Leisure Area and Pool in a High-End House: How to Plan It the Right Way

Updated on 07/06/2026 by EZA Engenharia

Designing a leisure area and pool in a high-end house is not just about choosing the edge cladding or the barbecue model. There are structural and plumbing decisions along the way and, if these decisions are ignored at the start, the result appears years later in the form of rework, leaks and extra cost. At EZA, a construction company with more than 35 years of history in Criciúma and the surrounding region, this planning comes together with the design of the house, never after it. It is this integration from the foundation that ensures a leisure area that is beautiful, functional and long-lasting.

Why the leisure area needs to be in the design from the start

A common mistake in expansions is treating the pool and the gourmet area as a separate project, contracted only after the main project is already finished. The problem is that the foundation, the ground beam, the water and sewage piping and even the slope of the terrain have all already been defined without taking into account the weight and hydraulic demand of a pool.

When EZA designs a high-end residence, the leisure area goes onto the drawing board together with the rest of the house. This makes it possible to calculate the right structure to support the volume of water, define the routing of the piping before any subfloor is laid, and prevent the pool from being isolated from the rest of the plot because of a poorly resolved level change.

In the end, the project becomes more predictable. Less improvising during execution, less rework, and a budget that reflects the reality of the project, not a surprise discovered halfway through the work.

Structural planning: what supports the pool and the gourmet area

A pool, whether masonry, vinyl or fiberglass, is a concentrated and permanent load on the ground and, often, on a slab or slope that needs specific engineering calculation. The same goes for a gourmet area with a barbecue, pizza oven, cooking island or a wood-and-glass roof: all of this requires its own foundation and integration with the structure of the house.

Some points that EZA's structural engineering evaluates in each project:

This structural care is what separates a leisure area that ages well from one that starts to crack, leak or give way just a few years after delivery.

• Soil type and the need for reinforced foundation for the pool
• Whether the pool sits at ground level, raised, or at a different level from the house
• Structural load of roofs, pergolas and metal structures in the gourmet area
• Waterproofing of the pool shell and the surrounding area, including the deck

Plumbing planning: water, sewage and systems without rework

The plumbing is where problems show up most in a project that wasn't planned in an integrated way. A pool, a gourmet area with sink and barbecue, a spa or an outdoor tub require a cold-water line, sewage, pumping and sometimes gas, and all of this has to work together with the house's overall installation.

When this planning happens right in the design phase, it is possible to place the pool's machine room in a strategic spot, with easy access for maintenance and an adequate distance from bedrooms and living areas, as well as properly sizing the filter, pump and heating system, when there is one.

In projects like Residence A.F, in Balneário Rincão, and Residence V.S, in Criciúma, EZA applied this principle by uniting the plumbing network of the leisure area with the overall design of the house. The result: no breaking flooring or redoing a stretch of piping in the middle of execution.

Integration between the pool, gourmet area and the house

High-end also means flow between spaces. A well-designed leisure area is not tossed to the back of the lot; it connects visually and physically with the living room, the kitchen or the gourmet veranda, creating a natural path between the inside and the outside of the house.

Some features that help with this integration:

This type of solution only works when architecture, structure, and plumbing move together from the start, and that only happens when the project is led by an in-house engineering team, as is the case with EZA.

• Floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open the living room onto the pool
• Continuous deck connecting the wet area to the covered gourmet space
• Planned lighting to enhance the pool at night too
• Cross ventilation in the gourmet area, so the barbecue smoke doesn't invade the house

Costs and factors that influence the budget

There is no fixed price for a leisure area and pool in a high-end house; each project has its own variables. The size of the pool, the type of finish, the heating and automation system, the scale of the gourmet space, and the complexity of the lot change the final investment considerably.

Factors that tend to weigh most on the budget:

That's why EZA works with quotes on request. After understanding the site, the family's lifestyle and the design references, the team presents a realistic investment range, with no generic promise that falls apart when it's time to close the project.

• Pool size and shape
• Water treatment and heating system
• Cladding of the pool and the surrounding deck
• Roof structure of the gourmet area
• Automation and specialty lighting

The leisure area of a high-end house is not a finishing detail, it is part of the engineering. It needs to be born together with the structural and plumbing design, with the in-house team following every stage, from the foundation to the last piece of the gourmet space. That is how EZA designed and delivered projects such as Residence V.S, in Criciúma, and Residence A.F, in Balneário Rincão: pool, gourmet space and house forming a single ensemble, with no structural makeshift fix showing up two years later. If you are planning to build or expand in Criciúma, Içara, Forquilhinha, Nova Veneza, Cocal do Sul, Balneário Rincão or the region, talk to those who have more than 35 years of engineering and construction on their résumé. Reach out to EZA on WhatsApp (48) 99191-2018 or write to [email protected]. Also visit eza.com.br to see other projects and start yours with the right planning from the very first line.