Swimming Pool Opinions Please

[The Mystery Machine]

I wanted to thank everyone again for their ideas and give an update on our project.

I continued to have trouble communicating with the pool contractor. I eventually just sent an email stating that I was ending the project. It's been difficult struggle to get my deposit back, even though I was within the time period of the contract. They are supposed to cut me a check tomorrow.

I turned to the other company that we considered. I took the first offer to them and they matched it. We are now on course with this new contractor and should be breaking ground soon.

Thanks again!

Good for you.

 

[luvflorida]

I turned to the other company that we considered. I took the first offer to them and they matched it. We are now on course with this new contractor and should be breaking ground soon.

I hope your pool experience is a good one!!

We had an inground pool put in at the house we recently sold. I'm telling you, if I could have put that pool on wheels, I would have brought it with me on our cross-country move! I LOVED that pool!

Maybe our experience was not the norm, but everything about our pool construction went beautifully. The completion of the pool actually came in UNDER the amount of time stated in the contract! We really enjoyed having a pool, and it was great to have friends and family over for pool parties and cook-outs.

We are now in the process of having a new house built and we're pretty sure we're going to put in another pool. If we do, this pool will be smaller and not as deep. It will also be fenced in separately from the rest of the yard. Safety will be a big concern since we have young grandkids that visit frequently.

Have fun on your journey to a beautiful swimming pool! It's exciting to watch it take shape!!

 

[shaylyn]

If you were in a warm climate like AZ, I'd suggest having it put in.

I live in Oregon

Seems like summer here does not hit until the first part of July. It will get warm enough for swimming for a few weeks in July, maybe in August too, then it gets cold and rainy again.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is not enough warm weather here in the Pacific NW to justify a pool (and I'm with you, I'd love to live in AZ again and have a pool--I love swimming!). Even if it's heated, the cold weather outside you will notice as you are swimming and it will not be as much fun or very pleasant.

Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I live in south-central Washington. It's a desert climate here. We get plenty of over 100 degree days in the summer and little rain. If we lived on the other side of the mountain I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[GothTink]

We bought our house because of the pool. It's in-ground, maintenance is fairly easy and affordable. And it's so worth it to have a gorgeous pool and a place to cool off in the summer. Then again, we use ours pretty much every day from May til September...

 

[Tinkerdreams]

I grew up with a pool and when we moved into our previous home we put an inground pool in. No problem with the installation but after 20 years

- kids gone
- upkeep (cleaning, chemicals, etc)
- pool liner needed replacing
- stairs needed fixing

....and the list went on. Bottom line - we moved

I wish I had gone with above ground!! At least you have the option of taking it out with minimal expense. We talked about having it filled in but the cost was $3500 plus we would have had to have the electric taken out and some landscaping done which would have put the cost to approximately $6000!! That is just $4000 less than to install it.

My neighbor next door to me put an above ground pool (which had a deep end - 8') and a beautiful deck and gazebo around it that cost the same amount of money as it cost us to put the inground in. It was just gorgeous and had I seen what he had done, I would have done the same.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[twinglesmome]

I was going to recommend getting out of the original contract--I see you already did.

We had thought about having an inground pool installed. Then we found out that our property value would actually decrease. A few years later, a new gym opened that is only a few miles away. They have lap and leisure pools that are open year round. So, we ended up joining the gym. I think there would be some advantages to having your own though--more privacy, always open (weather/season permitting) and no driving to get there.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We got an in ground pool last year. Started in May, finished in mid July. I think delays are normal for putting in a pool unfortunately.

We live in CA so it gets really hot here. The kids love it! I think it was a great decision for us. If we didn't live in a hot climate we may not have gotten it.

We don't have a huge yard and our pool is standard size. We spent about 25k and got a sport pool, where it's shallow on both ends and a little deeper in the middle. We also got a rock waterfall.

 

[justjulie]

LOL, we live in Canada and we have a pool - we open in April and close at the end of October - regardless of weather - can't stand looking at the cover by that point and we use the backyard the entire time - so much for the Great White North myth of never getting outside lol!

 

[Mickey Fliers]

When we moved to Florida, a pool was a MUST! That being said, I bought a house with a pool already built. I don't know if I would I would PUT IN a pool in an existing house unless I knew I would be there forever. I wouldn't want to take that kind of depreciation hit.

 

[suzannen]

I think it's so funny how different areas value or de-value pools. We have a house out on Long Island, NY and our pool was put in at the same time we built the house 20 years ago and we love, love it. It's open from Memorial Day to the end of September. In our neighborhood, about 80% of the homes have pools and homes without pools sell for much lower. They have to advertise "room for pool" if they want to sell the house.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I agree with PPs in that it doesn't seem worth it, west of the Cascades. I do have quite a bit of friends with pools and it's about 50/50 with those who like the pools. Most of those who really like it are those who entertain a lot in the summer. They all said last year was awful, considering summer didn't even start until August. One of them has an indoor/outdoor pool, it large with a retractable cover/roof. It's really cool!.. but I think they paid a lot for it. But they also get to swim all year long and maintenance is less of a pain.

 

[IdesOmarch]

This is a definite item on my near future to do list. I know its a little work but I don't care and actually enjoy that type of work. I am putting in a natural looking one though, with rock, and a rock waterfall. I want it to look like an oasis that you came up on in the middle of no where. I'm also having it partially surrounded by bamboo.

 

[mykel mouse]

Thought I would pass along my story so that it may help others. Our swim season is memorial day to labor day as well. My wife and I wanted an inground pool but hesitated at the money it cost. Year after year we had contractors come to the house and give quotes. It was always the same pool cost $$ but once you added the additional cost it was $$$$. There was one company we always felt comfortable with. So we finally bit the bullet and signed the contract for a one piece fiberglass pool with a vantage floor cleaner system. It has been everything promised. No maintenance, no skimming, no vacuuming. I add chlone tablets and shock once a week and that is it.

It seems to meet that the people who enjoy there pool had no issues with the instalation and have low maintenance. With the right research and pool you can get this.