Cold feet about our new pool

[DVC Jen]

Did you get sticker shock and or end up with cold feet before you signed the contract?

Our price came in several thousand over what we wanted to spend. I understand the reasons ( no gas line to the house means we have to have a totally different spa set up) and we are also putting in a large pool, 30x19 with the dark blue color, 4ft waterfall/grotto area and a very natural look (boulders, stone).

I guess I am just feeling overwhelmed. We have gotten approved financing for more than the pool will actually cost, we can easily make the payments.. it's just such a big decison and I am already stressed about other non pool related issues, which I am sure is also affecting my "cold feet".

Has anyone put in a pool and regretted it? I think the only way we would regret it is if we suddenly had to sell the house and weren't able to recoup the cost of the pool.

AAuurrggghhhh.. I know we want it, I know we can pay for it.. it is only a few thousand more than the car I got in Nevember. Why am I so scared?

 

[DVC-Don]

Never regreted our inground 10 years ago. By the time we finished a retaining wall, fencing, landscaping and a last minute gazebo we were $10,000 over the cost of the pool itself.

 

[Spoisal]

I'm with you! We are putting an inground pool in right now & I totally lose sleep over the cost of it all. We can afford it as well - but MAN O MAN, it is still a lot of money.....and it is one of those frivolous things, you know? I know we won't regret it though - I can't wait!! My DH says the same thing as you...he says "Would you be stressed if I were buying a new car?". So that puts it in perspective, BUT you have to have a car - you DON'T have to have a pool! ha ha!! Anyway, I am still totally stressed!

 

[Towncrier]

The only friend that I have with an inground pool ended up filling it with dirt and planting grass. Of course, we live in a climate where an outdoor pool can really only be enjoyed for a few months of the year. I know a couple of people who built an indoor pool attached to their homes and they LOVE them.

Since your profile indicates that you live in Texas, I think you are going to be in that second category. Good luck with the new pool. I think you should invite all your DIS friends over to a pool warming party.

 

[LisaR]

We live in Florida so the screened pool is a necessity, IMO. That said, if we didn't have kids, I wouldn't hesitate to have a house without a pool. I would still have the screened area. I would have a great spa with a waterfall. I would have a great place to hang out and relax but I would not have the pool. The pool is a good size but it certainly isn't olympic sized so DH and I don't use it to workout in. It is just used to cool off and play with the kids in. Our pool is 6 years old and we have lived here for a year. We have spent so much for repairs and chemicals. Can you tell I am not a pool person? I rarely see people around our neighborhood using their pools for more then a short period of time. JMO!

Lisa

 

[JESW]

This is our third summer with our inground pool and I have NEVER regretted our decision. The kids and I lived out there all summer and we had friends over often. I never liked going to the local ponds so the pool was the way to go for us.

Jill

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We just moved here to Texas and let me tell you...if their is ANY place on earth to get a pool it is in Texas. It is a very long pool season here. Public pools are gross or so stated by my Freshman dd in High School.
Although I don't fully agree with her it would be nice to swim whenever I want and keep it nice and pristine clean.

I also understand the sticker shock. We are setting ourselves up to get a pool. The initial cost is overwhelming for sure.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Greetings from PA where we only enjoy our pool 3-4 months a year. I have met other local people who may regret their decision but do I? NO! We love our pool and it is not as elegant as what you have described! You said you want it and can afford it, so why not? I think the post that says thinking of it like a new car really puts into perspecitve. People think dropping $20,000 and on up is ok as long as it is a car or an investment.
JMHO, If you get the pool, enjoy it!

 

[missypie]

I wish I could get as far as getting a bid!!!!

Last October we hired a landscape architect to draw a lovely lap pool, spa, patio and in-ground trampoline. FINALLY was done with the drawings in February. THEN we found out that the spa needed a gas line (why did our landscape architect not bring up that issue) and that our landscape architect had drawn the plans with a 5" rear set back instead of the 7.5" shown on the survey (of which he had a copy).

One pool company did a drawing very loosely based on what we wanted...didn't even get the shape of the back of the house right.

