Round or Oval, which did you pick and why?

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M

MNPoolDreamer

0
May 13, 2009
198
Mn
We have a few more hurdles to overcome before we are pool owners. Meeting with the HOA board tonight...Keep those fingers crossed for us!

We have a great opportunity to get a Strong brand (the one that has the riser) 24' round for super cheap. We are thinking we could trade sod for a lower price on the pool. Problem is, DH doesn't like round cause it seems to take up so much of the yard. We have a fairly good sized yard, but a round would literally be in the middle of our yard. An oval would be tucked closer to the house.

Which did you choose and is one better than the other? Is 24' round too larger for a beginner pool gal like me? If you did oval, 15 x 30 or 18 x 33? Why one over the other?

My dream pool would be the 18 x 33 but DH thinks that's too big. The round is such a steal that it is hard not to justify taking up the yard.

Love to hear what and how you decided which AGP to get!
 
The Wife and I picked a 33" round pool. It was between a round and oval for us (18x33) but the price was just so much more affordable AND we have a lot of yard to take up. now that the pool is installed and finally filled i'm glad we picked the round! I feel your pain with the decision but i'm glad I NEVER had to go through a HOA (they can be brutal so i'm pulling for you).
 
We had in our minds that we wanted an oval pool (16x32). The salesman drew a circle to represent a round pool. He then drew two lines through it to turn it into an oval. The visual helped me realize how much less pool we would get with an oval. Then he gave us prices and the round was cheaper. The price was the deal breaker!
 
We picked a round because of cost. If you want to get an idea how much space the pool will require, take the measurements of the pool add about a foot all the way around and mark the outline in the yard with flour.
 
We chose an oval for a couple reasons. Originally I liked the way ovals looked better. After pricing pools though it was obvious you get a lot more pool for your money with a round. However, when we went home to measure our yard and reviewed township ordinances we quickly realized that a 24' round would not even fit our yard. We decided on a 24x15 oval instead. I was a little miffed about paying more money for less gallons but did think it would look better in the yard. When the pool was delivered, the pool store people brought the wrong pool and the one we bought was now out of stock and unavailable. To make up for the error we ended up getting upgraded to a comparable 30x15 for the same price. Now I'm really glad we got this shape and size, it is large enough to swim laps, have the kiddies down one end and the adults at the other and fits nicely in the yard.
 
Just put in my 12x24 oval today so I'll tell you more in a few days! Although I can tell you now a round wasn't an option because it would take teh whole yard or reduce us to a 12' - maybe 18' pool. I think the oval is more usable area and it tucked in a corner (with 5' to fences) without dominating the yard. We did get a display for about 1/2 off but I probably would have went oval anyway.
 
I love hearing your comments! Keep 'em coming! I just got back from the HOA board meeting and they won't budge on the AGP. They are worried what it will look like 20 years from now or if we sell our house and someone who buys it doesn't maintain it.

Anyway, if the final word is that they absolutely will not let us, then I will use all your input for my next home. It gives me time to really plan it out.

Still an MN Pool Dreamer!
 
We chose round due to a number of reasons:
1. Space - for us - it was not an issue so we went with a 30 foot round - allows laps like in a 15x30 or 16x32.
2. Gives your kids a HUGE pool to play in in comparison to oval.
3. EVERY oval pool I have ever seen starts to bow out along the straight sides after time - either that or lean outward - this does not happen in a round since the pressure is equal all the way around. (we have severe winters here that cause a lot of frost heaving which I believe is the reason all oval pools eventually distort, the ground under the buttress supports softens and changes every spring allowing the supports to sink - also - the thick ice every winter pushes out on the straight sides.

