installing an inground swimming pool?

[momz]

my husband and I have been discussing the idea of installing an inground swimming pool. But we have no idea how to research the prospect. We are wanting to learn about the cost of instalation, and the cost of upkeep.

Our kids are 10 and 7. We live in Indiana.

Anyway, I'm interested in any advice from those of you that have installed a pool, the good and the bad. This is a big investment and I want to do a thorough research so as to avoid experiencing buyer's remorse.

The only debt we have is our house, we owe about 84K on it, and it is worth about 130K. We earn about 120K/year and would have to get a loan to do this.

Thoughts?

 

[TotoToo]

We installed ours in 1975. Our demands were low maintenance, good looks, unique shape and long life. We decided on a liner (vs gunnite, fiberglass or other type) using polymer walls, sand bottom. We also went with a figure eight shape (no corners) cartridge filter system and automatic chlorination. In the 35 years since it was installed we have used a new cartridge every two years, 3 pumps, 1 liner at the 24 year mark and zero cracks/problems with the cement decking. It has been a dream to own. We vacuum once a week, keep the auto chlorinator filled and run the pump 12 hours per day total on a timer 4 on 4 off. The liner pool has held up beautifully in our very rough climate (90's summertime - negative 20 or less in winter) vs the cement/gunnite that needs painting and tend to crack badly on less than a decade. We hear complaints about pools being too much work. Ours hasn't been and that was what we wanted. The company that made ours is no longer in business but there are similar designs still available and we'd recommend that type.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I am glad the PP had a good experience, but I believe they are in the minority regarding their ease of care and the pool's durability.

Pools require a good deal of care from the day you install it to the day you sell the house......................and having a pool may make your home tougher to sell.

Since an in ground is expensive and permanent, have you considered a nice size above ground pool? When the kids have outgrown it you just tear it down and plant some grass seed.

Any pool has expenses. Chemicals, electricity, and repairs, and the added cost of your homeowner's insurance can add up. Be sure to call your insurance company to find out the cost of both types of pools before you do anything. In Indiana, how many people need to heat the pool in the spring and fall? That is another feature/expense you may want to research.

We used to have an above ground pool and have friends that have the in ground type.

 

[cnj]

We finished our in ground pool build two months ago. We did a basic saltwater 32 x 20 with attached 8x8 spa. The cost was $39500 (we did cantilever concrete coping) + our own tile + $3500 for solar + $1800 for removable fence + 600 square feet of concrete decking at $3000. We will pay $85 for monthly pool service. Our electric was $150 more last month with pool. Our gas was $50 more. Our water to fill was only $50, because I called the water company to tell them what we were doing and they discounted it.

We live in Southern California, so the cost will probably be different than yours. We will be getting a supplemental tax bill from the state for adding a pool to our property for our increased property taxes. Our insurance did not go up, because we all ready had an umbrella policy ($21 month).

Hope this helps!

We use are pool everyday and so far it is the best thing we have ever done for the family.

 

[Tinkmom]

Just a quick response, but we LOVE having a pool, and I can't imagine having a house without one. It is something so great for our family (as well as our extended family and friends!) and we have gotten so much use out of ours (old house had a pool; we moved after 14 years and had pool put in new house immediately.)

Maintenance is really pretty simple. It seems to me that people who don't like pools never really understood chemistry and maintenance. Also, it had no effect on our insurance premiums, as I think most policies cover any issues, particularly if you have adequate fencing.

One thing I would strongly suggest is going with the salt water system. I am amazed at how much easier it is to maintain, as well as being gentler on our skin, eyes, swimsuits, etc.

Again, we LOVE LOVE LOVE having a pool!

 

[DVC-Don]

We love our inground pool. It was installed in 1995. In 2005 we replaced the vinyl liner (kids had one too many toys in the pool that were NOT pool toys). I replaced the original pump and heater last month and still have the original DE filter going. The concrete apron around the pool still looks brand new. It took me a couple of years to master the chemistry of pools, but now it is second nature to me and not an issue. We have an automatic cleaner I drop in every week to ten days (we call it Timmy) and have a mesh safety cover we put on it for the winter and if we will not be home for a week or so during swim season. There are no extra taxes or insurance costs.

In fact the wife and I just came in from a one hour float & soak.

ETA: Replacement pump: $349. Replacement heater: $1343. I did my own instalation. I could not locate the liner cost, but that was 11 years ago so the price would not be acurate.

