Pool owners - what is your experience?

[JayCT]

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

We are in central Connecticut and I have seen pools like this for as little as $20,000. A guy in my office just went with a gunite pool and I believe he spent over $30,000 when you add in the patio, landscaping and fence. Plus he had got a deal because he started construciton at the end of the season last year and completed it early this Spring. Jay

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

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

I feel the same way. We have a small, above ground pool. We've had it up for over 10 years now. (Probably more like 15.) We've replaced the liner once. We've replaced the filter once and the pump once. We have had at least 3 covers. Those get beat up the most up here during the winters. The only time we put chemicals in the pool is to open it for the season and to close it. It rarely needs a shock or any other chemicals. We have a robot thing that cleans the pool whenever the filter is on. So we vacuum maybe twice a season. Our pool isn't cheap to own, but it isn't overly expensive either.

This pool has saves us from some dreadful summers. Any time we are hot and need a quick fix to cool off, we jump in the pool. Mowing the lawn, washing the car, hanging laundry, doing yard work...jump in the pool after. Also, anytime you have a family party that requires energetic kids to attened, you tell them to bring a bathing suit and throw them in the pool! Hey, it keeps them happy. I know a lot of my friends family's don't have the financial ability to own a pool (and the town pools are nice, but they are crowded and unshaded), so I invite them over. Now the price of pool floats, that is a whole nother story!

I know pools are expensive, but they really give back a lot. I know that if it reaches 102 degrees again, I'll be the first in!

 

[Lynn CC]

You asked!
We had our in ground pool put in in Sept. 1988. In the late 90's we had the whole thing redone, new updated electrical, new wiring to the pool light, new diving board, liner, automatic chlorinate, pump, filter, energy star heater.
Now we are getting the landscaping redone around the pool because it's all overgrown, and a new winter cover.

It has always been a big expense, but we knew that going into it. It looks great and is a lot of fun. Our DS is 19 and still having pool parties. He grew up with the pool. When he was 3-8 we had the YMCA come in and give swimming lessons to him and 5 others in the neighborhood 3x a week. They are all great swimmers.
We've had some fun BB Q's and MANY games of Marco Polo (my favorite)!

The initial cost was 20k, we have put another 20k into it already not counting this years landscaping ($? I keep adding things so I don't know what it will end up costing), and pool cover ($2500). Also a new automatic cleaner, the last one lasted me 16 years!
Chemicals can run around $500-$600 a season (I shop online for them now...get better deals than our local pool store). The electricity it takes to run each month and the gas for the pool heater is another expense, got to love energy star products.

So Yes, it's a luxury, but we love it and don't regret having it. We are not planning on selling our house, so DS will have to deal with it someday when we are gone...or not!

 

[perdidobay]

Thanks travelbug for the kind words.... We live on two acres with lots of trees around so I think that helps make it look nice too