looking to upgrade for next year and have a few questions

[copotay]

Well, hello all first post, I have been lurking and reading the forum for the last few weeks and wanted to ask a few questions. First of all I am nearly 50 and while growing up our family had two agps and then an in ground eventually. Finally decided to get another agp after so many years of not having one. In Aug I bought and put up the 15 x 48 Intex metal frame. I already bought the 2650 Intex sand filter, what a difference, still spewing a little sand I bought from the local pool place after two backwashes but I think its getting better. My 12 year old and the wife have pretty much decided to purchase a larger pool for next season and will go with a permanent metal sided that I can build a deck on one side. The local pool company prices are outrages so I have been internet shopping. Currently we seem to like the Sharkline Heritage 21ft x 52 for looks and price from

http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/pools/sh ... ritage.htm

but are open to suggestions of other manufacturers or dealers, this company has the cheapest price we could find but also want to deal with someone reputable that's stands behind their sales.

We were also unsure of 52 or 54 since the pool will be set in the open and will have only the pool and deck sitting in the middle of the yard, my wife is kinda worried that the deck will be so high to access the pool it would look awkward.

I plan to use the foam cove and liner pad with a crushed limestone base with sunken concrete pads for the posts, my ground is like 2 inches from level right now so I won't have to go to deep to get level.

Well that's kind of the plans right now any suggestions or comments are welcome such as other brand pools, companies, my set up I planned, etc.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

I can't supply any info onthe brand but when building your deck, level the deck so it's even or just below the top rail and it'll look fine.

If you don't plan on any young kids being in the pool then either 52 or 54" will be fine. Our 6yo GD can walk around in a 52 but she couldn't in a 54.

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Tks for the nfo thats what I have been reading in the online decks plans, and really I am looking at a small side deck nothing elaborate, trying to keep the cost of the wood down so the deck does not cost as much as the pool with the price of wood these days

 

[cramar]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

I bought my pool at FamilyPoolFun.com, I've since bought several more things from them. My pool was a Sharkline Matrix, I am extremely happy with both parties.
I have a longer review posted that might help.

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

I saw your project, excellent pro job

 

[moze229]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Well, hello all first post, I have been lurking and reading the forum for the last few weeks and wanted to ask a few questions. First of all I am nearly 50 and while growing up our family had two agps and then an in ground eventually. Finally decided to get another agp after so many years of not having one. In Aug I bought and put up the 15 x 48 Intex metal frame. I already bought the 2650 Intex sand filter, what a difference, still spewing a little sand I bought from the local pool place after two backwashes but I think its getting better. My 12 year old and the wife have pretty much decided to purchase a larger pool for next season and will go with a permanent metal sided that I can build a deck on one side. The local pool company prices are outrages so I have been internet shopping. Currently we seem to like the Sharkline Heritage 21ft x 52 for looks and price from

http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/pools/sh ... ritage.htm

but are open to suggestions of other manufacturers or dealers, this company has the cheapest price we could find but also want to deal with someone reputable that's stands behind their sales.

We were also unsure of 52 or 54 since the pool will be set in the open and will have only the pool and deck sitting in the middle of the yard, my wife is kinda worried that the deck will be so high to access the pool it would look awkward.

I plan to use the foam cove and liner pad with a crushed limestone base with sunken concrete pads for the posts, my ground is like 2 inches from level right now so I won't have to go to deep to get level.

Well that's kind of the plans right now any suggestions or comments are welcome such as other brand pools, companies, my set up I planned, etc.

Welcome to the forum!

I am fairly new to pools, and I bought from Poolsupplyworld.com. After weeks of debating, they really had what I wanted for the best price. In my research this summer for pools, I realized that local pool places want WAY too much for their pools. I'm usually one that supports local businesses over internet purchases, but when something is marked up almost 1000%, I just can't look the other way. Also, for some reason the pool industry seems to be a little shadier than most other industries. I say this because in my experience of pool research, you have a LOT of online dealers that have really bad reviews. Also, the idea of having just a few actual manufacturers of pools and literally hundreds of models to choose from sends up a red flag right there. The good dealers seem to be hard to find.

Since I've already dealt with Poolsupplyworld, maybe I can give some post-deal experience details.

