Pool tiling in Ayr, for pools along the Ayrshire coast.

Holiday park and hotel pools

Holiday and leisure pools on the coast often have features that a plain lane pool does not: beach entries, curved walls, shallow play areas and mosaic details. They see a lot of bathers in a short season and then quieter months.

That pattern makes the off season the natural time for a drain-down, a deep clean and any repairs, so the pool reopens in good order before the next summer.

Salt air and sand carried in on feet are part of life at a seaside pool, so surrounds, showers and channels deserve a look at the same time as the tank.

What to check before the season starts

A walk round the drained or emptied pool before reopening is worth doing every year. Look for the following, and send us photos of anything that worries you.

• Loose or sharp tiles on steps and entries
• Open or crumbling grout in shallow areas
• Damaged edge tiles and nosings
• Worn mosaic on curved walls or features
• Slippery or cracked poolside tiles

Private and smaller commercial pools

Away from the holiday parks, there are hotel and golf resort pools along the coast and private pools in homes inland. Lightly used private pools still wear, especially if they are kept warm for long periods, and a small repair caught early saves a bigger one later.

We travel from Warrington and stay locally for longer jobs. Every repair is left to cure properly before the pool is refilled.

Photos first, then a visit

Send wide shots of the pool from each end, close-ups of the problem areas and any features such as slides, steps or mosaic panels. A short video along the pool edge helps too.

That lets us judge the likely scope and what to bring. We still inspect before we price, but the first visit will be far more useful for it.