Small pools for Mackay courtyards, townhouses and compact blocks.

In the Compass range, anything from about 3.5m up to 6m in length falls into the small pool category — small enough to fit into a courtyard, townhouse backyard or tight side-return, but big enough for the kids to properly play in. Anything under 3.5m is typically classed as a plunge pool, which has a different job (cooling off, quick swims, hydrotherapy).

The Sanctuary 4.8 — 4.85m × 3.4m — is the smallest full family shape we install. It keeps the wide leisure zone and gently sloping floor of the larger Sanctuary shapes, so toddlers can safely stand in the shallow end while adults swim in the deeper end. It's a proper family pool that fits on a townhouse block.

It depends on the block and how you'll use the pool. On a compact suburban block in East Mackay or Andergrove, a well-designed 5–6m pool set into a good deck reads much better than a squeezed-in 8m pool with no surrounding usable space. If the block genuinely fits a bigger pool with room to move around it — go bigger. If the small pool option is what lets you keep a lawn, an entertaining area and clean sight lines, that's the right pool for that block.

Small pool if you want the kids to properly play, if two adults want to swim gentle laps side-by-side, or if you want a soft leisure-zone shape. Plunge pool if you want cooling off after work, a deep footprint for hydrotherapy, or the absolute smallest shell that still gives you a usable pool. Our dedicated plunge pool page covers the plunge decision in more detail.

Yes — Vantage is available on every shape in the small pool range. The in-floor cleaning heads circulate water and sweep debris to the drain automatically, so a 5-metre Sanctuary in a leaf-heavy Mackay courtyard maintains itself the same way a 10m Sanctuary does. Highly recommended on shaded courtyard installs.

A supplied-and-installed small Compass pool build in Mackay typically lands between $65k and $110k (typical 2026 range, not a quote) depending on shell size, site access, self-cleaning and finishes. Landscaping, decking, fencing and heating are separate. Every quote we give is a written line-item price — no ballpark ranges, no lock-in.

For an in-ground Compass small pool build in Mackay, plan on 4–6 weeks from excavation to fill. That covers dig, install, plumbing, filtration, pool safety inspection and handover. If your block has tight access that needs crane delivery, add a day or two of coordination up front. If you need a faster install with minimum site works, the freestanding Compass Express range can be swimming-ready in under a week.

It can, but there's no fixed percentage — the effect on value depends on the property, the street and the quality of the install, and a local real estate agent is the best person to ask for your home. The value driver is turning an unused rear yard into a functional outdoor room. On townhouse or unit blocks where a pool is unusual, the differentiation is stronger again. The install has to be done properly to earn that return: right shell, right position, integrated deck design.