SWG installation question--Is this a fair price?

[jake]

Greetings all. Been reading through posts for several hours...this is a great informational site that I wish I'd found years ago.

We have been looking to install a SWG in an inground vinyl pool (approx. 30,000 gallons) at the home of our retired parents. Aside from liking the way a salt pool feels, we are looking for something that can help simplify maintenance. (Minimizing the amount of testing required, Pump and Pool Cleaner on timers, etc.)

The local Pool Store recommended a Goldline Aqualogic Plus unit as the best option for us, with a quoted price of $2000 for the unit and installation, plus another $3-$400 for an electrician to come separately to wire the unit to our existing DE filter and pump. Pool has an unpowered cleaner that connects to the inlet pipe inside the pool that would be on a timer as well.

Does this sound like a reasonable price? Or does this price sound high? I see what retail is on a unit from an online store, just not sure whether the installation involved justifies almost an additional $1000 in costs for plumbing and electrical work.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. I've gone back and forth with different models/options...paralysis by overanalysis I guess...


Thanks for your time!!

 

[JasonLion]

That sounds rather high. The entire install should be under $500 in most areas.

 

[Rockcrawler]

You might want to shop around on-line for the SWG and then hire a pool company to install it, you could save hundreds by buyint the unit yourself.

I got my Autopilot Dig-220 here but they have the goldline too I am not pushing a certain company but this was the cheapest and I got the SWG in a couple of days


http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/salt-chl ... /index.htm

Rob

 

[waste]

Jake, welcome to TFP!

$2000 is what we charge for the unit installed and if you have an outlet at the pad, I'll even temporarily wire it so it will operate until the electrician can come out and permanently wire it. (in CT., it is legal to have something temporarily wired for up to 6 months - so if the pool is open less than 6 months/ year, you never need to have the electrician come out) The only problem with not having it slaved to the pump is if the flow sensor got stuck in the on position you'd still be generating without the pool running and that would be bad!

 

[Rockcrawler]

Jake,

The SWG you are talking about is $974.00 so I find it hard to believe that labor is over $1000.00

 

[SteveK]

Jake,

The price sounds high, but you didn't mention where you or the proposed installation site are located. Prices will vary from region to region around the US. Also, is it necessary to go with the Aqua Logic, or can you add the Goldline Aqua Rite SWG (with its own control panel) wired to the current pump timer? You obviously would lose the 'extra' control functions, but your post didn't say if they were really necessary.

For reference, I am located in Central NJ (which generally has an outrageously high cost-of-living). I purchased my SWG (Goldline Aqua Rite - 30,000 gal vinyl in-ground pool) from an online vendor in spring 2007 for less than $650. I installed the entire thing on my own -- note that I had to re-plumb three valved returns, an auxilliary pump for my Polaris 380, and the SWG cell & flow switch. Still less than $100 in PVC, fittings, and valves. Electrical cost was less than $10 for 2 feet of flexible conduit and 2 waterproof connectors. Time was approximately 6 hours on a Saturday afternoon. Been running like a charm. :lol:

Don't know how 'handy' you are, but for a simple installation, you can save quite a bit of $$$$.

Good luck.

 

[jake]

Thanks for the advise everyone. Location is northeastern NC, so I guess our cost of living would be about average compared to the rest of the country. We were looking at a system with timer controls because their current timer has seen one too many winters and needs to be rewired anyway.

If it was for me I would definitely do it myself, as I love a good project....leaning toward a contractor install due to the fact that they live about an hour away from me, and if something came up not sure that I would be in a place where I could easily stop by and correct something.

Not sold on any one system right now...just looking for something that can make their maintenance easier. The Pool has two PVC lines with open/close valves running from the pool (one for skimmer and one for a side inlet pipe that the pool cleaner connects to) that connect to the pump. Is there a way to configure one of the control units (Goldline or otherwise) to switch between the two via a timer, or would the manual valves still need to be utilized to switch between the two?