OT-Putting in a pool

[KerriMc]

Hello

I was hoping my fellow dis'ers could help us with our decision to put a pool in our backyard. We have talked about putting one in for the last couple of years and have decided we should do it for this summer. I have never had a pool before (other than the kind that you fill in your yard that is about 2 feet deep from Canadian Tire).

I am off in the summer so I think the girls and I will make wonderful use of it.

I don't know where to start though!! I have looked at one local pool place, but they really weren't all that helpful ... at the time we were only looking. Maybe they only like you if you are buying! lol

What is the best type of pool to put in? We want inground, but should we go with a vinyl liner or a fibreglass pool?
Do you use it enough to make it worthwhile?
What do you put around the outside of it - concrete, stone?
Do you prefer chlorine or saltwater? - leaning to saltwater I think.
Should we have it all one depth or going deeper? Slide? Diving board (not sure I like that idea)?
Do you heat it or solar?
Do you take care of it yourself or have a pool company look after it? Is it hard to do on your own?
Does your house insurance go up a huge amount?

I'm sure I have many more questions but I just need to know where to start ... I need to know costs (initial plus upkeep) ... all kinds of things!

I am in the Barrie / Orillia area so any good companies from these areas would also be helpful ... or any to avoid

Thanks so much in advance....
Kerri

 

[Sillyminny40]

We put a 27' round in about 7 years ago! Love it.
Above ground and easy to maintain. You have to check all your local bylaws regarding fence heights etc.

If you can afford, go for in ground. We love kids being here with our kids better than ours go elsewhere!
Just establish rules and guidelines. Enjoy!

 

[nat1234]

We have a 16 x 32 foot above ground. We love it and use it all the time in the summer. We do have a gas heater for it. It extends the length of time that we can use the pool. We use chlorine in ours. When we put it in, they didn't make saltwater systems for above ground pools. Once you get the hang of it, the maintenace really isn't all that bad. We have an automatic chlorinator, I check it once a weekand add pucks as needed, and an automatic vacumm that goes around the bottom. I also occasionally maunally vacumm the pool and surprisingly, it's an hour where I don't hear the word "mom". I think they're afraid I'll show them how to do it and they don't want to. Once a week I take a water sample over to the pool shop and they check all the levels for me and tell what I need to add. If you can afford it, go for the inground, you'll have such a good time with your kids.

 

[smye1stdisneycruise]

Hey There!

We put in a 14 x 30 inground roman style with the walk in steps in 2005. We went for alot of the upgrades including the walk in steps, saltwater system(a must in my opinion) two L.E.D. lights and heater( gas). Our thinking was if you are borrowing the money anyways do it the way you want! We do not regret our decision at all. We figured that we do not plan on moving ever and this way we don't ever have to pack up the car to travel up north or to the beach as we have everything right in our back yard! Don't get me wrong I still enjoy my yearly vacations. Entertaining is so easy for us in the summer and we are always outside. It can sometimes be hard to look at the amount of our mortgage in the winter(it was almost paid off when we put in the pool) but so worth it come those hot humid days in the summer. My advice would be to definitely get at least three estimates from different companies and ask friends and family for a good reputable company. We had the pool company open and close our pool for the first couple of years but got tired of paying $800 plus so now have a guy who does it on the side for $400. Having a pool is AWESOME and our daughter loves it! We definitely are getting our moneys worth! Good luck on your decision!

P.S. Budget a little extra money for extra concrete footage, electrical costs(over $2500 for ours) and fencing. Our $23,000 pool cost Doubled!

 

[rjan67]

We have a 20x40 saltwater pool with a diving board and slide. We have a shallow end and a deep end. My kids (6,8 and 11) are in every day. We do not have heat yet but will be getting solar once our pool shed is done! Once the inital cost (of installation) is done, there is no cost....the sun if free! Heating your pool will assure you will use it in May and Sept. We have concrete around our pool with a vinyl liner. Get whatever upgrades you can...you will enjoy it! My friends just did a stamped textured (no slip) concrete and it looks great! Just remember if you go away, you still have to have someone watch your pool, meaning cleaning your filter basket and making sure your pump is running ok. Also, think about the placement of your pool. Ours is under a huge maple tree, which is terrific on a hot day. But the rest of the time, we fight with leaves and bugs in the pool. As well it doesn't warm up as much. There are always costs to a pool every summer. Seems we need something! Being yours will be new, you may escape some of this but there will be things that you need i.e. pool shed, solar blanket, vacuum with attachments, net etc. There is always something!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[mastersd]

Hi,
We have a 16x32 inground pool. We love it but...as the kids get older they will not use it as much. It is important to have it used a lot. I call the kids my little stir sticks. I am a pediatric ICU nurse and I am very nervous about drowning. I have very strict rules about always being outside with the kids and no swimming without adult supervision. We have had a couple incidences, but supervised children do not drown. Our backyard is divided by a fence. Our fence is always locked if we aren't supervising the pool. It is good because when the pool is closed, we still have the other half of the backyard. It costs about $1000 a year. Most of that cost is hydro and water. If the pool turns green it can get costly. I think saltwater is easier and cheaper to maintain--I'm not sure because we have a chlorine pool. Our real estate agent told us that you never recoup your money. It doesn't increase the value of your home, it only will change your list of potential buyers. It definately makes entertaining easy!
I hope it helps,
Deanna

