water and four with infra-red heaters and closed-circuit TV (to keep an eye on mares in foal). It also has an outdoor heated swimming pool, of course, plus summer house with sauna. Additional land is available by separate negotiation.Applegarth at Linton needsa bit of work to bring it up to date, but it does at least show that swimming pools need not be the sole preserve of millionaires. It has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, three reception rooms, integral garage,and a private one-bedroom guest annexe. Outside, there are good-sized gardens with patio areas and swimming pool.

The Old Hall, Back Lane, Bramham – Price On Application with Dacre, Son & Hartley, 01423 877200 or Savills, 01904 617800.

The Paddocks, Little Ribston – £1.395m, Beadnall & Copley, 01937 580850.

Applegarth, Orchard Drive, Linton – £745,000 with Fine & Country, 01937 583535.