Pool owners - what is your experience?

[travelbug]

I stumbled across this article today, and I'm curious to hear some reactions from those of you who have a pool.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/HomebuyingGuide/IsItAPoolOrAMoneyPit.aspx

No, I'm not planning to put in a pool, although I'll admit that I've dreamed of it a few times. (definitely an in-ground pool in those dreams! )

Does this article accurately represent the "harsh realities" of owning a pool?

 

[JayCT]

We have a pool. It is above-ground not built-in. I will say it can get expensive. In the 12 years we have owned it I have bought two liners ($700 and $900 each), a new filter $500, chemicals ($350 this year for new type of chemical system, about $150 other years for chlorine) and misc. accessories ($100 to 150 each year). Since our liner and filter are new, we shouldn't have any expensive problems for a while. I put chemicals in every week or two and vacumn and skim it once or twice a week, so there really is not a lot of maintenance. My kids love it and go in almost everyday. Plus their friends love it and come over (that is a good thing, right?), so we know where our kids are all the time. It is worth it to us. Some things you can't judge by cost alone. JMHO Jay

 

[perdidobay]

I have an in ground pool, but it's vinyl liner, the article mentions costs and repairs of a plaster pool. I live in the south, keep my pool open year round and this year is summer #5 for my pool. I just had to replace the motor on the filter...$300, labor and tax included. Running the filter adds about $35 a month to our utility bill. It is a small pool, no deeper than 6.5 ft deep and holds about 12k gallons.
I spend about $330 a year on pool chemicals, and I do all the cleaning and maintenance. In my neighborhood, half of the homes have pools, it is pretty normal for this price range. We keep up the pool and the landscaping is very nice. I expect it to add about 5% value to our house.
Here's a photo after it was installed

At our last house, we actually sold the house because it had a pool. That's what the buyers were looking for.
Even though I don't swim in it as much as I used to. it is beautiful to look at...and during the winter lifts my spirits

 

[arminnie]

My friend (no kids) built a new house about 5-6 years ago and had to put a pool in. I couldn't figure out why as she hates the water and sun. I asked her recently if she used it much. She hasn't been in it in about 2-3 years.

I think it's just a piece of expensive landscaping for some people. A pretty but expensive view.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well...not sure about the article. It is a little off on some things. Here where I live lots of people want pools so that is not an issue.
We are putting in a salt water system so the chemical costs won't be as much as the chlorine system.
Anyway it was dug on Friday...They did this in ONE DAY.

 

[DawnCt1]

We had our pool put in 14 years ago. Its a gunite pool with white plaster. In 14 years we have replaced the pump motor, $250. This year we bought a new filter because someone we hired to close the pool broke it. (long story). $800.
We have someone open and close it. $400 per year. We spend about $250 on chemicals. It is open from mid may to October. I use it every day. DH uses it as much as possible. We vacuum it no more than once a week. This year we had someone come in and replace our cedar fence posts. $750. To me, it is well worth the $$$ and I would do it again.

 

[paigevz]

We ended up having a house built in a newer neighborhood because we couldn't find a home the size we wanted without a pool. We like to swim, but didn't want the upkeep, did want the yard space, and were worried about little ones falling in. Often a realtor would say, "well, yes, it's smaller than you wanted and a little on the end of your budget, but it has a pool"..........we had to keep explaining to them that that made us want it even LESS.............

We chose the neighborhood we did because it did have two community pools. We love this way..........we have our yard, the kids can play without us worrying if we have to run inside for a minute, we don't have to do anything, and it's a quick 5 min walk or 1 min drive to a pool.

 

[puffkin]

My parents had a 24' round above ground pool. They had it for 7 years before they moved. It probably would have needed a new filter and liner in the next year or too. They used a non-chlorine chemical which was a little more pricey than chlorine. It cost about $300 a year in chemicals and about $25 a month more in electric costs to run the pump.

 

[lillygator]

We are in the process of having one put in and it has been a nightmare...I would never put one in again (if we moved). We have yet to have the pebble tec put in. We also chose the salt water system.

 

[BunsenH]

We have a 13 year old in-ground pool with liner. It definately has not been a money pit. Chemicals run about $400/year, electricity increases about $40/month for J-J-A. I vacuum 1/week. The only repair that we've had in all that time is a leak at the light ($100).

It may not be a wise investment, but it's great to have when it's hot like this week!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

We have an inground pool on a 1+ acre lot.

Yes, we spend probably about $800 to $1000 a year on maintenance. Our pool is older and it did need some work. Now we've done a new liner, a new filter, a new pump, and a new automatic vac -- maybe next year I'll get a break for awhile.

Chemicals are about $300 a year I guess. I buy off season on clearence and store them.

As far as the shocking and skimming, it used to be a real PITA. But now our automatic vac skims the bugs off the top and cleans the bottom, and the kids are old enough to handle most of the rest.

When my kids are grown however, we almost surely will be moving to a house with a smaller yard and no pool. This place is great for kids, but ALOT of work.

 

[jocon]

How much should a medium size inground pool with vinyl liner cost in New England? Roughly 14ft x 30ft, with conrete deck.......

 

[luvflorida]

Does this article accurately represent the "harsh realities" of owning a pool?

For us, no. Of course, this is the first full summer that we've had the pool, but I'm glad that we had one put in and we're getting tons of enjoyment out of it.

We had an inground pool, (gunite w/white plaster finish), installed toward the end of last summer. With this heat wave we're having, we've been using the pool every day. We've had several parties with quite a few people and it's been a lot of fun to cook-out and hang around the pool. DD15 and her friends have been enjoying it, also.

