Swimming Pool Installation Ideas

[BJXDS]

We are seriously considering installing an in ground pool. I am looking for ideas from those that have one. We will not have a diving board or slide. But overall I DON"T know what I DON'T Know.

Depth options, 3-6 feet or 3-8 feet deep.
What amenities, accessories..., do you have that you like or do not like?
what would you do different, add or delete?

How big pool deck, what type of deck (plain concrete, stamped...), lighting in and around the pool, auto vs manual covers and vacuums, bird cage, building for pumps, chemicals supplies, pool equipment, floats... fencing and gates around pool, gazebo/building/lounge/table bar area.

Any and all ideas, advise and comments and pictures are wanted.

[RJ]

Lived in Florida since 1998. Had a pool put in with our last house build. I would not own another house with a pool, but that's just me.

On topic, I can go fish for what we ended up getting as far as equipment (pump, filter, etc). IIRC we spent around $40K additional to add the pool and cage. This was fall of 2020, so fairly recently. It wasn't large, maybe 5' deep, kinda kidney shaped.

106531

[vcdgrips]

Edge of lane

Before you sink too much time/talent/treasure in this, call your homeowner’s insurance agent and see what a pool will do to your rates i.e.

1. general increase
2. NO coverage at all without coverage increase on the main policy and/or an umbrella
3. NO coverage and it will trigger a cancellation (unlikely but possible)

Additionally, check your local zoning/general laws re perimeter fencing requirements what may be “legal” and what you may be comfortable with or your insurance co may be comfortable with could conceivably be 3 dif things i.e.

Law- 4 ft perimeter fencing around pool only

You- your existing 6 ft privacy fence with added good locks

Insurance co 4 ft around the pool IN Addition to the 6 ft privacy fencing you already have up etc. and/or a cover and/or some type of alarm system etc.

I have been on waters edge with a pool a couple of times and could not get the zoning right relative to set back etc. I very much want a house where I open a a sliding door from the bedroom and I am in the pool in 5 steps max.

[RoyGBiv]

Absolutely need to have a "beach entry" or some type of tanning shelf. Some way to be in shallow water, not on the deck, but not having to swim. A water lounge chair doesn't come anywhere close to this. Multi function, great for kids and adults. I would not ever consider building a pool from scratch without this feature. #FullStop (https://pistol-forum.com/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=FullStop) We added one to our pool when we remodeled it a few years ago. No ragrets. :cool:

I very much prefer "pebble" finish to gunite. PebbleTek is the name brand people know. We used CrystalStones. Very happy. There are others. I like the texture and color options, seems more durable, less apt to fade or stain.

Definitely want some portion of the pool to be 8-feet. Sometimes you just want to tread water, or float in a tube without your feet on the bottom. Another must for me.

We do not have a motorized cover. My BiL is installing one in his pool and I am very jealous. If you have a lot of leaves in your yard, or small kids or pets, you will love this. Harder to do if you do something other than a rectangular pool.

If you live someplace hot and sunny, whatever you do for the deck, choose materials that shed heat. Walking on concrete when it's >100'F sucks. Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions... If I was starting over, I'd consider a small enough perimeter hard surface to keep water out of the grass and vice versa, and maximize the not-hot-to-walk-on-in-the-heat grass...

[HeavyDuty]

Absolutely need to have a "beach entry" or some type of tanning shelf. Some way to be in shallow water, not on the deck, but not having to swim. A water lounge chair doesn't come anywhere close to this. Multi function, great for kids and adults. I would not ever consider building a pool from scratch without this feature. #FullStop (https://pistol-forum.com/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=FullStop) We added one to our pool when we remodeled it a few years ago. No ragrets. :cool:

What are these?

We keep talking about getting quotes on a pool, but things are so stony here I’m skeered. One of the nearby neighbors had one put in, and we heard jackhammers for days.

[oakdalecurtis]

Put a skimmer at each end, the wind will blow in different directions. Also, if you are able, plumb in a gravity overflow drain in the side of the pool so if it rains hard, you don't have to constantly pump water out of the pool.
I have a salt pool with a sand filter, recommend that over any kind of cartridge filters and chlorination approaches.

[RoyGBiv]

What are these?

We keep talking about getting quotes on a pool, but things are so stony here I’m skeered. One of the nearby neighbors had one put in, and we heard jackhammers for days.

Jackhammers...... Not required unless your yard is full of rocks/stone/granite/etc... Entirely possible ...

Beach entry... There are many varieties that look WAY nicer than this, but this was a clear illustration of the concept.

https://thursdaypools.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Sandal-Beach-Entry_Midlothian-VA_Alison-Hendricks-3.jpg

Vs.... Floating lounge chair...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2358/1017/products/10000_RGB_800x.jpg

ETA... Me likey this... "Tanning shelf"... sudden drop into pool, instead of beach gradual entry.... At least one version is required...

https://www.unique-landscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Beachentry17.jpg

[HeavyDuty]

Jackhammers...... Not required unless your yard is full of rocks/stone/granite/etc... Entirely possible ...

Beach entry... There are many varieties that look WAY nicer than this, but this was a clear illustration of the concept.

https://thursdaypools.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Sandal-Beach-Entry_Midlothian-VA_Alison-Hendricks-3.jpg

Vs.... Floating lounge chair...

