Pools and outdoor fun

[jeepins]

Been looking into pools myself. Should you spend right now? No, probably stupid. But there are deals to be made, especially on luxury items that we may never see again.. or at least until the next stupid collapse. Will be in-ground and most likely done in the Fall. Neighbors and friends I know rave about the saltwater pools and keep telling me how maintenance free they are compared to chlorine. Also said you have to get the right kind of equipment and factor in the materials for that as opposed to chlorine and convert it to saltwater later. That will corrode everything. Haven't decided on that yet tho.

Also, yes the boutique pools are becoming very popular but damn they want just as much for those tiny things. Price jumps when you factor in decking, fancy rock piles with water shooting everywhere, etc etc.

If I get quotes and the guy shows up with a gold bracelet.. i'm immediately firing him

 

[Chris]

I forget what yours looked like, I would assume there was large cost to break up rock prior to install. My brother ran into that issue, they dug about 2-3' and hit a big slab of rock, that drive the cost up significantly.

The cost came from the pool but also the equipment. He installed some top of the line Pentair stuff including the in pool vacuum, LED lighting, ozone system, saltwater, etc.

The rock is being removed next month and we are replacing it with a mixture of pavers and Sedona red rock, as well as some artificial turf.

 

[Zorba]

How much do you charge to come do a blessing dance for the grand opening?

Hmmmm.... Dancing is one thing, Blessing is another. If you really want a first class Blessing, I know a witch who could do you up good - but she's in California. But wait! I *do* know a witch in Tennessee, dunno if she travels. Maybe her husband does - I think he's a witch too. But the California witch is a dancer as well, we could do a duette! Choices, choices! I'm not a witch, but I could shake a sistrum to drive forth evil spirits...

 

[Mike_H]

I have a 24 foot above ground (round) pool. It's a 52" wall model, so you get an honest 48" of depth. If you stick with a round pool, the deep end isn't really worth it, IMHO. You have to stay so far away from the walls and footings that you end up with about a 10 square foot area in the middle that is a foot or so deeper than everything else.

I also put mine in myself. Not hard to do, lots of videos on YouTube.

If you want an oval pool, deep ends are more common. You can dedicate half the pool to the deep end and the oval shape gives you a lot more room for the transitions.

You'll need a fence or some way to keep people from stumbling into the pool. Above ground is nice in that respect because you can just pull a ladder or lock it up. I have a fenced in yard, so no specific pool fence.

I use chlorine for sanitation. Pretty easy to maintain, really. Get a good test kit (not the strips) so you really know your water and when to shock.

Anything else just ask. I've installed two pools, three liners, and have screwed up my water enough to know what not to do now!

 

[Farmergreg]

When we were at the point of needing a pool....Reconnaissance showed most deep ends were roped off and folks were crowded into the shallow end. Our yard sloped off and a partial dug in above ground would have been fantastic but the Mrs being an elitist thought it would be too trashy.
So 16x32 in ground 3’ to 5’ on the deep end. And 800 retaining wall stones to level out the slope!
Sold the house a couple years ago. Kids were pretty well done with the pool about the time drivers licenses arrived.
It was worth having and I miss it on the dog days of summer.

 

[Farmergreg]

PS keeping the chlorine under control wasn’t a big deal. Also had a heater and a fair amount of trees so we had a solid cover that would go on at night. Rural, no fence, cover could be walked on. The cover kept debris out and saved chlorine.

 

[mxz800]

I had a pool, I'm glad I don't have to deal with it anymore. Squirrels decided to tunnel under the pool then the tunnels would collapse.

The chemicals, (I swear they sell chemicals to up some level, then a chemical to lower that level) the heater, the cover, frogs that loved to swim, all my summer was spent dealing with the pool.

My friend who is a realtor told me a pool takes away from the value of a house. I had someone take the pool.

I bought a house on the lake, thankfully I'll never have to deal with a pool again.

Now as far as boats go, when I bought the house on the lake it came with a very sad pontoon boat. I had the seats, and carpets redone. I replaced the 2 stroke with a Yamaha 50hp 4 stroke. No problems.

So the last seven summers has been great. I've been really lucky, but don't worry I'll still bitch about everything.

 

[S.McArthur]

I had a pool, I'm glad I don't have to deal with it anymore. Squirrels decided to tunnel under the pool then the tunnels would collapse.

The chemicals, (I swear they sell chemicals to up some level, then a chemical to lower that level) the heater, the cover, frogs that loved to swim, all my summer was spent dealing with the pool.

I bought a house on the lake, thankfully I'll never have to deal with a pool again.

I’m currently in a conflict with moles, I’ve killed a few, but they are still winning. That has been my biggest fear so far. The trees soak up the water in my yard quickly so the yard get dry and hard pretty quick.
I eat squirrels, so killing them will not be a problem.

