The pool beneath the surface
The shell, lining, steps and any history of leaks or repairs. Reusing a structure only makes sense when its condition supports the new design.
Start with what you have
Keep what works.
Rethink the water.
You may not need to start again to swim without chlorine. A well built existing pool can offer a useful foundation, but the right answer begins with its condition, the space around it and the way you want to use it.
Three things we look at first
Room for natural filtration
We look beyond the swimming area to find space for filtration, circulation and maintenance access, without treating the rest of your garden as an afterthought.
The setting and your priorities
Access, levels, trees, terraces and the length you like to swim all shape the proposal. Tell us what you love about the existing pool and what you would change.
Sometimes conversion is the sensible route. Sometimes a new pool gives a better result. We will explain the difference before you commit.
Discuss your existing poolWhat changes, what stays
A different system.
A familiar setting.
Conversion is more than switching off the chlorine. The aim is to keep the parts that still serve you well, while giving the water a properly designed biological filtration system.
Consider for reuse
The foundations already in place
Shell and excavation
A sound pool structure may remain, with repairs or a new lining where the assessment identifies a need.
Terraces and pool edges
Coping, paving and access can be incorporated where their condition and levels work with the proposed layout.
Suitable services and equipment
Plant space, pipe runs and pumps are checked for condition and suitability rather than automatically replaced or retained.
Designed for its new life
How the water is looked after
Filtration and circulation
Chemical dosing is retired and the filtration is redesigned around the pool, its use and the space available.
Water and planting
We plan the changeover, assess the intended water source and specify the planting and filter arrangement as part of the complete scheme.
A different care routine
Debris removal, equipment checks and seasonal plant care take the place of a routine centred on chlorine dosing.
What stays is confirmed through assessment and design. Existing equipment is not a guarantee of a suitable natural pool system.
Designed around the space
Where the natural filtration lives.
The swimming area and the filtration need to work together. There is more than one way to arrange them, and the best solution is not always the most obvious one.
Beside the existing pool
An adjoining planted regeneration zone can preserve the swimming area while bringing the water into the wider garden. It needs suitable space, levels and access alongside the pool.
Worth exploring when keeping your swimming length matters.Within the existing footprint
Part of the pool can become a separate planted zone where the dimensions allow. This reduces the space left for swimming, so the balance between the two areas needs careful thought.
A smaller swimming area, with less expansion into the garden.Elsewhere in the garden
A living pool approach can position the planted filtration away from the swimming area. Where feasible, it keeps a more conventional pool appearance, but still needs a suitable filter location, pipework and maintenance access.
Explore living pools
Cost & value
A price for your pool.
Not an assumption.
Conversion work is quoted individually after assessment.
Reusing a sound structure may reduce some building work. Repairs, new filtration and changes to the garden can offset that saving, so we compare the complete proposal rather than just the shell.
Structure and lining
The condition of the existing pool and the work needed to make it suitable.
Filtration and excavation
The filter arrangement, groundworks, circulation and any new connections.
Access and finishes
Getting equipment into the garden, reinstating surfaces and finishing the edges.
From first look to first swim
A clear plan.
A considered changeover.
We establish what the conversion needs before construction starts, then take the project through the build, commissioning and the care that follows.
Assess the pool
Review the structure, available records, equipment and access. We identify what needs investigating further before making assumptions about reuse.
Design the conversion
Resolve the filtration space, swimming area and surrounding finishes. The proposal sets out the scope, guide cost and approach to the work.
Build and commission
Complete the agreed alterations, install the filtration and prepare the water. Commissioning and checks determine when the pool is ready for use.
Settle into the seasons
Receive a care routine for your pool, with support as the planting and biology establish. Natural filtration still needs attention and seasonal upkeep.
Allow time for the whole journey
As an early guide, survey and design may take two to four weeks, with construction typically taking eight to sixteen weeks. Repairs, access, ground conditions and the extent of the work can change that programme. Planting continues to establish through its first growing season.
These are planning guides, not a confirmed start or completion date. We discuss the programme for your pool before work is agreed.
Before your consultation
A few photographs are a good place to start.
You do not need a complete technical file to get in touch. Share what you know, and we can work out the next steps together.
Discuss your conversionFree design consultation, with no obligation.
Show us the pool and its surroundings
Photographs of the water, edges, equipment and the space around it help us understand the setting.
Tell us what you know about its history
Approximate dimensions, age, previous repairs and recurring issues are useful. Share drawings or equipment details where available.
Explain what matters to you
Keeping the swimming length, changing the appearance, retaining a terrace or simplifying your routine can all shape the brief.
Before you make the change
Your pool.
Your questions.
The practical things existing pool owners want to know, from keeping the swimming area to understanding the work involved.
Explore all natural pool FAQsHave a particular pool in mind?
A conversation about your existing pool is more useful than a one size fits all answer.
Talk through your conversionCan my chlorine swimming pool be converted?
Many existing pools can be assessed for conversion, but suitability is not determined by appearance alone. The shell, lining, equipment, surrounding space and access all matter. A pool with significant structural problems or a layout that cannot accommodate suitable filtration may be better replaced. We establish what needs checking before recommending a route.
Will I lose part of the swimming area?
Not necessarily. Where filtration can be positioned beside the pool or in another suitable part of the garden, the existing swimming area may be retained. Using part of the pool itself as a regeneration zone will reduce the space available to swim. We show that trade off clearly in the layout, particularly where swimming length is important to you.
See the layout optionsDoes the planting have to be right next to the pool?
No. A planted margin is one approach, but a living pool design can place the planted filtration away from the swimming area. This is subject to the garden, levels, connections and access making the arrangement practical. It keeps the filtering separate from the appearance of the pool, rather than removing the need for filtration space.
Read about living poolsCan I keep my pump, pipework and pool lining?
Potentially, but we assess each part rather than promise to reuse everything. Equipment needs to suit the new circulation and filtration requirements, and the lining and shell need to be in appropriate condition. The proposal should distinguish between items that can stay, items that need changing and anything that needs further investigation.
Is conversion cheaper than a new natural pool?
It can be, but it is not automatically the lower cost option. Keeping a sound structure may save work, while repairs, alterations and a new filter zone can add costs elsewhere. We quote the complete conversion individually and compare it with the alternatives. Published new pool starting prices are useful context, not a conversion quote.
View the new pool cost guideCan I just stop adding chlorine?
No. Stopping chemical dosing does not turn a conventional pool into a functioning natural pool. It needs a planned filtration and circulation redesign, a suitable water changeover and commissioning. Continue following the operating guidance for your existing system until an appropriate changeover has been agreed.
How long before I can swim in the converted pool?
That depends on the scope of the work and the commissioning checks, not simply the day the pool is filled. We discuss a programme after assessing the pool and explain when it is ready for use. Planting and biology continue to establish after construction, so the first growing season is part of settling into the new system rather than a guaranteed waiting period before swimming.
Read about the stages and timingWhat maintenance will the converted pool need?
Natural does not mean maintenance free. The routine can include removing leaves and debris, checking circulation and equipment, cleaning the swimming area and caring for the filter planting through the seasons. We explain the requirements for the system installed and the support available after handover, so you understand the commitment before choosing to convert.
Explore maintenance and aftercare