 

[Joann]

We went with a onground by pioneer pools but Robert who installed it from there put it right into the ground which u can it is way less then a inground and only difference is depth u can only have it so deep but i do have a shallow and a deep end, I have lights in it walk in steps, also came with cleaning stuff, solar blanket ,winter cover and gas heater.... u can get a slide ect and we did exposed aggergate all around it. all the walls of the pool and liner is the same as a inground ours has sand bottom but for a few grand more they can do it concrete bottom. At pioneer when we got ours the basic inground was starting at 20 grand with nothing not even walk in stairs ours loaded was 16 total and it is 32 feet long and 16 feet wide.

 

[Ham Ham]

We have a 21 foot above ground we put in the summer of 2002 and love it.
Check with your local municipality for fence by laws, set backs, etc.

 

[CDNCA]

Hello

We have a 16x32 inground salt water with gas heat.

What is the best type of pool to put in? We want inground, but should we go with a vinyl liner or a fibreglass pool?

In Canada it is best to go with a vinyl liner. Fiberglass have been known to pop out of the ground with frost or ground water issues.
Do you use it enough to make it worthwhile?

We use it most weekends and any warm evenings where we are home. I like to go out at 11:00 and do some laps under the stars.
What do you put around the outside of it - concrete, stone?

We had stamped concrete. Do not go cheap on the border, I went with 2' along the back and wish I had gone 3'-4' all around.
Do you prefer chlorine or saltwater? - leaning to saltwater I think.

Saltwater is the way to go. It is still chlorine as your germ fighter, but, you do not have to be contantly adding it.
Should we have it all one depth or going deeper? Slide? Diving board (not sure I like that idea)?

We have a diving board and slide. Very popular feature for the tweens and up. As long as you enforce rules regarding where people have to be when others are sliding/diving you are fine.
Do you heat it or solar?

Gas heat is a must in cooler weather. It is not easy to heat a cold pool in the spring or fall if you only have solar heat. I would like to have solar to use on the hot days in mid summer, but I would never give up my gas. We swim from May long to Thanksgiving.

Do you take care of it yourself or have a pool company look after it? Is it hard to do on your own?

Simple on your own with Salt water. PM me and I can send you a link to a pool user website that has tons of usefull discussion on it.

Does your house insurance go up a huge amount?

Nope, but get a quote.I'm sure I have many more questions but I just need to know where to start ... I need to know costs (initial plus upkeep) ... all kinds of things!

$40K is a good starting point.
I am in the Barrie / Orillia area so any good companies from these areas would also be helpful ... or any to avoid

Thanks so much in advance....
Kerri

Hope this helps

 

[Ham Ham]

Yup... 40K unfortunately is just a starting point. There are some really interesting fiber optic lighting systems out available . We went with the above ground to save $$$$$$. DW though wishes we had an in-ground pool.
Maybe one day I can make her dream come true.

 

[KerriMc]

Thank you for all of the replies ... we excited about having a pool and the girls were thrilled to hear we would be doing this. I don't know if we'll go fancy or just enough for what we would like ... don't know about lighting and all that. I just know I want a pool to swim in with the kids and relax over the summer!! They are fish and will be in it all the time I am sure

Thanks again ... hopefully will be seaching soon Seems weird to be looking now, but I want to get us booked in so we can get it done in May / June ... want to use it July and August

Kerri

 

[justjulie]

What is the best type of pool to put in?

We put in a 14 x 28 inground "flat backed kidney" shaped pool

We want inground, but should we go with a vinyl liner or a fibreglass pool?

Vinyl liner - white - easy to keep clean and no liner "fading or bleaching"

Do you use it enough to make it worthwhile?

Yes - we open in May and close in October. My boys play soccer all summer and they're in it almost every night


What do you put around the outside of it - concrete, stone?

We went with a poured concrete pad


Do you prefer chlorine or saltwater? - leaning to saltwater I think.

Chlorine - salt water was to expensive when we put ours in


Should we have it all one depth or going deeper?

Shallow and deep end - the kids will outgrow all one depth (the "polo pool" novelty wears off)


Slide? Diving board (not sure I like that idea)?

Neither for us - totally clear deck. Stairs, however are a must for me.

Do you heat it or solar?

Heater with solar fish instead of a solar blanket

Do you take care of it yourself or have a pool company look after it? Is it hard to do on your own?

We maintain but have someone open and close. Zodiak for when we can't get to vacuuming all the time

Does your house insurance go up a huge amount?

No but definitely let them know you're putting one in beforehand - your yard will be exposed during construction and every kid in the neighbourhood will want to watch the trucks