Another pool company keeps putting us off on giving us a bid.

Our city pool closes on Labor Day...I REALLY wanted our pool to be done by then, but it's not even started!

 

[luvflorida]

Hi! I'm the one with the thread about the gunite pool being built. I know where you are coming from! Our final figures came in a little higher than what we originally thought they would, and that isn't including the price of a heater that we plan on putting in at the beginning of next summer.

The only thing we're stessing over right now is wondering whether or not we're going to get the chance to use the pool this summer. We thought the pool would be done by the end of last week, but no. Then we figured it would be done by the end of this week, but no, that doesn't look like that's going to happen either.

There was a delay because they ordered the wrong tile, then they didn't order enough of the right tile. Tile is done but now there is some delay over getting out here to backfill and pour concrete for the decking. Arrrrrrrrrrrrr!

This is Maine and swimming season is short! But anyway, back to your question. We never really got cold feet, and we don't regret our decision at all. I've always wanted an inground pool, it's affordable for us, and I'm VERY excited that we decided to have one put in. Just waiting with my swimsuit and floatie!

 

[CharlesTD]

Some friends of ours put in a pool and it came in 5K over the initial quote they did it anyhow now they wish they hadn't. They never even though about how it would affect the hydro bill etc for the house with running the pump all the time and the heater to heat it etc. Plus they had to put up a new fence to comply with city regulations etc. They now wish they had never gotten it plus they figured they would use it all the time and it has been used about 4 times all summer. When my sister and I were younger we had a pool that my mom had put in and after teh first year we didn't even use it go figure. She paid about 30K for it it was a 40X20 with slide and divingboard etc and a nice change house and automatic vacuumwe called it OSCAR lol. But after the first year we didn't use it I was to busy with hockey winter and summer and my sister had baseball all summer and we didn't want to swim.

 

[KristaTX]

Good luck with the new pool. I think you should invite all your DIS friends over to a pool warming party.

DIS meet at DVC Jen's

 

[debloco]

We're in the Chicago area, so we also have a short season. Ours also ended up being about 10K over what we first thought (extra concrete for a bigger pool deck, fence, landscaping, etc). So I completely understand about sticker shock and cold feet. But no, I don't regret getting the pool. And yours sounds really gorgeous! Plus you have a much longer season. Still a bit nerve-wracking to spend that kind of money though!

And just so you know, you won't ever recoup the entire cost of an inground pool when you go to sell the house. On average, you get about 1/2 the cost of the pool added to your selling price. They do not pay for themselves. You've got to be willing to put one in because you and your family will love it, have fun and get lots of use out of it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't feel one bit of regret. We were very very happy to have our pool.

We tore down the walls of the old screened porch (wood) and had that all redone with screen, did the screen room, and got a solar heater (yes it is necessary for this florida chick!).

At the same time we redid all the floors in our home and remodeled the kitchen.


Love our pool! Except when I forget to take care of it and let it turn green like this week. It is blue again .

 

[DVC Jen]

Thanks everyone. I know for a fact we will use it. For the past three years we have had one of those pop up pools we got from Wal-Mart and I practically lived in it during the entire season.

We are doing it to increase the value of our home (which we just refinanced at a much lower interest rate and closed on yesterday.. part of why I am feeling overwhelmed)..we are getting it because it is something we have wanted for a very very long time. Our kids are older and I know they also will get a lot of use out of it. We don't have to get a new fence.. just did that last year and it is good to go..just have to make a change in the type of latch. We know how much it will be for tree removal and our designer has said she has gone over and over and over it to make sure we don't have any surprise expenses. So...

We just have so much going on all at once including me just getting a new boss, starting back to school (I'm a teacher).. my aid for the past five years may very well be moving before Christmas, my best friend is going through some personal issues and since she is my best friend it all bothers me too.

I just feel like my head is spinning!

 

[DVC Jen]

Well DH got off the phone with the designer a little while ago. We are signing the contract TOMORROW.

Everyone keep your fingers and toes crossed for us.