Anyone Have A Pool?

[LEXIRX330]

So I think I am getting ready to put in a in ground pool... Been thinking on this for a couple years...got kids 2 and 4 and they are little water nuts. So I think I am about 99.9% sure I am going to go for it.

Any wise words from anyone here?

[lenore]

Dont do like me, I built my own....lots of work and lots of hard times with City for home owner doing it themselves...Best thing ever for kids...I built a Sunland pool, basically concrete block, with pool base agregate bottom and a liner. The walls were mounted on a 22inch by 18 inch foundation with rebar. Strong enough for a bomb shelter. Did this 22 years ago and still enjoying it with my 9 grandbabies...Decking and pool for $5500 back then. The decking is rainbow agregate hand seeded into concrete. Very pretty and has held up great. Water temp today 90 degrees...Oh man is it nice. Have been through 3 liners in the 22 years. The walls are covered with foam so the sides are even soft. I was a crazy man many years ago doing this project. Did everything except dig the hole. All electrical, plumbing, concrete, and I designed it. Mine is a lap pool 10 feet by 33 feet. kids love it and they can do anything in it that make them happy. The liner is custom made for my pool and has been quite durable except for my daughters lab that paniced and ripped the side. Repaired it until the next liner...Still love the lab......

[LEXIRX330]

lol... I will shoot the dog! This is a 16 x 32 vinyl liner with a concrete deck and salt water system, automatic cleaner, cover, led lights. Price is about 30k. Another company quoted 36,000...this guy that quoted 30k is the best in the area though and I have never talked to anyone that he has done a pool for that isn't happy.

[pj8708]

My guess is that the following would happen:

The construction will never be as easy as they say it will be.

You'll play hell with the building permits and the inspectors.

Your taxes will go up.

It will raise the resale value of your home.

It will be one of the best things you've done for your family in terms of family time, fun for the kids, and a place for every neighborhood kid you've never seen before to gather.

Go for it!!

[LEXIRX330]

Well Paul can I get your address. I would like to have the bill sent there. Nevermind I got your address I think! lol Permits actually wont be a problem. A family in the neighborhood just put one in he had it in the ground ready to go in less than a week. He said he can have mine installed and running in 3 weeks! We haven't even signed the paper work.

[lenore]

Well enjoy, when getting the vinyl liner, go for the upgraded version, as it will hold up better against the elements. I know in this neck of the woods they generally use a steel wall and support system for the walls, my buddy helped with mine and said never again, had a vinyl pool put in. Mine is struturally so sound that it could be plastered with no problem. I like the vinyl as it has always been easy to clean. Soil in my area is usually clay so it is quite stable. If you have any artesian sands in your hole you might have some water under the liner, but as long as it is full the problem doesnt happen. Best $5500 I ever sweat equity performed. As for improving the price of the house not really that much. Again have fun when it is done.

by the way dont shoot the dog, just teach it where the steps are....my daughter was visiting and poor dog didnt do her homework before she decided to take a dip.

[LEXIRX330]

Lenore- I will give you 10,000 to come and put mine in...I got a nice shovel. :) I'm sure I can get Paul, and SW here to help dig the hole. And you guys can talk about politics. That would be a riot. :)

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[lenore]

Oh man that would be an interesting party, Paul an SW would probably do a Jimmy Hoffa on me. (Just kidding) Hey they could watch the technique of a right wing, religous, gun owning conservative actually work. Man I need a job right now, the family has me fixing everything for them, they think I am retired and my price is right (free)....I hope you arent in hard soil country, hand digging those last shapes could be difficult for this old man. I am sure Paul and SW would love to have a pool party....

[SW03ES]

It will raise the resale value of your home.

This is the only part I disagree with. I can't speak for the eastern shore, but here a pool actually may detract from the home's value slightly. For whatever reason, its just not a draw in the DC metro area, families with kids worry about them drowning, the season is relatively short, etc.

Not to say you shouldn't do it, but don't expect to see that money again in terms of value. Its purely an enjoyment thing.

That said, I never had a pool when I was a kid. We belonged to a country club with nice pools, and we belonged to a little community pool I could bike to from our house. BUT, my wife had a pool when she was a kid and she said it was the best thing, all her friends wanted to come to her house, they had big family parties, etc. So, she is big in favor of having a pool.

