AGP how long last? How big to go?

[Daddydave]

We want to put in a big above ground pool next year.
Our kids 5 and 1.
Do we go big as we can?
Or smaller pool while kids are small.
In about 8 years go big.
My wife wants 15 x 30 foot oval pool. Which is about as big of foot print we can go including couple feet around to set up.
Im considering 15 foot circle.
Cheaper for us now.

Thank you for your inputs

 

[aboykin2269]

It is of course up to you, but in my experience, get the most pool you can. Even a few extra feet in a round pool make a huge difference in your pools area.
We went from a 16' round to a 24' and more than doubled the area. ~200 sq ft vs. ~452.

 

[clduncan]

we have a 24 foot round and it is plenty big for 2-4 kids to splash around and 2-4 adults not have their drinks splashed

 

[Tracey R]

My AG is 30' in diameter. I regularly have my 2 (4 & 9 yo) and 4-6 other littles. I BBQ & we swim most weekends if we are home. I wanted enough room for mine to grow and to be the house all the kids come to hang. I don't trust many other parents to watch as closely as I do.

It's definitely big but it also gives me room to "throw" my 4 yo around without worry of hitting my 9 yo.

 

[swargolet]

I've owned / grown up with (many years ago) the following:

• (current) 18' x 38' oval that is about 3.5' deep on one end and a 2' ring around the perimeter of the pool and slopes to about 6' deep on the other end.
  • Our current oval pool is probably perfect if not a little on the large size for an AGP. The oval shape is great for basketball/volleyball and also makes it easier to find things to span the gap as 18' reels are inexpensive and don't really bow at all. Manually vacuuming, skimming, and brushing can be done from one side of the pool with the pole extended. One side is deeper so you can jump (not dive) in and not worry much about hitting the bottom. Solar cover reel can be mounted at the end of the pool instead of the middle which allows me to leave it on the pool when swimming as it doesn't impede our swimming.
• 16' (maybe 24?) pool that is about 4' deep throughout
  • OK to just lounge around in and enjoy the water but was too small to have a bunch of people in and way too small for things like volleyball. Also not really deep enough for any underwater things such as diving down to pick up weighted rings or things like that.
• 33' pool that was 3.5' around the perimeter and 6' in the middle
  • The 33' was a great size for having many people in the pool, playing volleyball or basketball, or general fun, but it was a struggle to find things to span the gap well such as solar cover reels. 6' deep in the middle was somewhat useless as you couldn't really jump in that far so really only good for diving down when already in the water.

I agree with @aboykin2269 in that you should go as big as possible now as you don't want to have to redo it all again down the road. Other option is to just get a seasonal pool until the kids are grown a bit more.

 

[cj133]

When I asked my dad how big to go he said "when you're in it it'll always be too small and when you're not it'll always be too big". I went with a 15x24 with 54" wall because we have a small yard. If I had the room I'd want a 28 - 30' round.

 

[rajung]

I would say go as big as you can even though it will cost more, if you can financially squeeze it in, it will actually be less expensive in the long run with re-doing it all. Just like camping, tent, pop up, tow behind, 5th wheel, motor home, cabin, then retired.

 

[S-Merry]

When I asked my dad how big to go he said "when you're in it it'll always be too small and when you're not it'll always be too big".

LOL, that sounds about right!

We have a 28 ft round with a deep area. It's super roomy, but I sometimes wish we went even bigger (when we're in it ). Don't worry about the size of your kids now, unless you're planning to move and leave it behind in a couple years. They will grow so much faster than you expect and if you buy based on that, or the next couple years, you'll be disappointed sooner than you might think. If you can afford the big/right sized pool for your yard - go for it, and enjoy!

 

[Daddydave]

Thank you all for advice.

If pool is taken care of how long can i expect it to last?
I know there are many variables. Just curious of ball park numbers.

 

[Teald024]

Go as big as your space and wallet will allow, lol

A solid walled AGP can last 10-15 years or more if installed properly and taken care of. The more resin parts, the longer it will last. I'd try to get resin bottom rails, top caps and supports if possible. They will cost more but you will get a lot more life out of them. Many pools now come with a stainless steel section at the skimmer / return area since this is a common area for rusting. You should be able to find "End of Season" sales going on to get more pool for the money. Online stores are a viable option if you can find an installer willing to install it (or DIY).

 

[LadyBirdie]

When I asked my dad how big to go he said "when you're in it it'll always be too small and when you're not it'll always be too big". I went with a 15x24 with 54" wall because we have a small yard. If I had the room I'd want a 28 - 30' round.

Hey there! What brand pool did you get?

 

[cj133]

Hey there! What brand pool did you get?

A Melenia from the pool factory.

 

[KarenNJ]

We have a 18' x 33' oval with 54" wall and it is perfect. I am 5' 8" and can actually swim really well in it. I would get the biggest footprint possible. I like the oval because I can be floating on one end and the kids are playing on the other. You will never say this pool is too big!
(see below) This was before we put the deck on but there are at least 11 people in the pool in this pic (including 2 adults) and you can see there is still plenty of room. We had a party just recently with about 20 kids using the pool and it worked great. I am looking for a volleyball net because it is the perfect setup for pool volleyball.

 

[clduncan]

be careful to of who you have install it make sure to do some research and ask for references some of the "pool guys" out there will say they will do something then take your money and never finish or barely start and never come back at all trust me I have been through it

 

[LadyBirdie]

A Melenia from the pool factory.

Thank you!

 

[mommark]

We want to put in a big above ground pool next year.
Our kids 5 and 1.
Do we go big as we can?
Or smaller pool while kids are small.
In about 8 years go big.
My wife wants 15 x 30 foot oval pool. Which is about as big of foot print we can go including couple feet around to set up.
Im considering 15 foot circle.
Cheaper for us now.

Thank you for your inputs

We have a 16' x 28' and absolutely love it!! There's plenty of room for the kids to goof around and play and I can relax on a floatie on the opposite side.

 

[mpiliero]

We have a 16' x 28' and absolutely love it!! There's plenty of room for the kids to goof around and play and I can relax on a floatie on the opposite side.

Just curious what type of pool this 16x28 is? (your signature says 16x32?). That would be the perfect size for the space we have. I see lots of 32' oval pools, but that would be a little tight for us.

 

[mpiliero]

I'll also re-mention the intex/seasonal pool idea as a starting point as well if you are concerned about the size of the kids. We went with an intex 16x16x48" because of the decreased depth compared to other above ground pools and it has been perfect for us. We will probably get something more permanent in a couple more years - once the kids can comfortably touch in a 52" pool.

 

[DebbieO]

My pool is a Doughboy 24' round with a deep end. It was here when I bought the house in 1998. It was installed by a local Doughboy dealer in 1985! The dealer is also still in business here. I did replace the liner.

 

[mommark]

Just curious what type of pool this 16x28 is? (your signature says 16x32?). That would be the perfect size for the space we have. I see lots of 32' oval pools, but that would be a little tight for us.

Oops, sorry. It is Chesapeake 16' x 32', but I do believe that they may sell 28' pools. We bought it through Propools and have nothing but great reviews on their service.