Not yet a pool owner - questions.

[jimmerz]

Hi. We are looking to get a pool installed ASAP. We had to go through the whole HOA approval process and then we were able to proceed.

We are looking at 2 or 3 different pools, but know very little about any of them.

1. Alpine Pools in Pittsburgh PA is one of the biggest local installers. We got a quote for a Oceanic 24' round above ground pool 54" with a 25mil liner, and all the pump, cleaners, ladder etc.. ( I will get better pump details when I get home). $5499
http://www.alpinepools.com/above_oceanic.php

2. Pool City - probably the 2nd biggest pool supplier in our area. This was for a Sentinelle 24' round AGP 54" with a 28mil liner. I do remember the pump was a big system with a automatic chlorinator and I believe it was a 2hp pump. This package also had all the cleaners, ladder and other little things thrown in. This quote was for $4999
http://www.shoppoolcity.com/aqua-leader ... cPath=20_4

The other quote was from a friend who is a teacher but has been installing pools in the summers for about 20 years and his quote was very similar but I did not get a brand name of the pool. He was doing a 24' round 52" with only a 20mil liner and a 1Hp Heyward pump. He quoted me $4995.

We know nothing about doing this, so I look forward to reading this site. I am glad I found this site, because there are really no pool review sites that I was able to find?

All 3 I will be getting the electrician seperately. I also will be having the dirt hauled away seperately. My yard is pretty much flat and it should be a simple dig for either of the 3. Although my friend stated he would be hand digging and wheeling in the sand so he wouldn't need to remove any sections of my fence and he didnt want to jack up my yard.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Jim

 

[techguy]

I have an Aqua Leader pool that is 8 years old. AquaLeader pools are made with resin top seats, bottom track and risers that are rounded and made of resin as opposed to many of the metal pools that have a straight profile top seat. I have 26 round pieces of top seat that create a circle, many of the metal ones are 26 straight lines that approximate a circle. Obviously resin doesn't rust.

These are the questions I would want to ask. I didn't know to ask about any of these things when I bought and I got lucky with what I "got". It was the demo pool at the store.

The actual brand and models numbers of the equipment quoted will make a big difference, especially since they the are about 1/2 the cost of the pool, based on my conversations with dealers. If you get low-end pump or filter, you will have to live with its limitations and cloudy water. Or you will need to run your pump 24/7 to keep up. Cartridge filter replacements can be expensive, best to know the cost up front. DE filter the water best but can be a real pain if you get a big algae bloom. Some people love the sand filters but they can have issues filtering if the particles are too small and may require longer run times.

The price on the one of the web sites shows "installed" price. Does that mean they do the tractor work to level the site (required in my mind) and bring in any required sand or materials.

What is make and mode l of the ladder? I have found this to be an important feature and a cheap ladder is not a place to skimp to save a few $$.

I have not had any problems with any of the parts except I broke a couple clips when I changed my liner. The clips are $1.20 each so it's not a major deal.

This is what mine looks like, I think the Sentinelle would look quite similar.

 

[cramar]

I researched Aqualeader quite a bit and my research indicated they are a reputable company with a great line of pools. I was very close to ordering one but at the last minute found the odd ball sized Sharkline 20' which was the perfect size for our limited area.
I would have had no problem ordering an Aqualeader, in your case I'm not saying you should pick that model, just wanted to mention that they make good pools, the other pool may be equally good.

I recommend that you watch several online videos for installing above ground pools, they will educate you on how the process is supposed to go.

 

[jimmerz]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Glad to hear that the Aqualeader pools are of good quality. I was able to find the other pool listed it was a Sharkline - Oceanic model, 24' x 54" round. It did get good reviews also.

As for the install. The quoted price is for the digging and leveling of the ground as well as 6 ton of sand. I will be removing the earth and hiring an electrician to tie it all into my electric panel.

As per my HOA, this has to be done professionally, I am unable to just buy and build it myself. My skills are not that good that I would want to try to do the install anyway, lol.

 

[techguy]

Aqualeader and Sharkline are two different brands of the Wilbar company. I don't know if there is a difference in quality or is it the same items with different brands and sales channels? I don't know. Maybe a pool rep will know the differences. The dealer is likely to steer you toward whatever they sell.

I found this in a press release:
The Wilbar Group is a world leader in top-of-the-line aboveground swimming pools, with several product
lines and complementary technologies including Aqualeader, Atlantic, Sharkline, Seaspray and Artesian.
Founded as Sharkline in 1961, the Wilbar Group has grown both organically and through strategic
acquisition. Accelerated growth since 2003 has made it a world-class leader in the field of aboveground
pool manufacturing, with a constant focus on customer service, innovative products and exceptional
quality