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2358/1017/products/10000_RGB_800x.jpg

ETA... Me likey this... "Tanning shelf"... sudden drop into pool, instead of beach gradual entry.... At least one version is required...

https://www.unique-landscapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Beachentry17.jpg

I like all of that. Is she included?

[Andy T]

Lived in Florida since 1998. Had a pool put in with our last house build. I would not own another house with a pool, but that's just me.


I go back and forth on getting a pool. What made you dislike it?

[RJ]

I go back and forth on getting a pool. What made you dislike it?

Pretty simple: It was a pain in the butt to maintain, had a chunk of recurring cost, and not being heated, we really could only use it in the summer (sounds weird for Florida, but there you go.) Oh and we opted for the close-mesh screen on the pool cage, which meant it reduced our solar gain during the day below what would otherwise be normal heating.

Against that was the fact we didn't, really, use it that much. I had previously had a pool in the big house in Orlando (40K gallons, diving board, etc.) and I guess forgot how much I didn't like having it back then, when we built the new place in Sarasota.

I get it, if you have kids, or can spring for the heated option, or just like to float around, or can deal with juggling chemicals, or put up with paying pool guy, no problem; but for me, I'd never have one again. I personally think a lot of people like the idea of having a pool a whole heck of a lot more than actually having a pool.

[willie]

A good friend's 4 year old neighbor drowned in his pool. Though fenced, the gate was unlocked. Liability insurance did not cover amount awarded by court. Heart ache and stress shortened his life.

Do pools increase house values? Said another way, if a guy spends $40,000 on a swimming pool, does the pool increase his property value by $40,000.?

[oakdalecurtis]

A good friend's 4 year old neighbor drowned in his pool. Though fenced, the gate was unlocked. Liability insurance did not cover amount awarded by court. Heart ache and stress shortened his life.

Do pools increase house values? Said another way, if a guy spends $40,000 on a swimming pool, does the pool increase his property value by $40,000.?

I understand your concerns. Life is inherently risky. We have always had pools with our kids and now grandkids, and have had and continue to have some of the most memorable playtimes in those pools with all of them. Follow your heart….

[DMF13]

My thoughts on pools from a thread a couple of years ago:
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?43747-RFI-Pools&p=1088357&highlight=pool#post1088357

I'll add to that, if I could go back in time I would have installed a cover. While it would help with keeping the pool clean, more importantly, with the right cover you can safely let the kids and pets play in the yard unsupervised.

[NWshooter]

Do it like my sister did…..

You’ll love it

106571

106572

You won’t regret it

[RoyGBiv]

I'd go with a stand alone hot tub before a heated pool.
The pool would make a good cold plunge, if I was so inclined.

My friends with heated pools use the heater only a few days per year.
I'd use a hot tub way more often than that.

[RJ]

A good friend's 4 year old neighbor drowned in his pool. Though fenced, the gate was unlocked. Liability insurance did not cover amount awarded by court. Heart ache and stress shortened his life.

Do pools increase house values? Said another way, if a guy spends $40,000 on a swimming pool, does the pool increase his property value by $40,000.?

Very sorry to hear Willie about your neighbor. That sucks. Pool accidents are a tragedy.


As to resale, not quite, at least here in Florida. What you want is either "pool" or "poolable". "Poolable" is a pretty attractive feature, as it gives the new homeowner the option to add one. "Pool" is popular with folks who want a pool, or think they want a pool. Basically it makes the house sell quicker. Yes the price would be up a bit, if it had a pool.

But increasing value same as the money spent, no, I don't think so. To get close to $ for $, you'd be looking at new paint, or maybe a kitchen reno, I reckon.

[RJ]

I'd go with a stand alone hot tub before a heated pool.
The pool would make a good cold plunge, if I was so inclined.

My friends with heated pools use the heater only a few days per year.
I'd use a hot tub way more often than that.

Agree 100%.

We bought a 2 pax Jacuzzi, 550 gallon semi-portable, maybe 5x7. It was the biggest one you could plug into a 20A circuit. One pump, jets, waterfall, color wheel, heated. We used it a fair bit, certainly more than the pool.

Maintenance was even more of a headache. Being smaller, I had to watch the chems even closer than the pool, as it would go out of whack much quicker.

[MDFA]

Our pool is 14x28 feet. 3 to 6 feet deep. With a tanning bed and seat in the deep end corner. The lanai is 42 x 43 feet, with a screen enclosure. Salt Water with Solar Heating. We love it. Salt water is lower maintenance and less chemicals which is easier on the skin and equipment. The enclosure added about $11.000 to the total cost but is worth it in added security and keeping debris out of the pool. At least in Florida it's well worth it. The solar heating adds about a month to your use during the year and offsets any loss of solar gain from the enclosure. Hope this helps.

106708

[HeavyDuty]

Not going to happen for us. A pool contractor who has done a few of our neighbors ballparked a small in-ground at $50k fiberglass, $72k for Gunite. Maybe a hot tub instead.

[Andy T]

Not going to happen for us. A pool contractor who has done a few of our neighbors ballparked a small in-ground at $50k fiberglass, $72k for Gunite. Maybe a hot tub instead.

That's not too bad. In FL, my neighbors managed to find a company for $85k for a decent sized pool with an enclosure. My other neighbor did his own pool project management but still spent about 100k on his.
Both of them included screen enclosure which adds about 15-20K due to current prices.