1.) These people are in California, so if you live on the East Coast don't plan on talking to anyone or finding anything out until around noon. They say that they open at 7am Cali time but I've never experienced that. (Not really a big deal)
2.) They seem to have a limited number of people answering the phone for post-sales inquiry. You'll instantly end up in a que and you only get to hold for like 2 minutes. After that, you are forced to leave a message. (Can be frustrating) However, their sales line picks up the phone immediately almost every time.
3.) If you order something and it's on backorder, the website will still let you put it in your cart - and pay for it. Then after the fact, they'll notify you that it's on backorder via email. (I haven't had any problems just cancelling it at that point if I wanted.) This is a peeve of mine that I think is really bad business, but they aren't the only ones doing that.
4.) They claim to have six warehouses located amidst the country, however I think they operate directly from distributor stock. In other words, they don't carry anything themselves. They just have an enterprise system set up where their computers are "connected" to their distributors' inventory. (Kinda efficient way of doing business, but nice to know anyway. Most pool equipment suppliers operate in this manner.) I gather this from the fact that when I ordered my pool and some of the equipment, every single box had a label from a different company - none of them labeled being from "Poolsupplyworld.com".
5.) The people answering the phone are courteous and helpful, and seem to know what they are talking about.
6.) If you leave a message, they WILL call you back usually within a few hours.
7.) The pool I ordered had a 14-21 delivery day schedule. It shipped in two business days and I had it in 5.
8.) The uprights and top rails that were slightly damaged during shipping were replaced immediately with no questions asked. They didn't even want the damaged parts back. (HUGE time saver)
9.) Their website is neatly organized which makes it easy to find what you are looking for.

I will continue to buy from them because of their prices and customer service. No company is perfect, but I have yet to find anyone that sells this stuff as cheap as they do and offer the level of service that they provide.

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Thank you very much for the detailed nfo of your purchase and your experiences it will definitely help knowing what to expect, and it really is a shame most everyones local companies basically double Internet prices.

 

[Docs911]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

I went with a doughboy pool with 52 inch walls. I am told that liners 54 inches tall were harder to get (and more expensive) when I would have to change it. When choosing the pool vendor, I wanted a reputable pool manufacturer/ company. The internet prices are far better, but my perception that there was a lot of lower quality pools. My plan was to have the deck wrap around the pool. I did not want to get a pool that I would have to replace every 5 years. I read that doughboys last quite a long time. I ended up spent the extra dollars to avoid any potential headaches down the road.

 

[moze229]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

I went with a doughboy pool with 52 inch walls. I am told that liners 54 inches tall were harder to get (and more expensive) when I would have to change it. When choosing the pool vendor, I wanted a reputable pool manufacturer/ company. The internet prices are far better, but my perception that there was a lot of lower quality pools. My plan was to have the deck wrap around the pool. I did not want to get a pool that I would have to replace every 5 years. I read that doughboys last quite a long time. I ended up spent the extra dollars to avoid any potential headaches down the road.

You are correct in liners, although I didn't have a hard time finding them at all for the 54" wall. It's just that you don't have near as many to choose from. Also surprisingly, many that I looked at were the exact same price as the 52".

Just as with anything else, buying a pool on the internet can be risky IF you don't do your homework. There are so many out there to choose from and in my opinion, most of them are lower quality. Many of the nationally known brands, (Doughboy, Vogue, etc.) are of higher quality and cost a lot more, but there are some lesser knowns that are just as good and in some cases, much better for less than 1/3 of the price. When the installer of my pool (from a local pool place) was installing mine he kept commenting on how sturdy the bottom rails were, how heavy the wall was, and how thick the resin was on the uprights and top rails. He couldn't believe the price that I paid, and even his highest quality pool that sells for almost twice what I paid for mine is lower quality.

Don't be afraid to venture online for pool purchases. Just be sure you know what you are getting. Too many people just dive in and make a purchase without doing any research. And if you do it right, you can have just as good, if not better pool than your neighbor for 1/3 the price. Then they can get mad and resent you for it.

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Very good information y'all that's exactly the kind of stuff I am trying to find out

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

We started looking at the Shark line Venture over the Heritage because of the resin bottom rails, here in Louisiana everything rusts with our humidity and moist soil so I was thinking about staying away from steel bottom rails. One question I cannot seem to figure out is why are the Heritage and Venture not listed on the Shark line website but the Matrix is?

