Hello, we have 3 pool stores in town. and I have 3 choices for an above ground pool...doughboy, optimum, or radient. 24 round or 27 round. I live in Wisconsin so the pool time is short! Can anyone give any advice as what is the best pool for the money? thank you so much, Debi
so confused
- Thread starter dezelskedebi
- Start date
If you could post some links to the adds for the pools, we could take a look, and give you an opinion(or6).
The information you gave us really does not give us much to go on.
BTW, Welcome to TFP!
The information you gave us really does not give us much to go on.
BTW, Welcome to TFP!
Those are all good pools. The radiant and optimum are basically the same pool (both have the insulated panels, made the same) just different manufacturers. Doughboys are known to have a long life, have been around a long time. Size wise: everyone usually says to get the biggest you can afford, keeping in mind all the extras too (for instance a cover for a 27 will cost more than one for a 24, the install will cost more ...).
In your shoes, I'd first decide on size. You can mark it out in your backyard with marking paint or a garden hose. I was debating a 24 or 27 wilbar optimum. It's just me and my 6 year old daughter. At first I wanted a 27, but the price of the pool, install was significantly more, so I decided a 24 would fit our needs just as well and my budget a lot better. You can't go wrong with a bigger pool though, and if I wanted to spend more on my pool I'd have gone bigger even with it just being me and one child. Marking them both out in my yard made me feel better about my choice. After you narrow down your size, I'd go and get quotes from all three and see which one I felt best about. Decide how you want to chlorinate the pool as well bc I think all those pools have saltwater friendly models if you want to go that way. Good luck.
In your shoes, I'd first decide on size. You can mark it out in your backyard with marking paint or a garden hose. I was debating a 24 or 27 wilbar optimum. It's just me and my 6 year old daughter. At first I wanted a 27, but the price of the pool, install was significantly more, so I decided a 24 would fit our needs just as well and my budget a lot better. You can't go wrong with a bigger pool though, and if I wanted to spend more on my pool I'd have gone bigger even with it just being me and one child. Marking them both out in my yard made me feel better about my choice. After you narrow down your size, I'd go and get quotes from all three and see which one I felt best about. Decide how you want to chlorinate the pool as well bc I think all those pools have saltwater friendly models if you want to go that way. Good luck.
So in the end, it really comes down to how you look at it, but i'll break down the basics for you.
The Doughboy pools are cheaper because they are less permanent. They have an steel frame model and a resin frame model. Many factors affect the life of an Above ground pool, but the slightly more expensive resin frame model should last longer than the metal one. The pool walls are the same and could fail/rust first, making the rest irrelevant. Some fail every 5 years and some people's last 25 years, but the average lifespan seems to be in the 7-15 years range.
The radient and optimum are much more permanent and 3 times the price. I was looking them up for somebody else a while ago and it appeared that optimum was a equal clone to the radient. Instead of being a sheet of metal, these walls are more like a sandwich with insulation between resin panels. They wont rust and the manufacturer claims they will last as long as a tradional in ground pool. These pools can be above ground, partially buried, or fully in ground so if you wanted options 2 or 3 it is the only option for those styles. Both the Radient and Optimum can be very close in price when fully buried to a traditional in ground vinyl pool. The jury cant decide if there is any benefit to not going with a traditional in ground pool for the same price.
So in the end, its going to come down to how you look at it, and how much you'd like to spend. Based on lifespan most people will be between $4k-$20k just on the pool install. Fencing, decking and landscaping would be the same amount wither way. Also the liners need replacing based on your specific regional and chemistry factors at the same intervals regardless of which style you choose.
The Doughboy pools are cheaper because they are less permanent. They have an steel frame model and a resin frame model. Many factors affect the life of an Above ground pool, but the slightly more expensive resin frame model should last longer than the metal one. The pool walls are the same and could fail/rust first, making the rest irrelevant. Some fail every 5 years and some people's last 25 years, but the average lifespan seems to be in the 7-15 years range.
The radient and optimum are much more permanent and 3 times the price. I was looking them up for somebody else a while ago and it appeared that optimum was a equal clone to the radient. Instead of being a sheet of metal, these walls are more like a sandwich with insulation between resin panels. They wont rust and the manufacturer claims they will last as long as a tradional in ground pool. These pools can be above ground, partially buried, or fully in ground so if you wanted options 2 or 3 it is the only option for those styles. Both the Radient and Optimum can be very close in price when fully buried to a traditional in ground vinyl pool. The jury cant decide if there is any benefit to not going with a traditional in ground pool for the same price.
So in the end, its going to come down to how you look at it, and how much you'd like to spend. Based on lifespan most people will be between $4k-$20k just on the pool install. Fencing, decking and landscaping would be the same amount wither way. Also the liners need replacing based on your specific regional and chemistry factors at the same intervals regardless of which style you choose.
Thank you for the info! Radiant package with install 24 round =13,350 or 27 13,850...he has no 24s in stock and with all going on doesn't know when he could get one. Optimum 24 13,500 or 27 14,200 package with install. Then, small deck with rails to keep everyone safe. with these two pools I might not need a heater, as they say that the walls help with warming the water. It snowed here yesterday! 60 one day and now 34 degree's! by the time we get nice weather, I will be asking how to close the pool!! LOL!
Thank you for the info! Radiant package with install 24 round =13,350 or 27 13,850...he has no 24s in stock and with all going on doesn't know when he could get one. Optimum 24 13,500 or 27 14,200 package with install. Then, small deck with rails to keep everyone safe. with these two pools I might not need a heater, as they say that the walls help with warming the water. It snowed here yesterday! 60 one day and now 34 degree's! by the time we get nice weather, I will be asking how to close the pool!! LOL!
Those quotes were similar to what I got. I'm planning a 24' round Wilbar Optimum sunk 22 inches, and my quote for pool and install was 13,600. Good luck with everything!
I am trying to order one and liked the Doughboy but then I found the Saltwater LX, Round 33 foot 54". Something just keeps bringing me back to it. I love the looks of it. Does anyone have any experience with the Saltwater LX from the pool factory? I honestly don't even know if we should get Sand or De Filter. We are really leaning toward Sand.
If you type in a search for Saltwater LX, you 'll probably find quite a few people who have them. Go to the top and hit the magnifying glass and type in 'Saltwater LX pool factory', and then scroll down a bit until you see the blue boxes that read 'search' and 'G". hit the G to search all of google. Good luck. From what I've read it's a good pool.