Let me start by saying how glad I am to have found TFP. My mind is continually blown when I follow pool math and get the expected results. I love it!
Our weather has been chilly for the past two weeks since the pool has been up and ready, I figured I would share costs on what it has taken us to get to the pool to this point. For anyone seeing a pool and thinking "yeah, $500, I can swing that!", you might just be forgetting the other things that go into this. Prices are in NE Ohio, after tax, most purchases made at Menards, ALDI (bleach), Drug Mart (chemicals). I am also new at having a pool, so I bet I still have some things to learn, but hopefully not much more to buy.
Pool set up
Chemicals & filters
Stuff I wasted my money on
So, there you have it, $1347.68. A more informed person would have spent closer to $1200, and under $1000 if you have a really good well or free water. I’m guessing, but could be way off, that the chlorine and filters I have should last me through the end of July.
I’m going to try to keep track of my spending for the rest of the season and see how much I really end up spending on chemicals and anything else I think I need to buy. I think a better ladder is in my future for some older relatives. I’m also going to track how many swims we get to figure out per/swim cost, because why not?
Our weather has been chilly for the past two weeks since the pool has been up and ready, I figured I would share costs on what it has taken us to get to the pool to this point. For anyone seeing a pool and thinking "yeah, $500, I can swing that!", you might just be forgetting the other things that go into this. Prices are in NE Ohio, after tax, most purchases made at Menards, ALDI (bleach), Drug Mart (chemicals). I am also new at having a pool, so I bet I still have some things to learn, but hopefully not much more to buy.
Pool set up
| Pool (Summer Waves 16’x48” from Menards) | $532.50 |
| 2 ton mason sand (pool is set up on what was a gravel driveway long ago, sand is just to protect the pool from the rocks, not for leveling) | $40.00 |
| 10 pavers (cut 8 in half to use under the legs, other two for the ladder) | $18.96 |
| 6 bags rubber mulch (enough to go between the legs and keep the gravel/rocks out) | $44.60 |
| Water, approx 5200 gal (I live 5 miles from water hauling company & place they fill up, I can’t imagine getting it for much less) | $250.00 |
| Cover (probably the cheapest one out there - it's basically blue bubble wrap) | $42.60 |
| thermometer | $4.26 |
| test kit (TF100) | $75.00 |
| speed stirrer | $46.00 |
| extendable pole (to fit new brush) | $21.29 |
| Brush (brush/vacuum that came with the pool is not good for brushing) | $6.38 |
| 2 hose clamps (one of the plastic ones that came with fell off, lost about 300 gallons) | $4.24 |
| total | $1,085.83 |
Chemicals & filters
| 1 gal Muriatic Acid (31.45) | $4.25 |
| 2 gal liquid chlorine 12% | $8.50 |
| 6 gal liquid chlorine 6% (I’ve used 3 of these) | $15.90 |
| 4# cyanuric acid (used less than half) | $19.16 |
| 6 filters (on my 1st one after the one that came with the pool) | $22.33 |
| total | $87.18 |
Stuff I wasted my money on
| Timer (plug has a “reset” button I have to hit every time, timer doesn’t work with this) | $12.78 |
| chlorine floater | $7.46 |
| test strip | $10.65 |
| test strip (because buying them once wasn’t enough) | $12.78 |
| 5# Cal Hypo X2 (I will still probably use this) | $53.25 |
| 5# Trichlor Tabs x3 (might keep some for long weekends away or else resell) | $63.90 |
| PH Reducer (I will use this if I run out of muriatic acid) | $13.85 |
| total | $174.67 |
So, there you have it, $1347.68. A more informed person would have spent closer to $1200, and under $1000 if you have a really good well or free water. I’m guessing, but could be way off, that the chlorine and filters I have should last me through the end of July.
I’m going to try to keep track of my spending for the rest of the season and see how much I really end up spending on chemicals and anything else I think I need to buy. I think a better ladder is in my future for some older relatives. I’m also going to track how many swims we get to figure out per/swim cost, because why not?