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Since this will be the first time I install one of these I have been noticing in threads that it looks like everyone is halling a whole lot of sand into the center to later spread out and make their coves and floor, my plans are to add the foam coves, the sand in the middle, about 2 inches, then the bottom pad before the liner. I guess my question is what order, the cove before the floor pad, or after? And I assume I should still use some sand for the floor pad to sit on not just the dirt.

 

[moze229]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Since this will be the first time I install one of these I have been noticing in threads that it looks like everyone is halling a whole lot of sand into the center to later spread out and make their coves and floor, my plans are to add the foam coves, the sand in the middle, about 2 inches, then the bottom pad before the liner. I guess my question is what order, the cove before the floor pad, or after? And I assume I should still use some sand for the floor pad to sit on not just the dirt.

The order of floor/cove will depend on the diameter of the foam bottom. Since I'm not familiar with them, I don't know if it is standard to make the bottoms the entire diameter of the pool, or to make them accommodate the coves out to the sides. To me, it would make sense to put to bottom in first, having the bottom span the entire diameter of the pool, then the coves on top of the foam pad. As far as sand is involved, it seems that you would want at least SOME sand underneath. You'll just need to follow the manufacturers instructions. I can tell you that when my neighbor replaced his liner he added a foam pad. He just set it right on top of the sand that was already there.

Since it seems that you may be having some questions along the way, you may want to start your own thread to kinda keep everything together.

 

[copotay]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Tks Moze, where I plan to make the purchase, poolsupplyworld, supposedly has them precut for the size pool one piece and when I downloaded the install PDF for round pools from Sharkline it does not say anything about the bottom pad or foam coves, just how to use sand on the bottom for the floor and cove with 2 inches of sand throughout, lol I plan to order after Christmas and build around March 2012, but I am doing my homework early and stressing at the same time after reading articles like this guys first experience:

http://www.squidoo.com/abovegroundpool

I appreciate all the help from everyone it is really helping to build my confidence in doing it myself, I have constructed decks, buildings etc, but nothing like venturing into a 10,000 gallon get it right the first time or elsedrain 10,000 gallons of water and redo it type job. I also plan to use my new Intex sandfilter I bought for my Intex 15 x 48 but now I am learning I will have to do some plumbing modifications because Intex uses metric fittings for their hoses and connections on the sand filter.

 

[hayabusa3]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

We got our AGP from Costco online for about $2300. We got everything at that price for our 18 X 54. Steel wall, liner, pump, sand filter, solar and winter covers, vacuum cleaner, net, pump, hoses, skimmer - everything. Very happy with the quality.

 

[catchyoulater]

Re: looking to upgrade for next year and have a few question

Tks Moze, where I plan to make the purchase, poolsupplyworld, supposedly has them precut for the size pool one piece and when I downloaded the install PDF for round pools from Sharkline it does not say anything about the bottom pad or foam coves, just how to use sand on the bottom for the floor and cove with 2 inches of sand throughout, lol I plan to order after Christmas and build around March 2012, but I am doing my homework early and stressing at the same time after reading articles like this guys first experience:

http://www.squidoo.com/abovegroundpool

I appreciate all the help from everyone it is really helping to build my confidence in doing it myself, I have constructed decks, buildings etc, but nothing like venturing into a 10,000 gallon get it right the first time or elsedrain 10,000 gallons of water and redo it type job. I also plan to use my new Intex sandfilter I bought for my Intex 15 x 48 but now I am learning I will have to do some plumbing modifications because Intex uses metric fittings for their hoses and connections on the sand filter.

I know I shouldn't have, but I laughed myself silly reading this poor guy's story! I have to say I was impressed with his perserverance! A lesser soul would have gone postal! That said I am amazed that my pool has withstood the test of time without all that effort! We did it ourselves about 30 years ago -- got a group of friends to come over and dig a large oval hole and we didn't use a level (I know!!! Talk about dumb luck) we just eyeballed it. And a dopey friend got so into the digging that he dug us a deep end, inadvertantly of course. We had to fill in the hole and tamp and hope it all worked out. So the pool was sunk in the ground about 3 feet and I put a redwood deck around half of it and although I've replaced the liner once every ten years this sucker has endured! Oh the first time we replaced the liner I had the pool store do it, worth it to have a smooth bottom and they even leveled it all out after using it for ten years with no problems.