Screw the HOA - it's a TEMPORARY structure without footings or a foundation and does not even require a permit.
Want to really mess with them - I bet they'd love it if you put up an intek from Walmart.
 
wow your HOA sucks! i'm sure glad i didn't go that route however what if you offer to take the pool down in the event you sell the house. do they have inground pools in your sub? what happens if someone doesn't keep up there inground? or they sell and their new owners dont keep them up
 

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The HOA really does suck. I would never buy a home with an association again. Basically they said they can change the rules based on whatever they think is best for the neighborhood. They contradict themselves. I CAN put up an intex and that was my argument. We have to excavate just as much for intex and it leaves a muddy hole when taken down. DH says we should just put the pool up in October, before the snow flies. If 90 days passes and no one complains, we are home free! Might be worth the risk!

It truly is my dream to have a pool. My entire life I've wanted a pool and that is part of the reason we moved only 1/2 mile from our old house. We needed a better backyard to put a pool in. Now we have it, but can't due it because some dude who probably won't be in the neighborhood 20 years from now is worried what his old hood will look like.

They know nothing about pools and pool structure. I'll get a lawyer if I have too. Maybe they will surprise me....Keep those fingers crossed. Then I only have to decide Oval - worry of frost heave (we are in Minnesota) or Round -takes up whole yard.

Love the feedback so far! It has been very helpful and I hope others can use the info to make a decision.

MNPool Dreamer!
 
wow just for that and them being that way i would DEF say ROUND just so it can be as big as possible and Tick off the most people possible....... no i'm just kidding i think my pool in the back yard actually makes it look better.....i don't know about your HOA sounds like they really really have priorities out of whack.
 
Ugh, I would never live in a place like that. They would drive me batty. As for round or oval, we have an 18x33 oval and love it. A 33 foot round pool would be bigger but ours is plenty big. We play games the long way. 33 feet long is pretty darn big, I couldn't fit that size round pool in my yard. Our pool was free, just needed a new liner so cost wasn't an issue.
 
We went with an oval this time around. We've had a number of Intex pools and then a steel sided AG 18' round pool. Although we live in the country and I could have had my DH just doze a new spot where I wanted to put a larger round pool, there was a natural cul de sac in the yard that is protected and hidden from the highway that had a swingset and sandbox before that was simply perfect for an oval pool and deck. I just like the looks of an oval so much more - I have to admit, if I was to do it again, the only thing I would change is to get an 20'x40' instead of 18'x33'. I love my pool.
 
We were originally looking at a round. Then we started wanting it bigger and bigger, and with a deep end. We finally decided we wanted as deep a pool as we could get with an AG, so oval it was! We're very happy with it. It has a nice 7' deep end, with 2' ledge all around the deep end. We also have a nice big deck around it now and it's more like an in-ground, since we had the pool buried a few feet into the ground, with a 7' deep end.
 
We lost our battle with the HOA. They know nothing about pool construction and how a cheap one will look cheap always. A high quality pool will look nice for years to come. We looked at the intex, but the city will require inspection and permit every year! What a joke.

I can only hope my kids still love swimming in 2 years when the board will hopefully be turned over. Problem is the neighborhood only cares about the association when it comes to $$ out of their pocket. Rules only affect them if they home owner submits the change or are caught breaking the rules.

Well I do appreciate the comments. I hope it is valuable to someone else!

MN Pool Dreamer -
they can't kill my dream
 
What twits they are! The City of Wylie is a bear to deal with, and now that they've discovered that you can actually bury an AGP with a 7' deep end, I expect they'll make it even harder for the poor saps who come along behind us. But I would consider moving, if I was in your shoes! Kiddos are little for only so long. And to have some dimwitted group of folks telling what you can and can't do with your own property...... well, that's just my two-cents' worth!
 
I'm sorry you can't get the pool now. It's so much fun! We have a 21x41 oval. I didn't pick it, my brother installed it when he lived here. He put it up in 2004 - 6 years later the sides are still absolutely straight. We are in Central IL - and you better believe that if ground heaving is going to "do something" to an oval, it would have done it to mine!!!

I like the oval because it's loooooong so we can really swim laps, plus we can set up a net across the middle and play volleyball!
 
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