Anyone wish you had NEVER put in a pool?

[oakrunfarm]

Hello all,

I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a new pool (my first) and I am a little worried...

I LOVE the water - ocean, pool, you name it - and am wanting a pool for the exercise and the ambience. When we vacation at a resort or villa with a pool, I am in it till I'm pruney...

This is as part of a new build and will add $40k plus that we did not initially plan for.

Is there anyone out there for whom the reality of their pool has made them wish they had never even put one in? Like the added cost of elec or water or gas or all of the hassle to clean and care for it just takes the fun out of it or they find they never use it?

I am not really as concerned with hearing from people whose PB was the main problem in the whole process, but mostly from people for whom the pool experience itself was just not what they were wanting or hoping for.

Thanks SO much for your input.

 

[JohnT]

My answer is no. One thing NOT to worry about is the operating cost unless you are trying to keep 90 degree water year-round. Electricity for the pump and chemical costs are not a big deal if you can afford a $40K pool to start with.

Just follow the chemistry advice you get here instead of what your builder or a pool store gives you and it will be painless. Post the specifics of your build and we might be able to keep you from making the same mistakes we've lived through. Sometimes there are things that are easy during the build that could have made things much better later on.

With an automatic cleaner, you should only spend about 5 minutes a day taking care of the pool, if that long. It's really easy. I traveled quite a bit for work this past summer, and my 16 year-old daughter did all of the pool maintenance while I was on the road without a hitch.

 

[oakrunfarm]

Thank you!

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your response. I guess I am just worried because I have not ever owned a pool.

My husband cared for a pool one summer as a teen about 150 years ago, and he is not too keen on the idea of getting one in the first place, so he is giving me all of these horror stories about how time-consuming it is to take care of one.

I told him that I am sure that the technology of pool care has changed vastly since the 1960's. He has gone so far as to tell me the care of the pool is going to be my sole responsibility, but I guess if I am the one wanting one and will be using it, that is only fair. I am handy and tech-savvy, so I do not have a problem with doing that since the whole thing is my idea.

I am waiting for the second of the two quotes I requested, and will be sure to post here so I can get some idea of whether or not the equipment looks like good choices and the costs are in line.

Again, thanks a lot! Y'all are the best!

 

[ktdave]

I (well, my parents) had a pool (vinyl, inground) when I was growing up (~30 yrs ago). I remember loathing pool maintenance then, especially vacuuming (no automatic cleaner).

You are right about the pool care technology changing over the years. I absolutely love having our pool now and actually like doing the maintenance on it. JohnT is right, I only spend 5 min or less a day generally and 30 min every week or two to brush or manual vac if needed.

Regarding electricity costs, the pumps made nowadays are way more efficient than their predecessors made just five years ago.

 

[Guest]

i love having a pool, i remember when we were house shopping my wife and kids said DADDY WE WANT A POOL. i kinda put it off until we acully went house hunting. saw a house with a pool, and i loved the house too much to not worry about the pool, at first i said ok we can fill it in and have a big yard, but we opened it and used it for a couple of weeks and i love it, taking care of it is fun. but $$$$$ to up keep it.

i have old equipment, my pumps, filter and every thing else except the liner is 15-20 years old. i think that i spend so much money on chemicals because i need so much for almost 60k gallons of water. plus my pumps are old so they add about 60 dollars amonth on to my electric bill- but next season that should all change because im upgrading to the most effecient and top of the line equipment, hopefully stuff that will last just as long as these pumps. , but in my book it is all well worth it for the fun and family time we all share. plus on weekends insted of spending 500 on toys and finding somthing to do i spend 200 dollars amonth to take care of a pool. nice trade off if you ask me.

 

[Riles_J]

I love having a pool as well. I do not have an automatic cleaner yet (next season for sure), so I manually vacuum. I spend an hour on weekends vacuuming during the summer months and a little time maintaining chemicals (no more than 5 mins. every other day). I find the cost to be minimal. $20/month on bleach and a negligable increase in electricity. There are some major ticket items that will need replacing ocasionally, but that goes with the territory.

I simply can't imagine NOT having a pool. We have three small children and we love to entertain. Its like being on vacation every weekend.

riles