Swimming Pools: The Truth About Pools (and What You Need To Know) | Home Building Podcast

In this episode of The Home Building Podcast, Behan is joined by Peter Wiedermann, a pool industry veteran with 30+ years of experience as a builder, technician, and consultant.

They dive into everything you need to know if you’re planning a pool for your new build or renovation, including:

What they talk about:
✅ Concrete vs fibreglass pools - which is right for your block?
✅ The hidden risks of “natural” pools (and why they don’t work in WA)
✅ Approvals, fencing rules & common council headaches
✅ Pool safety essentials every parent must know
✅ Heating, maintenance, and how to avoid costly mistakes

Whether you’re dreaming of a plunge pool, building a backyard oasis, or simply maintaining an existing pool, this episode is packed with expert insights to save you stress, money, and risk.



Chapters

00:23 – Why pools should be part of the home design, not an afterthought
01:05 – Meet Peter: 30+ years in the pool industry
02:32 – A pool that looked perfect but wasn’t safe
04:02 – Consulting for new pool builds & purchases
04:44 – First question to ask: what’s the pool’s purpose?
05:08 – Plunge pools & ice bath trend
06:20 – Concrete vs fibreglass pools
08:40 – The truth about “natural” pools
10:49 – How close can a pool be to the house?
13:13 – Approvals, councils & fencing headaches
16:02 – Aboveground pools: pros & cons
18:12 – Teaching kids to swim & supervision rules
20:16 – Designing visibility into your pool area
23:14 – Pool fencing mistakes (planter beds, trench fences)
25:14 – Pool colours, safety & temperature differences
29:03 – Heating options: solar, gas, heat pumps
33:22 – Infinity pools: pros, cons & hidden issues
39:04 – Ponds vs pools & council rules
41:08 – Existing pool maintenance mistakes
44:13 – Chlorine vs chloramines (why smell ≠ safe)
45:53 – Saltwater vs chlorine pools (myths busted)
47:07 – Alternative sanitation (ionisers & copper/silver systems)
48:36 – Easements & why you can’t build pools over them
52:01 – Pool access challenges & cranes over houses
55:07 – Tips for maintaining your pool year-round
59:16 – The $10k question: Peter’s surprising answer

About Our Guest:

Peter Weirdermann brings over 30 years' experience as a pool builder & technician and Australian host of “Monday’s Down Under” on the Talking Pools Podcast, rated in the top 1.5% podcast globally, for all pool professionals around the world.

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