I say go for it, you guys will really enjoy it. Gonna cost you a lot...cheaper than a boat though!

Oh man that would be an interesting party, Paul an SW would probably do a Jimmy Hoffa on me. (Just kidding) Hey they could watch the technique of a right wing, religous, gun owning conservative actually work. Man I need a job right now, the family has me fixing everything for them, they think I am retired and my price is right (free)....I hope you arent in hard soil country, hand digging those last shapes could be difficult for this old man. I am sure Paul and SW would love to have a pool party....

Haha, I'm in!

[LEXIRX330]

Yea SW I agree and I am not doing it to add value to my home. A pool is kind of tricky since it imediatley eliminates all of the potential buyers who "don't" want a pool. But the value I see in it will be for my family...and I don't plan on going anywhere anyway.

So let me know what time you guys are going to get here... SW and NC can car pool. I will get a 2nd keg to keep on tap...what are you all drinking?

[pj8708]

Is it done Yet??? I's been over a 100' for the last week and we have the ES gased -up and pointed east.

Will BYOB.

Paul

[LEXIRX330]

Going to take about 3 weeks...these democrats around here make you get permits and stuff! :) and it was hot as You know what here too. Changed the water in my hot tub and cleaned it up today...and I think I lost 15 lbs! :)

I can't wait...this weekend I was kind of planing it out in the yard. Kind of funny after I painted and measured it exactly where we thought we wanted it...my wife and I both looked and knew we wanted it moved. So need to get another can of paint and measure. It is hard to get a good idea of what it will look like. And I can see why the installer said pick up a can of spray paint and mark it out where you think you will want it. I have a feeling he knew we might not want it where we said 36x18 is a right big pool... Are you on Facebook Paul? Just wondering.

[lenore]

Pay attention to tree location also, they will not only affect the debris but also how warm the water gets....Go for the sunlight, it really does make a difference....

[nc211]

Car pool my butt! It's about time SW had that long-standing race! I think I remember which box has my commando speedo in it, you're in luck!

On the topic of discussion - just watch the kids like hawks, and especially their friends and neighbors. Seriously, innocent as a pool is, with kids, they are one of those things where the margin for error is zero. Other than that, enjoy!!! Last pool we had was in the late 80's while living in B'ham. Folks put it in, concrete all around. They had to blast to get it in due to all the iron in the ground. I think it came out to around $25k, in 1988 dollars. Had a diving board, and a "swim out" cutout. It, was awesome!! The downside though, other than the maintenance costs on the electric bill, was the rainy season. Back then, you had to manually back flush a pool to keep it from overflowing. One year, I remember having to wake up every 3 hours and go out there in the pouring rain and turn the pump on. Otherwise the pool would've washed out the landscaping on one side of it, taken the yard, and the neighbors yard with it (on a hill).

In Fl, which I think is where you're at? Pools are common place and probably won't hurt value, although SW is right on expectations of value return. To buy a home with a pool, really means a buyer who wants a pool with a house associated with it. We'd love to have a pool here, but decided the costs associated with one just didn't match our thinking. In fact, we're one of the only neighborhoods in our area that doesn't have one in general, and it shows in our monthly HOA dues of $55 vs $130+. Instead we have tennis courts, basketball courts, park, playground, etc. everyone just buys season passes to the neighboring pools. But that's here in the VA burbs of DC, not in Florida where pools rank up there with having a garage and air conditioning in general!

Drinks...hmmm...depends what kind of pool party you're looking for? Cannon balls in my finest Swedish Bannana hugger = Any of the J J's (Jack, Jim, Johnny). Floating around making bubbles = Budweiser.

Lenore - no candy bars this time, ok!

[LEXIRX330]

No DC, I am in MD just over here in the undeveloped part...kind of (eastern shore)...and no men in SPEEDOS. :)

I have ordered some alarms for my doors that go out to the pool and will also have a pool alarm too. My brother in law and sister in law have a pool and we are there a lot. My kids are good around it but accidents still happen.

[SW03ES]

I'll drink whatever you've got LOL

[lenore]

Man it sucks to be so far away, I wanted narragansett beer from Road Island....Sorry about the spelling, and the beer may no longer exist. Oh those were the days...made a killing on bootlegging 50 cases across state lines to Virginia...Sailors will buy anything that is different....