Pool and landscaping businesses have been run off their feet as more home improvers seek to live out the Australian dream of cooling off in their own backyard this summer.
But the Swimming Pools and Spas Association of Australia chief executive Lindsay McGrath said it was not just those on home soil that were dipping their toes into pool ownership with the trend noticed across the globe.
"Applications for new pools isn't just a South Australian or even an Australian phenomenon at the moment, it's certainly a worldwide trend," Mr McGrath said.
"But many of our builders are fully booked for the foreseeable future, and there's a lot of demand at the moment."
Regional businesses have also been busy in recent months.
In South Australia's Riverland region, Riverscape Landscaping and Pools usually experiences an uptick in business in the lead up to Christmas and the warmer months.
But co-owner Luke Hampshire said he was pleasantly surprised that people were comfortable in making such a significant investment during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The region seems to be ticking on quite nicely and people have confidence in spending the money on their properties," he said.
Mr Hampshire said he attributed the increased demand to restricted overseas travel and a renewed focus on home improvements.
"I've had a few clients indicate to me that the money they're using for their backyard was going to be their holiday to Italy," he said.
"They're not confident travel is going to be returning anytime soon, so they're investing in their lifestyle."
Don't be fooled by 'pretty pictures': Industry warns
The Swimming Pools and Spas Association of Australia said for those who had not already taken a dive into the deep end, there were some important things to consider before purchasing a pool.
Lindsay McGrath said safety gates and fencing, landscaping and other running costs were worth investigating before making the commitment.
"They see the pretty pictures and they understand that it's just the pool, but it's always a little bit more than that," he said.
But, despite the associated costs with installing and running a pool, Mr McGrath said there was no sign that demand would decrease in the short term.
"It’s always been part of the Australian culture to have that beautiful piece of blue in the backyard, and I think COVID-19 has just brought forward all those plans."