 

[S.McArthur]

This has been extremely helpful, I had a pool growing up but my father handled most of the maintenance. We put it in ourselves but I’m leaving this one to the “professionals”.
You guys have brought forth a lot of things I would not have thought of.

 

[Davidtj]

We put this pool in when my kids were 8 and 9 years old (now 31 and 2,) they used it none stop until moved out my wife and I still enjoy it almost every evening
14 by 28 salt system at the time spent 10,000 would do it again but that’s me some people get tired of maintenance etc I don’t mind because still enjoy pool

 

[Zorba]

My wife and I compromised. We bought a "Swim Spa". Far cheaper, and somewhat easier to deal with.

 

[KimsJeep]

I used to have a 16x32 above ground pool. Dummy me got some mini horses and I sold my pool to make room for them. Years later now, I no longer have the mini's and I miss my pool. I am actually just looking at getting another one. My yard has shrunk do to my hubby getting a big shed, so I can no longer have the 32' one but I am looking at doing a 16x24. I was tossing around doing a 24 round, and still not positive on what I want exactly. I know the 24 round would be cheaper and easier to set up, but it would also take up a lot more of the yard. The 16x24 would be great for adding a deck too and still not lose all the yard.

I have been doing some research on them and trying to price them. Surprisingly, they are all sold out. LOL I mean everywhere. The girl I have been talking to at one of the Doughboy Pool dealers, said they have about a 12 week back up. That is kind of good for me because I really don't have the cash right now and am more planning this for next spring. I'm hoping by then the whole Covid thing will be settled down and the pools will be more readily available. I currently have just a little 12'x2' deep Intex pool. LOL It works for now but I would like to be able to actually swim.

Here is my current little oasis. LOL

The soon to be new pool will go from the sidewalk to the white shed.

 

[mxz800]

I think since I'm lazy a pool wasn't for me. If you aren't lazy it might be a great idea.

 

[cliffish]

Not sure what your budget is, but I would go in ground with vinyl liner. Go salt, it is a breeze to maintain with very little chemicals needed. Free form pools now a days are not much more than old rectangle ones. You don't really need a huge pool nobody is doing laps. The expensive parts is the hard scaping (brick work) around the pool . We spent 40K 2 years ago updating the brick work, liner, salt system, hot tub and reworking the plumbing on our 1975 vintage 16 x 32 pool...probably should have just done an entire new pool but I am sure that would have turned into a 100K venture.

 

[S.McArthur]

Thread revival!

Finally to the point of getting the pool, we are getting an 27' above ground, no way I was putting $50k into my backyard.
Anyway, Salt v Chlorine....long term effects on pool equipment and surrounding area?

Wife is dead set on salt, I'm hesitant due to corrosion and wear on equipment/landscaping, etc. I can't find anyone that has had their salt pools for more than 3-5 years. The pool company is adamantly against salt pools as well.
From what I read, the cell generators need replacement 5-7 years, the equipment gets worn down and the salt water/air is harsh on the surrounding area. You also cannot just let out the water onto the ground.

Any tips?

 

[mxz800]

If you get a salt pool, you could dip your Jeep so you can feel our pain of dealing with rust.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I had an in-ground salt pool put in 8 or 9 years ago. I have had to replace the salt cell once myself and once under warranty. I think I paid $600 online for a replacement. Salt is very very easy. I do think most new pools around here (in ground) are salt. I've never had any other kind of pool so I dont have anything to compare it to. If all your components are meant to go with a salt pool it should not be a problem. I keep my salt content right at 3000 ppm, the ocean is about 10 times saltier than that. Most people dont taste the salt in my pool. If we have had lots of splashing I do rinse off the screen enclosure to get rid of salt. When my backyard was torn up I buried a hose out to the retention pond for draining pool when it gets too high due to rain. The water from the hose runs down about 5 feet of grass before it hits the pond. The salt water does not kill the grass there.

 

[Nimbley]

Here in Arizona you don’t see many above ground pools. I just finished changing my water and rebuilding my filter/pump. It’s pretty maintenance free and the kids loved it. Now they’re grown it doesn’t get much use though.

 

[Davidtj]

We have an inground pool running a salt system for about 10 yrs
Yes the salt cells do have a lifespan and go bad 3-4 year range
The advantage pool water does not smell like chlorine you dont smell like it either when get out and its easier on your hair
I have found it is easier to maintain
They call it a salt pool however its just removing the chlorine from a salt molecule (sodiam chloride) NaCi representing a 1-1 ratio sodium and chlorine so technically you still have chlorine in your pool just smaller amount and since it is being converted continuously you have more even chemical control of pool
I have found not any more corrosive then a chlorine pool again my pool is concrete dont know recommendation for liners
No restriction here for disposal of water etc.
personally I will never go back to chlorine system

 

[S.McArthur]

So, apparently I actually am getting a UV system, now I need to see what this is all about. Claims are that it’s less chemicals than straight chlorine. Two other pool places told me to avoid salt on an above ground pool. I guess I’m sticking with the UV system.