Renovators’ notes

For this project, many hands made light work and careful planning was vital!

The Janse van Rensburgs were thoroughly fed up with their plastic ‘porta pool’. Mom Chantal and dad Michael had simply had enough of patching up holes and keeping it clean. Then, of course, the kids wanted to dive more and paddle less now that they were growing older.

With a budget of R40 000, the couple began sourcing quotes to have a pool installed. “I had quite a specific design in mind,” says Chantal. “But we were shocked when we began receiving quotes for about R80 000.” The lowest quote they got was still R20 000 over their budget so Michael, an operational manager with a technical background, decided to tackle the project himself – with a bit of help from his dad Neil, his uncle Carlo and Google, of course!

They worked whenever they got the chance, mostly after hours and on weekends. Even the kids were given odd jobs and were delighted to be part of the process.

Three months later, the Janse van Rensburgs had a brand-new chlorine-water, solar-heated pool that they all had a hand in making a reality. “After all the blood, sweat and tears, we’re proud that we managed to do it ourselves for half the price. I think my husband deserves a medal,” says Chantal.

And the kids love it! “But now they want a slide...”