Swimming Pool Suggestions

[KEROSENEDRVR]

The wife and I are going to have a inground pool built. I'm looking for any suggestions/advice/comments you may have. We live in N. Ca, just north of Sacramento. Unfortunately pool construction companies are very few and the horror stories of pool construction abound...We haven't talked with a specific company yet but expect to soon.

 

[BTDT]

Find someone (home owner) in the area with a pool, and ask them who they used and how they like the workmanship.

 

[Bird]

The wife and I are going to have a inground pool built. I'm looking for any suggestions/advice/comments you may have. We live in N. Ca, just north of Sacramento. Unfortunately pool construction companies are very few and the horror stories of pool construction abound...We haven't talked with a specific company yet but expect to soon.

Horror stories? Yep, that's a fact. When we decided we wanted a pool in 1978, I knew an electrical contractor who got his start and still did a lot of contracting with pool companies to do their electrical work. He also had a pool in his backyard, so I asked which company he'd recommend, and he said, "It really doesn't matter. There isn't a *** in the business that won't lie to you, and no matter which one you choose, you'll want to kill'em before you go swimming." He was right.

I can assure you that this is one time you want to very carefully read ALL the fine print before you sign a contract. Of course I'm sure many things have changed in the last 30 years, but the "standard" contracts back then called for one-third of the payment when the hole was dug, another third when the material was delivered to the site, and the final third upon completion. Thank goodness I required them to change that to say NO payment was due until I went swimming. One house in the neighborhood had a mud hole in their backyard for over 2 years. In spite of what the contract said, they tried (unsuccessfully) to charge me extra for moving an underground electric line and for installing an electric subpanel for the pump and filter.

And be sure you really want a swimming pool. They are a great idea, and lots of fun, for a few years, then they're usually no longer used, are still an expense to maintain, etc. so you want to be prepared to sell the house and move. Now maybe you'll be the exception to the rule, but most people who have had a pool and move, NEVER want a second pool. I'm not sorry we did it. Our girls learned to swim like ducks and really enjoyed it for a time, and then the last 2 or 3 years I think I got in it once doing some maintenance and that was the only time anyone was in it.

 

[JESSE1]

We built our pool in August 1980. 18x36 oval inground with a vinyl liner. I've had the liner replaced once. Three pumps and filters, two Polaris vac-sweeps in that time. Have we enjoyed the pool? Yes. Would I build another one? NO. The cost of water, electricity and chemicals gets hard to take real quick.

 

[Jimbrown]

One deal with a real pool company not some general contractor who does a few every now and then. The pool concrete and other aspects of pools is different from regular concrete construction. Plus a good pool company will have lots of options on concrete, tile and pool surfaces. We just built on last year and are quite happy with it. Make sure you buy everything you want at once and not try to just buld the basic pool and then add on. Have it at least plumbed for solar heat even if you do not buy the panels when it is installed. You need to decide where you want to put the pumps ect. and make the pool guys put them there. They will try to put them in the easiest and most convient place for them. Be prepared to have your whole yard destroyed. Here is a pic of mine.

 

[EddieWalker]

Jim,

Very nice pool. I love the way it looks like it belongs there with the landscaping and hardscaping all tying it together.

Kerosenedrvr,

I'm going to put a pool in too. It's not something I want, but since I have no choice, I want to make it as nice as possible.

One thing that I found out is that the insurance rates for a wading pool are much, much cheaper than one over 4 feet deep. Mine will be four feet deep!!!

There are all sorts of forums on pools and pool companies. The more I searched, the worse it got. It seems the most common complaint I read is where you give the pool company a deposit to build your pool and agree on a time to start, and it doesn't happen. Workmanship and fixing problems are an issue with all of them.

Find out who your local builders are and googel each and every one of them. I did that with the ones in the phone book and didn't find one without a list of complaints. It's really scary and I'm seriuosly thinking about hiring out the subs and doing it myself.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[WayneB]

The wife and I are going to have a inground pool built. I'm looking for any suggestions/advice/comments you may have. We live in N. Ca, just north of Sacramento. Unfortunately pool construction companies are very few and the horror stories of pool construction abound...We haven't talked with a specific company yet but expect to soon.

We put our pool in in the 1980's and two years ago we changed the liner. Same guy that installed the pool did the liner. Still in business and he turned 72 last year.

It is a 20 x 40 what they called a teacup pool back then (don't make that type anymore. It is real deep at the diving board area about 101/2 feet and then goes up to 4 feet at the other end rather quickly.

We live in cold country so the pool is used a bit in June and then July and August. I close it up in September which requires pumping water out, blowing out the pipes, antifreeze in the lines and I take off the pump and store it inside. All and all it takes me the better part of a weekend to complete the closing of the pool.

When the kids were young they were in the pool almost everyday all day long. Now the wife and I get into the pool some but certainly not everyday.

Once installed make sure you get a good automatic cleaning system. I purchased an Aquabot system and have never vacuum cleaned the pool since. I am on my third one, heck it is worse than the dishwasher! When it breaks down I am in the car and on my way to the pool place to pick up parts or replace the unit.

If you are going to go with chlorine I would suggest that you check into an automatic dispensing system. Test the water often and stay on top of the PH stabilizing chemicals.

We used Bacracil in our pool for a few years and then had a major problem and the only thing we could do was to switch back to chlorine. Chemicals are expensive and you will need to learn about all of the different ones that you might need to keep the water clean. You will have oxidizers, clarifiers, and shock just to name a few.

We call it our black-hole in the backyard! Electric bill goes up, propane gas bill is high, chemical cost is extremely high, if you have to buy pool water that is high and be sure you know where it comes from and that it doesn't pollute your pool. Gosh it is going to be fun for sure.

We live in the country and we decided to get a pool mainly because my wife couldn't keep up with the demands to go to different swimming places every hot day. Once the pool was in we became the house where all of the kids hung out. It was tons of fun, the kids are great swimmers and I don't regret putting it in, but as we get older and it isn't used too much I wish there was an easy way to fill it in and be done with it.

 

[marks]

Consider having discharges looped, and having two plumbed into the bottom -for better circulation. Suctions: skimmer, auto cleaner, side wall, and main drain all with ball valves. If valving and plumbing is exposed to the sun, paint the pvc, and use high quality schedule 80 ball valves, otherwise the handles break over time. Use lots of unions, especially on both sides of the pump, it makes life simplier. Good quality ball valves and unions can be found on ebay.

If possible think about solar, if not then provide future stub-outs. Automatic cover is fantastic, keeps it warmer, safer, cleaner, and less chemicals - Cover Pools is the mfg. If using solar, think of a smaller pump so that it can run longer and not waste power. Over size the wiring, so there is future flexibility in pump sizing.

Hose bib on pump discharge before filter, allows for easier priming.

 

[rox]

marks,
you sure know a lot about swimming pools. How did you get so smart?

 

[mathey]

A note on pool chemicals...

It doesn't need to be expensive...we've had our pool for 4 years, and I've never used anything but grocery store bleach, A&H baking soda and 20 Mule Team borax...during the summer months it requires about $5-7 per week (depending on the cost of bleach at the time) if you keep to a regular schedule. Let it get out of hand and the cost goes up a bit (higher dosing of bleach) plus time and patience. it can be even more expensive if you want to get it cleared quickly (pool store chemicals-ugh).

Your best bet is to buy a high quality water test kit (not the dip strips!) and learn how to do proper water testing yourself, then decide what methods to take to correct the problems you may have. Keep in mind when getting your water tested at the pool store - their main goal i$ to $ell you chemical$.