topic Re: Swimming pool in Community Chat

Swimming pool

Jayhawk Girl — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:11:30 GMT

We’re thinking about putting in an in ground swimming pool. The latest seems to be the salt water option. Do any of you have any thoughts on this? Also, any other “pool building” words of wisdom are most welcome!!

Re: Swimming pool

Bhvbum — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:12:41 GMT

I have a neighbor who has been trying to sell their house for years and the major impediment is the swimming pool. So think hard about it.

Re: Swimming pool

shaggygirl — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:34:47 GMT

I have a 20 x 40 inground and trust me there are days I'd like to plant a stick of dynamite at each end and let it blow. But to answer your question, a neighbor across the street switched to the salt water option a few years back and they have no regrets. They claim they'd never go back.

Re: Swimming pool

Sooner — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:39:03 GMT

If there are a lot of pools in your neighborhood, check and see what houses with them have sold for and how quickly. You can do this online at places like Zillow. I doubt it affects the price much. But may affect sales time.

It just depends on where you live. People do seem to like saltwater a lot better!

Re: Swimming pool

Silver Lining — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:44:28 GMT

There's a house a block from me that has a salt water pool. Very pretty but it stayed on the market for more than a year. Another lovely home nearby had a pool. Military family was transferred and the house sat there empty for a very long time. They ended up having the listing real estate company arrange to have the pool filled in and the area sodded with grass. The house sold quickly afterwards.

Re: Swimming pool

threecees — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:47:51 GMT

Not sure about an inground salt water pool.

We have an above ground pool and it is a lot of work.

Have you had a pool in the past of any kind @Jayhawk Girl

Re: Swimming pool

SeaMaiden — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:49:38 GMT

@Bhvbum wrote:
I have a neighbor who has been trying to sell their house for years and the major impediment is the swimming pool. So think hard about it.

@Bhvbum I guess I do not do things in my home based on selling it down the road. I do what makes ME HAPPY. When I sell the home, things can be changed and removed... Yes a pool is not easy to remove... but someone will come along and if the pool is well taken care of there will be a buyer out there somewhere.

I am going to spend $15,000 for an whole house generator... because I want the security of having power when it goes out occationally in the winter here in Seatte. The power hardly ever goes out, but, when it does... I want to have POWER. SO for me this is an investment in my happiness and my feeling safe and secure.

Some people would see this as stupid... but not me. That is all that matters. Not what other people see as not necessary. Why would someone base doing something in their home for selling it in the future?? Life is short..... do what makes YOU HAPPY.

Re: Swimming pool

SahmIam — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:01:13 GMT

@Jayhawk Girl I've used both and prefer salt water, hands down. Those I know who have been in both also prefer salt water.

As for having one or not:

In my area, the insurance premiums plus the regulations for fences and covers makes it VERY expensive to have one. It is NOT an advantage as most people don't want to pay for the upkeep and if you want to get rid of an inground, you're looking at $50,000 up to do so for a small and simple one (the larger and the more ornate, the more expensive).

Many look at landscaping the same way; the more flowers/plants, things in the yard, the more time, effort and money it will take to maintain it. Unless you're going to be there for a long time, it's considered a huge waste of money.

Again, this is in MY area. Pools are a negative and everyone knows it. BTW, above ground pools are not allowed unless you live way out in farm country in my county.

Re: Swimming pool

esmerelda — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:00:42 GMT

@SeaMaiden Big difference between standby generator and a pool. One takes care you; you take care of the other.

Re: Swimming pool

kaydee50 — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:00:49 GMT

Before putting in any sort of inground pool, I would also take into consideration the maintenance time wise and cost wise and the fact that it will add to your property taxes. I would weigh it against how much of the year I would actually be able to use the pool.

In the past we looked at several houses in northern NJ and if it had a pool, would immediately eliminate it.

Re: Swimming pool

kaydee50 — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:02:10 GMT

@esmerelda wrote:
@SeaMaiden Big difference between standby generator and a pool. One takes care you; you take care of the other.

Agree @esmerelda. Plus I don't think $15,000 would get much of an inground pool.