I'm actually finding it very easy to maintain. It has stayed remarkably clean with very little maintenance. The thing I dread the most is checking the skimmer basket every morning. I have come across a few frogs and small snakes.

We pay around $300. to have the pool opened and another $300. to have it closed. We run the pump 24/7 so that adds to the electric bill in the summer.

Probably the worst thing about having a pool in Maine is that we don't get to use it as much as we'd like. This year we opened it mid-June and will have it closed by mid-September. Even within that time frame, there will be days where it's too chilly to swim.

Overall, the pros far outweigh the cons, for us anyway!

 

[luvflorida]

How much should a medium size inground pool with vinyl liner cost in New England? Roughly 14ft x 30ft, with conrete deck.......

That's roughly the size of our pool. It's a freeform pool but is gunite with plaster, no vinyl liner. We paid aproximately $17,000. last year for the pool and a four foot concrete deck all around the pool. I know that price has gone up at least a couple of thousand this year.

Keep in mind, that's ONLY the pool and concrete deck. Add in the cost of fencing, crushed rock between the fence and concrete deck, electrical work, (floodlights on porch and shed, electrical outlets on fence post), outdoor furniture, (table and chairs set with umbrella, four Adirondack chairs, several lounge chairs and beach chairs, outdoor storage box for pool toys/equipment), and MAJOR landscaping, (digging for the pool will destroy large portions of yard near the pool), and we ended up spending over $37,000.!!!!!!

All the "extras" actually came to more than the pool itself!

 

[jocon]

sorry, I thought I created a new thread....

 

[travelbug]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I'm so interested to hear all of your opinions and experiences on this.

I'm completely ignorant on the subject. I have an outdoor hot tub, but that's obviously really different from a pool.

Question - Is vinyl cheaper to install and maintain than plaster?

 

[travelbug]

The thing I dread the most is checking the skimmer basket every morning. I have come across a few frogs and small snakes.

I would completely flip out! I'd have to hire a neighbor kid who doesn't mind creepy crawly things to check that skimmer basket.

 

[justplaingoofy]

How much should a medium size inground pool with vinyl liner cost in New England? Roughly 14ft x 30ft, with conrete deck.......

We have an 18x34 inground vinyl liner about 23,000gallons. (From what we've learned in our area vinyl is a better alternative due to the winters). Prices vary...drastically! anywhere from $11,000 for the pool to $19,000. Concrete depends on how much you have poured and if its plain, brushed, or stamped. We have stamped, but for a ball park I would figure about $3,000 for plain concrete. Don't forget about the fence too. If you are looking into it make sure to check with the better business bureau before doing business with any pool company.

We LOVE our pool, and have had only positive experiences. We have two skimmers (so there is not a huge need for cleaning daily).

We really don't have to do much of anything for our pool. We have an automatic chlorinator. (unit attached to the filter that you put 3-4 chlorine tabs in maybe every 7-10 days depending how much use & sun it is getting). And we have a cleaning robot. We put that in maybe every 7-10 days for a couple of hours and it cleans for us!

The only costs we have incurred are the chlorine tabs which we bought an entire year or twos worth at Bjs for $60. Electricity runs about $50 month. test kits are available in test strips (look like pregnancy strips) you dip it in and compare the levels. we only may have to add Ph+ twice a year total $9.
And a couple of bottles liquid shock for the year about $20.

 

[travelbug]

I have an in ground pool, but it's vinyl liner, the article mentions costs and repairs of a plaster pool. I live in the south, keep my pool open year round and this year is summer #5 for my pool. I just had to replace the motor on the filter...$300, labor and tax included. Running the filter adds about $35 a month to our utility bill. It is a small pool, no deeper than 6.5 ft deep and holds about 12k gallons.
I spend about $330 a year on pool chemicals, and I do all the cleaning and maintenance. In my neighborhood, half of the homes have pools, it is pretty normal for this price range. We keep up the pool and the landscaping is very nice. I expect it to add about 5% value to our house.
Here's a photo after it was installed

At our last house, we actually sold the house because it had a pool. That's what the buyers were looking for.
Even though I don't swim in it as much as I used to. it is beautiful to look at...and during the winter lifts my spirits

Perdidobay, your pool area is indeed beautiful! Thanks for posting the picture.

 

[debloco]

I think the article raises some important questions potential buyers of a house with a pool will want to ask. Whether or not the figures and amount of time for upkeep is exaggerated depends on a bunch of factors: age of the pool and how well the previous owners kept up the maintenance and took care of the pool.
The costs seemed a bit on the high side to me, and I live in an expensive pool market (Chicago area).

Something the article didn't mention is in-ground fiberglass pools, which is the type we have. No vinyl liner to replace, no plaster or gunite to crack or need refinishing and we have a lifetime guarantee on the finish and the shell.

There are times when we feel like we spend more time taking care of it than in it, but that was more during the first couple of seasons when the learning curve of pool care was the steepest

I only test the chemicals once a week, and we vacuum usually only before we have friends over. Automatic chlorinator and skimmer/filter system with a timer so it's pretty painless.

Heating cost can be a bear in the "shoulder" months (May, early June, late September, early October) but it's really nice to jump into the warm water!
We use a solar cover to help heat and conserve the heat from the heater.

We knew going in that we would only recoup about half of the total amount we spent (about 40K) to put in in when we sell. It was still worth it to us and we enjoy our beautiful pool.