From Dis-Functional to a Functional Outdoor Living Space

Project Overview

The homeowners had recently purchased a villa with a failed pool liner and an outdoor area that was unusable for their young family. Before considering any future interior renovation, the outdoor space needed urgent attention.

Their goal was simple: create a safe, practical, and family-friendly outdoor area that would work well for the next few years. They plan to complete a larger home renovation in 2–5 years, so this project needed to be budget-conscious and future-proof.

The pool had a total liner failure, and the surrounding areas were outdated. The family wanted their children to safely run around the space, enjoy the pool, and have dedicated areas to play and explore.

From the beginning, the Zones Landscaping Consultant Thelma Meyers and her team ensured that everything created outdoors would complement the future indoor renovation. After confirming with an architect that the house footprint would remain the same, the outdoor layout was designed to support future indoor-outdoor flow.

Design & Planning

Thelma’s team completed both the design and build.

A major focus was future-proofing. The team upgraded the stormwater and sewer systems to allow flexibility for future renovations. By moving the gully trap, new layout options became available in later stages, including converting the garage into a pool room or a granny flat.

Instead of installing an expensive soak hole, the team excavated the concrete around the pool and introduced Garapa decking. It created enough fall to manage drainage properly while avoiding significant engineering and council costs.

The design also prepared the space for a future spa installation. Extra structural support was added under the deck, along with electrical connections and a tap for easy filling of the spa and pool.

A solid roof with skylights was recommended for the next stage, replacing a louvre system, to ensure long-term durability and better protection.

Project Execution

The project took approximately eight weeks to complete.

Since the new pool liner was ordered from Australia, the team used this time efficiently to complete drainage upgrades, pool preparation, landscaping, driveway works, and fencing.

The full scope included:

• Removal of large palm trees and stump grinding
• Stormwater and sewer system upgrades
• New compliant fencing with profile panels
• Garapa timber decking
• Porcelain pool coping tiles
• Under-deck pool cover
• Bespoke driveway and new car park area
• Artificial turf for a trampoline
• Mud station and planter boxes for herbs, vegetables, and flowers
• Lawn installation
• Outdoor wall and step lighting
• Shed for electric vehicle charging

A wide range of trades worked together, including electricians, plumbers, landscapers, drainage specialists, fencing experts, and architects.