 

[KKB]

Roughly $50K.
Something to consider is the few months a year you will be able to use it in Indiana--should be similar to here. 4 months/yr. max. (of course, your elec/gas/water will only increase these 4 months).
Also, talk to a realtor. I know that in Nebraska a pool adds NO value to a home--depending on the value of the homes in your neighborhood. You may not be thinking of moving soon, but it is a good idea to know the impact on the value of your home if you do. (and will your property taxes go up as well) In CA or the south, pools add value, but not so much elsewhere.
For us it is a better value to join a club w/ golf, pool & tennis. FAR less expensive even if we belong for 25 years...

 

[Art 1]

We put one in when the house was built. Every day I regret that decision. My wife likes having the pool to look at it, as she says. It rarely gets used. Nothing but a money pit.

 

[jessica52877]

Love ours, going on the 6th summer and no issues maintaining it. We have a pump and automatic chlorinator. It is set for 8 hours a day in the summer and 2 hours a day October through April. We only swim in ours more or less 4 months a year (in Georgia) but worth every penny. We never have to do a thing. Our electric bill is at most $50 more a month and water during the super hot stretches maybe $15/ month but our water is crazy expensive IMO. I didn't build mine to add value to the house so I don't care if it does or doesn't. I build it for us to use and enjoy. Roughly overall it was $40,000.

 

[momz]

Thank you for the responses. someone mentioned getting an above ground pool because it isn't permanent and won't affect the property values. Well...unfortunately, we are in a home owner's association that forbids above ground pools. Although this summer we put up one of those temporary inflatable things and have not been asked to remove it yet.

As far as using it regularly, I'm sure that for the next 10 years, it will see lots of action. After that, the kids will be off to college, so I don't know.

I'm not terribly concerned about it's affect on the property value. I would expect that in Indiana, it most likely would have no affect on the value. It could actually have a negative affect if we were to try to sell with a pool. More people don't want a pool than do. We have no intentions of ever moving, although, you never know what life will bring.

I didn't even think about the saltwater pool. I will do some more research into that as well.

I feel like we have been fiscally responsible over the years, have denied ourselves many things that others get on credit. And now, I want to live a little. I want a pool, not as an investment in property value, but as a "toy" for my family. Maybe if the weather cools off, I will get over myself....

 

[mrsmom]

When i lived in Indiana 7 yrs ago we had a one piece fiberglass glass pool put in , we loved it!! Installation took about a week from excavation to swimming.
You never have to replace a liner because there isn't one. The pool is warrantied for 25 years. As the fiberglass ages it actually gets stronger, so there are little worries. Don't listen to rumors that these pools will just pop up out of the ground. That is not the case unless you drain it and then leave it sit for several winters, if so it may become unsettled. But really you will never have a need to drain your pool any further than under the skimmer line for winterization. Another huge advantage is that because the pool surface is so smooth, algie and bacteria have a difficult time growing so chemical costs and cleaning times are drastically reduced. I could literally clean our pool in 10 minutes, and was using half as much chemicals as I used with vinyl liner in ground pools. I would never own any inground pool unless it was fiberglass. Best pool on the market. We bought ours from Permaglass Pools in Greenwood, but I am sure there are other companies out there. Actual pool was manufactured by Jacuzzi, so the quality was outstanding.

 

[TotoToo]

When i lived in Indiana 7 yrs ago we had a one piece fiberglass glass pool put in , we loved it!! Installation took about a week from excavation to swimming.
You never have to replace a liner because there isn't one. The pool is warrantied for 25 years. As the fiberglass ages it actually gets stronger, so there are little worries. Don't listen to rumors that these pools will just pop up out of the ground. That is not the case unless you drain it and then leave it sit for several winters, if so it may become unsettled. But really you will never have a need to drain your pool any further than under the skimmer line for winterization. Another huge advantage is that because the pool surface is so smooth, algie and bacteria have a difficult time growing so chemical costs and cleaning times are drastically reduced. I could literally clean our pool in 10 minutes, and was using half as much chemicals as I used with vinyl liner in ground pools. I would never own any inground pool unless it was fiberglass. Best pool on the market. We bought ours from Permaglass Pools in Greenwood, but I am sure there are other companies out there. Actual pool was manufactured by Jacuzzi, so the quality was outstanding.

Yes, fiberglass are low maintenance and was our second choice. The big problem is that because it's pre-made & has to be shipped both the shape and the depth are limited. If you plan to dive they are too shallow. Plus we wanted a more unique shape than these can offer. But they will hold up & if you find one you like it is going to do well by you.