Neighbor offered me his pool

[Stayfair]

Hi folks...been reading this forum for the past couple years and have gotten tons of great advice just from reading about other peoples experience. Thank you for that.

I have for the last 6 or 8 years owned Intex above ground pools with the inflatable ring. We've gone from the very small variety when my daughters were little up to the 18' one we currently have. At first it was a challenge keeping the water clear and the sides of the pool clean, and as the pool grew in size, the pump grew in size, then we added a swg when we got the 18' pool and it has become much less of a challenge.

My longtime neighbor has decided this year will be the last for his pool. The primary reason being twofold, a tree very close to the pool will soon cause issues because of the roots, and he and his wife would like to reclaim a decent amount of their backyard and are thinking a gazebo would be more enjoyable than a pool leading up to and into their golden years.

I don't know a great deal about the pool yet other than to say it is a 27' round pool, 4' deep (walls 52" I believe). I also believe he said the pump was replaced 2 or 4 years ago. In no way do I feel the pools I've owned for the past 6 or 8 years will have prepared me for ownership of this one so I thought I'd ask here if anyone could suggest some things I should look for, and or ask my neighbor about his pool that could help me decide if what I was getting into was a good deal or not.

Visibly there doesn't seem to be anything wrong at all, and I really don't see any signs of age. His backyard backs to mine so the pool would just have to be carried a very short distance through our yards. Is it generally a good idea to buy (cost is free however) a used pool....or is that something people shy away from for particular reasons?

If we did take the pool I would like to think I could buy a swg and make it a saltwater pool like the one we have now is. Once I got everything dialed in with our current pool I almost literally did nothing to maintain it during the summer that my girls swam in it.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Tom

NW Suburbs of Chicago
18' Intex above ground pool, 5400 gallons
Saltwater Chlorine Generator

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, Stayfair

Sounds like it could be a great deal! I have had great success for 3 years now with a used pool I got free off of Craigslist.

You have an ideal situation, since you can inspect the pool now and see it in working condition and you will be able to take it down and so you know how to set it up (and it is a short walk). Look for rust, creases in the wall, broken parts etc. Most likely you will need a new liner, but if the current liner is fairly new, you may be able to save it by keeping it wet...lining up the skimmer hole on a previous used liner is difficult though.

You will expend some significant effort, so if the pool is not in good shape, you may want to pass. Post some pictures of the pool and equipment. Do you know what brand and model?

 

[1380ken]

I would say that free would be a good deal. You probably would want to get a new liner. Are you going to move and install it yourself or hire someone to install?

 

[msgtdan]

Go for it, I'm very happy with my free pool. Both Linen and I have posted about getting used pools, if you do it yourself it's a lot of work. If you ask specific questions we'll be more than happy to answer.

 

[Stayfair]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll see my neighbor this weekend so I'll ask a couple more questions, what kind of pool, pump, age of pool and pump, etc, and see if I can post a few pictures.

He was going to have it taken down in the spring (he said he'd leave it up over winter if I was interested in it so I wouldn't have to store it), or this fall if I didn't want it. I'd watch the take down at least, or help out if those taking it down were interested in a hand. I'd be willing to put it back up myself if that's something the folks around here could tell me isn't too difficult. I've been a carpenter for 25 years, which definitely doesn't make me a pool builder, but I'm not completely without the ability to build something level and plumb.

Having said all that, I'm not opposed to having someone else do it In fact, I'll probably look into that as well and make a decision when I see what my laziness would cost me.

I'll be back soon....

 

[msgtdan]

Putting it in yourself can be a lot of work, specially if you have a slope to level. More hands working on it helps, for me it was mostly me.

 

[RyanMcC]

My main question would be... will a 27' pool be so much better than an 18' pool to justify doing all the work again? With kids getting bigger the answer is probably yes, but it may not be. Price out a replacement liner and your pump upgrades, then look at your 18 footer again.

 

[linen]

My main question would be... will a 27' pool be so much better than an 18' pool to justify doing all the work again? With kids getting bigger the answer is probably yes, but it may not be. Price out a replacement liner and your pump upgrades, then look at your 18 footer again.

Good thought...I would think yes, especially since (I think) Stayfair has an inflatable ring pool...but even if it is an intex metal frame, a more permanent agp is quite an upgrade especially from 18 to 27'! I am not sure if Stayfair wants to do it, but digging out a deep end makes it even more favorable as the kids get older imo. Bottom line, if the pool is in good shape (and equipment too) then this is a great deal...but as you pointed out, it will still cost some money and will take some work.

 

[techguy]

The difference between and 18 sack-pool and a 27 steel-walled AG is huge and worth the cost, effort and inconvenience, in my mind.

 

[msgtdan]

I went from a 15' ring pool to a 27' steel wall pool with a hopper and love it. Even though it was a lot of work.