Re: Swimming pool

SeaMaiden — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:03:58 GMT

@esmerelda wrote:
@SeaMaiden Big difference between standby generator and a pool. One takes care you; you take care of the other.

@esmerelda actually there is a lot of upkeep with a generator... filling the propane tanks$$$ after every use.... and after more than 2 days of continuous use you have to have the generator's oil changed and other things to prepare it for the next time.... that costs if you have a company do it for you as I would.

Re: Swimming pool

esmerelda — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:10:45 GMT

@SeaMaiden I guess we are talking about two different things. It sounds like you’re talking about a portable generator. I’m talking about one that powers most, if not all, of the house when the power goes out. In the case of the latter one I get maintenance on it once a year and I get the propane tank filled once a year. Different from using a portable generator, and different from maintaining a pool.

I do pay for the maintenance of the generator and the propane. But for me the only labor involved is picking up the telephone.

eta Fortunately we live in America so we can do what we want within the law and whatever we feel benefits us more

Re: Swimming pool

SahmIam — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:10:16 GMT

@SeaMaiden I hear you on the generator. We share a place with other family members in Montana and during the winter, you NEED a back up system in the event of a major snow storm. It wasn't cheap but worth every penny.

Re: Swimming pool

SeaMaiden — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:14:22 GMT

@esmerelda not a portable... this one is very large and on a cement block... permenent.. hooked up to our homes electrical panel. It kicks in with an auto start the minute the power goes out.

Re: Swimming pool

SahmIam — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:16:24 GMT

@esmerelda That is what we have. Serviced once a year with a phone call. After losing power for 14 days after Hurricane Isobel (and having $150,000 worth of damage to the house DUE to no power which is NOT covered by home owners insurance), we vowed to have a backup system in every home we own. Not cheap but worth their weight in gold.

Re: Swimming pool

azgal — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:21:56 GMT

@esmerelda

That depends on how you look at it. My husband uses our pool for exercise 6 days a week for about 6 months a year. It's good for his body and soul.

Our kids and grandkids come over and use it too. It's a wonderful time. We live in Arizona so it gets a lot of use.

Yes we have to take care of it and repairs can be expensive but we think it's worth it. Resale isn't a problem here.

To answer the op's question we have a salt water pool and like it much better than our previous pool.

Re: Swimming pool

esmerelda — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:34:50 GMT

@azgal I love it when people have a pool and totally enjoy using it. Swimming is so good for the body AND mind.

When I thought I wanted a pool years ago, I realized we were too busy to enjoy it enough to use and maintain it if we had one.

Now I've got the time but doubt I'd use one much and am not interested in the upkeep at all. I've got enough to do; I don't need to buy more.

Re: Swimming pool

NEvans2 — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:35:40 GMT

We have an above ground pool. We put it in 11 years ago when we were in our early fifties. We decided to go above ground so that when we were tired of it, we could just take it down. Pools are a lot of work and when you get to a certain age, you just don't feel like (or can't) maintain it any more. We saw this with my in-laws. When they reached their mid seventies, they just couldn't do it anymore. My husband would go over on the weekends and clean it and do the chemicals. They had an in-ground. When they passed away, my husband hired a backhoe and filled it in. It seemed like a huge waste of money, but living in Pa., you only get a three to four month pool season. We have chlorine not salt, so I can't speak to the difference between the two. I love my pool, it's so relaxing to just take a book and sit on the deck and read. Jump in when I get hot. Hopefully, we will have it for at least another dozen years.

Re: Swimming pool

esmerelda — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:40:17 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@esmerelda wrote:
@SeaMaiden Big difference between standby generator and a pool. One takes care you; you take care of the other.
@esmerelda actually there is a lot of upkeep with a generator... filling the propane tanks$$$ after every use.... and after more than 2 days of continuous use you have to have the generator's oil changed and other things to prepare it for the next time.... that costs if you have a company do it for you as I would.

@SeaMaidenI don't know how long mine has run continuously...maybe 2 or 3 days...but I still kept with the annual maintenance and didn't need to call for more propane afterward. Mine runs once a week for 15 minutes ("exercising") and even with that and the occasional outage, I only get propane once a year. Maybe you need bigger tanks.