Swimming Pool Suggestions

[mjarrels]

When I saw this thread, I thought about a previous thread "filling in my swimming pool". Sounds like an opportunity for someone to start a swimming pool moving business.

mark

 

[marks]

Further evidence of my slipping mind... place the skimmer so that prevailing wind is blowing towards it.

 

[EddieWalker]

By the way....I have three young sons age 12, 10, and 8....I have a beautiful wife who had 6 vertebrae fused about 9 months ago....I think they will wear out the pool in no time flat.

When my Mom had back trouble that led to surgery to remove a few of her vertibre, reshape them and put them back in, she was told that she could write off a swimming pool or hot tub. My parents bought a hot tub and deducted it on their taxes.

It might be worth looking into.


Nat,

That's good advice about being sure the person you buy the pool from is also the installer. From what I read, the biggest issues are from what the salesman says and what the installer does.

Eddie

 

[Jagmandave]

Living in Sacramento, you will be able use the pool most of the year, and all year if you put in solar. My folks lived in Roseville and loved having the pool; even if they didn't use it daily, my mom enjoyed just sitting out by the pool listening to the water as the skimmer did it's job.........of course, anytime any of the grandkids came to visit, a dip in the pool was a must!
One summer night the power went out and after a few hours the house began to get pretty warm, (the central valley of Ca can get well into the 100's in the summer) so they just went and floated in the pool for a couple of hours till the power and the A/C came back on!
If you have kids, you'll love it. If you dion't, and you build it in the right configuration, you'll use it to keep yourselves healthier - cause it costs to much to just ignore it!
Enjoy!

 

[escavader]

Just a thought ,where I am the town does not tax or require a permit for an above ground,So thats what i put in a 24 footer,had it for 4 years we love it.One of my co workers had told me he would trade his in ground for an above,because all the leaves etc blowing would go right in the pool.It is not required to have a fence around an above ground here either.We built a large elevated deck with a slide tables etc,The tax man does get me on that.
I also have learned alot about chemicals,in the last couple years.
1 dont assume walmarts chemicals are a better buy.The clorine from my pool company is price compareable ,but yet twice as effective.
2 you dont need half the crap they try to sell you every year.Just monitor the ph and clorine levels a dab of algeside once a week
3 I have my pump on a timer and only run it when its daylight,not all the time,and the pool still stays clean.
4 no matter what the family says they WILL DO,YOU WILL do all the work cleaning the pool
ALAN

 

[archerynut]

I also had a stint in the swimming pool business. I did just about everything from installation, maintenance, repairs, sales, water testing. There are a lot of decisions that need to be made prior to putting a hole in the ground. I have to echo Nat's comments. It sounds weird but drive around your neighborhood and find people that have pools and then ask them all of the questions that you can possibly think of. Main points of interest to me are how long the company has been in business, do they use subcontractors (if yes, try to avoid that company), how was the installation as far as time and effort on their part, are parts easily accessible (things will break eventually), how is the overall finish of the work done. Find out what the pool owners major gripes were with the company and determine if you are willing to deal with them. When it comes to design and mechanics, I would stay away from the "newest and best things ever", they typically aren't.

 

[Whiskey]

The wife and I just finished up having a pool built, I didn't read all the thread, but most of what I read is "it's all about the company" is very true.

We took about 6-8 months to interview several companies that were recomnended to us and lots of scheduling with the companies to see and talk to people that they built for. After all that we went with the first company that we talked to. Pool companies are good at closing down and and comming back under another name and leaving customers hanging.

 

[gordon21]

My plan is to install a small in ground pool (12'x20'x4' flat bottom) and then cover it with a log enclosure to match the house. Most of three walls from about 3' high to the roof and all the roof will be 5-wall polycarbonate panels 5/8" thick. Aluminum box framing will support the panels. It will like a hybrid greenhouse/log house. The pool enclosure company says the poly panels will keep the pool house and pool usable to about 50 degrees each winter. Beyond that, I will need supplemental heat.

The deal with the wife is that she gets an indoor pool heated year round in the mountains IF, it is a tiny pool. I will not build something where we can't afford the $100+ per month to keep it hot. We had a 25'x35' pool in Florida for the two of us and it was way more than we needed.

I will dig the hole with my own backhoe and act as GC for the entire project. that way it will be done right and the way I want it. The one piece fiberglass shell with integrated fiber optic lighting will be under $10,000. I am counting on delivery and crane costs to be $1,500 or less. Pumps, pipes, filters etc another $1500 and a heater another $2500. Small concrete and natural stone deck another $3000. The plan is to get it done for under $20K and then do the log/poly enclosure. Being indoors, there will be virtually no cleaning chores!!! I will not miss skimming and cleaning what the Barracuda missed.

 

[RobJ]

Sorry I didn't read all the posts in case someone mentioned this....

get a heater where you are
get a pay raise when you get a heater.
get a raise anyway, the thing needs to run year round (not as much in the winter)
Win the lotto to put it in. Down here pools have gotten silly in price
if you are part of a water district or city water, check into putting in a second water meter WITHOUT sewer. In houston you are charges a sewer rate on the amount of water you use. A pool does not put water into the sewer system.
Also check on discounts when filling or refilling. I think our city will cut some sort of deal there.
In our hot summers I hear people say they need to add an inch or so a day. Then when it rains to much they must pump out some water (in the storm drain).

Nowadays around here having a pool can actually hurt the chances of selling a house, depending on the purchaser. Some decent business in fillling them in. Bust holes in the bottom, bust in the sides about 2 feet down, then a 3-4" slurry from a truck in the street over the fence and it's gone.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[patriciathore]

You must have the complete equipments for your swimming pools. Take a picture if you finished building your pool!