Above ground to In-Ground pool

[rogerhst]

It has been 6 years since I converted to Chlorine and had perfect pool chemistry - I converted to salt in 2010 and this past weekend I noticed that my 17 year old above ground pool had rust issues on the bottom of the wall. On opening this year - I dropped a few things through my deck that is around the pool and had to go fetch it by getting under the deck. Upon doing this - I noticed that the liner was budging out at the bottom of the pool under the deck . So it was a big discovery to say the least. Since we were leaving for a 7 day cruise the next day - I started draining the pool the day before we left - just to make sure it didn't have a blow out that would be a big issue - especially for our back door neighbors!!!

When we got home the pool was completely drained (had a water pump we borrowed from a relative and he monitored the drainage) - and today after we got home I completely took down the pool. So now we have to decide what to replace it with!

The thing we are thinking about doing - putting in a in-ground pool!

So I need some thoughts on the type of pool that we should put in. What is the best thing to do for in-ground pools?

I do want to continue using salt as it is a very simple method of keeping the pool crystal clear! My wife has a relative that does all the wiring / electrical for the local pool companies - so he will help us out with the electrical work.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Well... you need to consider your lot and space. And your budget!! In my area vinyl lined pools are the cheapest, gunnite and fiberglass about the same but of course you can be more creative with gunnite.
Vinyl being vinyl, you'll have to budget for liner replacements in time (I dunno, 5,6,7 years?? I dunno).

Do you have friends with inground pools that you can go look at to see different options?

 

[Yev]

Budget is probably the biggest factor, and we cant help you with that.

But as far as getting an in ground, think about what you like about your above ground, how you use it, and what you would like better? Probably start with the basic decision, do you want a deep end, and if so, just something like 6 foot, or a diving well that is 8 deep? Pros and Cons in all kinds of posts here, just search. You are used to a large shallow end in an above ground, so switching to a deep end will greatly change the amount of shallow you have.

The next thing that I would recommend, is to take into account the area around the pool. A lot of above grounds have nice big decks that surround them which is really nice. For people on a tight budget, one of the first things that gets cut is concrete around the pool to allow for a patio table, chaise lounges, etc. I know that some people say I'll just add more patio space later when I save money, and that is fine, as long as you leave enough room to expand. Many people end up too close to their house, and have no room left over to expand into.