Pool questions

[Bowtech32]

My wife and I are think about puttin in a inground pool within the next year. Got a few question to those who have done this.

1) cost of a medium to small gunite pool?
2) Saltwater of clorine?
3) have any regretes?
4) how much work is the maintance.
5) cost of maintance

also if you have pics of your pool, please post them. And any recommended pool people in the Noth Texas area.

[coogfan]

1. 20K gallon 25K-35K (make sure you do a spa as well)
2. salt water
3. wish I would have done pebble tech
4. depends on how many trees you have around the pool ( make sure to get a good polaris cleaner)
5. 400 bucks a year

[TransPecos]

1. More than you would think. It depends on your soil type.
2. Chlorine. Salt tears up your equipment and fittings over time.
3. I regret it in January when I am out there messing with it in the cold but right now I love it. Pools are a love/hate thing for me.
4. I have a company come every week and do just the chemicals. That way I dont have to keep the chlorine and acid around the house. I do the rest. I do something to the pool nearly every day. It depends on the time of year and how many trees are nearby.
5. Pool chemical service is $70 a month and they come every week.

[mjhaverkamp]

My wife and I are think about puttin in a inground pool within the next year. Got a few question to those who have done this.

1) cost of a medium to small gunite pool?
2) Saltwater of clorine?
3) have any regretes?
4) how much work is the maintance.
5) cost of maintance

also if you have pics of your pool, please post them. And any recommended pool people in the Noth Texas area.

I would recommend Gohlke Pools out of Denton for a builder, they have been around for a long time and build a great pool. Would not recommend salt system if you are going to use stone for your coping, go with a pebble finish on the interior of pool, good luck with it.

[Todd-ty729]

We have a salt pool and like it!

Maintenance is a pain.

Get a pool cover/net dealio, regardless of if you have trees close or not.

Consider a pool cooler. It is an inline device that cools the water down in July/August. The water temp will be stupid in the dead of summer. Like taking a warm bath.

Do not get a pool heater. They use an insane amount of gas. Spa heater is fine, just do not try to make it a part of the main pool if that is an option.

Also get a good quality deck that will not be hot in the sunshine. Spend the extra coin and avoid the dancing feet.

Skip the diving board and get a diving rock. They look better and serve the purpose.

A tanning ledge is a must. It is a shallow area of water about 6-12" deep that you can lay in and sun. The ladies love it and it is great for small kids as well.

[fowlwaters]

Salt pools have big maintance bills and if kids are jumping and out your landscaping will die from the saltwater.

[glen]

Wish I could get rid of mine. Pain to keep pristine because I have lots of trees around.

[perfectstorm]

We have swtiched our pool from saltwater to chlorine this year because of the damage to equipment over time. I think you are about to see the saltwater pool trend go bust soon due to equipment failure associated with saltwater. It's a lot of money but if you have kids its worth it. Also get cool crete around the pool, it's nice cool on your feet and pressure washes very nicely with the lighter color. We have palms and its not too bad, but it is work. I would suggest palms and rock.

[Atfulldraw]

price --- $25K
type --- nothing but salt
regrets --- building the pool to start with
how much work? -- a pool is the best workout ever, and you don't even have to get in!
just find a way to kick yourself in the nuts.....

[GarrettH]

Wouldn't trade mine for the world. Little extra work but all worth it. I will never own a house without one.
Answers
1. Don't know the cost
2. Chlorine. Use borates and your water will be incredible
3. Zero regrets. Will always own one
4. 20k gallon pool takes me 30-45 mins a week. Nothing really
5. During the peak months (summer) about 30-40 bucks a month

With the new 2 speed pumps electricity costs are little

Willing to answer whatever you got!!! So please ask

[CaptainDave]

We have swtiched our pool from saltwater to chlorine this year because of the damage to equipment over time. I think you are about to see the saltwater pool trend go bust soon due to equipment failure associated with saltwater. It's a lot of money but if you have kids its worth it. Also get cool crete around the pool, it's nice cool on your feet and pressure washes very nicely with the lighter color. We have palms and its not too bad, but it is work. I would suggest palms and rock.

My parents have had a pool for over 15 years now. Originally, they went the saltwater route. Seemed like they could never get a salt system to last over 2 years. The cell on them would burn out, which is the main component in the system that processes the salt into chlorine. After I believe the 3rd system going out, they finally just went back to using chlorine. The salt systems are great when working properly as they require less attention (i.e. no adding chlorine to the pool) and provide savings in not having to buy chlorine. Only problem is, that most of those cost savings go down the drain when the system fails and needs replacement. Perhaps these systems are better than they used to be, however, at least in my experience, a system lasting only two years or so does not pay for itself.

As for maintenance, a pool is no different than a yard. It's not a big deal as long as you keep up with it. Just plan on a half hour every few evenings for cleaning; i.e. empty skimmers, check vaccum, etc. However, the bigger the pool, the more time required for maintenance.

I would say that if they had to do it all over again, they would not get a deep end. It's tough to clean and with a deep end, it's very expensive to heat up the pool earlier in the year.

Also, definitely get an attached hot-tup/spa. This will get used the most and can be used year-around.

[GarrettH]

If you keep up with your pool weekly and get your water tested professionally 1 time a month and weekly on your own maintaining a pool is simple

[rjet]

1. 20K gallon 25K-35K (make sure you do a spa as well)
2. salt water
3. wish I would have done pebble tech
4. depends on how many trees you have around the pool ( make sure to get a good polaris cleaner)
5. 400 bucks a year

What he said. 28k gallon 7 years ago was a bit over 30k.
Have had no issues with salt as far as equipment failure goes. Maintenance is real easy with the exception of cleaning the cartridge filters twice a year (not that big a deal with a good pressure washer). Just pour a gallon of muriatic acid in once a week, empty filters, brush occasionally and salt once a year and good to go.
Salt pools to me dont have the redeye, hair discoloration or skin issues that some of the chlorine pools I have been in tend to do.
Buddy of mine got an ozone system and seems to really like it, dont know too much about those but might be worth investigating.
My biggest regrets so far is not getting pebble tech and not putting decking around the whole pool.

[cosmiccowboy]

I did a 4000 gallon pool at the ranch last year (contracted it myself) for about $12,000. I did a DE filter and an auto chlorine feeder and it's been almost effortless...cycle the pump on a timer about 4 hours in the afternoon/evening, backwash the filter once a month and add chlorine tabs about every six weeks. LOVE it...

[Crookhunter]

Check out the new OZONE chlorine filter system, we have it and it feels and smells chlorine free. Pool cost was about 30K, split over 15 years.

Pebble Tech bottom

Claffey Pools (Southlake,Tx) was top notch