Pool cost?

[LoneWolf_53]

As I understand it, there are 3 main options for an inground pool. Least expensive and most common is a vinyl lined pool, next is preformed fibreglass, most expensive is concrete. Once they're installed, the operating and maintenance costs are all pretty much the same (until the vinyl liner needs replacing). A friend who has one tells me that her unheated average sized pool costs about $500/year to run and maintain. You might check in with some of the pool companies in town, they'd probably be able to give you a better idea on the costs of different options.

Some may no doubt disagree but for what it's worth the vinyl liner pool option will always be the best for our climate.

Concrete pools require maintenance also and depending on what manner it was water proofed to be a pool (I'm amazed at how often I encountered people who didn't realize that concrete by itself allows water through), be it plastered, tiled, or painted with epoxy paint. Compared to the cost of replacing a vinyl liner, not to mention the short time that it takes, the other methods can be very costly and time consuming. To repaint a concrete pool for example, and do it properly, it should be sand blasted, and no matter how carefully it is done, even seasoned professionals can't guarantee it's outcome. It may be fantastic or in a couple of weeks there may be bubbles appearing.

Concrete pools also have to weather our winters, and some of them don't do so well. Once it gets cracks, and particularly if they are significant ones, patches may work for a little while, but more often than not they come back. It's at that point that often times the pool gets converted to accept a vinyl liner.

Fibreglass I know the least about, but suffice it to say that inground hot tubs were all the rage once upon a time and most of those over time manifested issues with cracking and such. Now picture that same scenario but umpteen times bigger. Water is very heavy and not too forgiving should any of the ground beneath shift or move in any fashion.

A vinyl liner on the other hand is perfect for our location because the vinyl is flexible and will allow movement, so minor shifting or a nasty winter will have little effect on it. Looked after properly it will also last many many years. They key is they have to be built well from the start with no corner cutting. The perimeter around the pool should be backfilled with screenings providing good drainage and protection for the plumbing. Cut a corner and opt to toss back in the dirt that was excavated out of the hole, and that's the first step to problems. Vinyl liner pool panels are galvanized metal, and as such prolonged exposure to water, or constantly being in contact with wet clay will cause rust and problems.

Chlorinated water in contact with metal is even worse, and is why it is imperative for pool owners to pay attention to their water levels, and if you are constantly having to top up the pool then it may be time to look for a hole in the liner, or plumbing issue. It is normal to have to top up a pool especially in weather such as we are having, but it's not normal to have a hose in it running every day.

It's also always wise for a pool owner to find a trusted person when it comes to the chemical aspect of owning a pool. There are many out there who'd love nothing more than to send you home with a giant pail of every item they have.
For the most part your water is going to have consistent characteristics, so you may have water that is a bit high in ph or possibly low in ph. If a sales person insists on sending you home with a twenty gallon pail of ph up and ph down, then they are taking advantage of you. It is good to have both on hand but you should only ever need the second one if you've overdone it with your first one. In other words if you always need a bit of ph up and you used too much, then you may need to use some ph down, but once you get the hang of it that shouldn't happen too often.

Just thought I'd share a few items from experience.

[miss_sterious]

Thanks everyone for your replies, especially those of you who were kind enough to give thorough answers! I feel like I have learned a lifetime of pool wisdom :).

[drex1999]

Have you considered trying a cheap $500-$600 above ground pool for a year to see if it's worth dropping 50 grand plus on one first? Obviously, it won't be the same but it would give an idea if you'd use it enough and be ok with the maintenance that comes with them. That's what I did and 7 years later I'm on my 2nd cheap pool bought last year and the only added cost I did was bring my deck up to it. It only gets 3 months of use: June, July and August and I leave them up through winter.

On a side note, my first one was saltwater. The ladder rusted in just a few years and powdercoated lawn furniture that you sit in after getting out of the pool also rusted where your wet arms rested. Maybe the components on inground saltwater pools are better made but saltwater pool = rattan patio furniture.

[tsayta]

Hmmm. Seems my experience in this area is different. I ordered a pool from northwest wholesale out of Manitoba. Steel wall, vinyl liner saltwater. Did it myself. Total cost $12,000. 26 x 13. Skip the lights. Skip the heater. Worked out AWESOME!. hired a guy to dig most of the hole, finished it by hand. Poured my own concrete bottom, finished that myself. Hired a contractor to do the concrete deck work. Lost 20lbs do the labour! For me the key is keep it small. More of a plunge pool to cool off and a very nice landscape feature

[tsayta]

[LoneWolf_53]

Hmmm. Seems my experience in this area is different. I ordered a pool from northwest wholesale out of Manitoba. Steel wall, vinyl liner saltwater. Did it myself. Total cost $12,000. 26 x 13. Skip the lights. Skip the heater. Worked out AWESOME!. hired a guy to dig most of the hole, finished it by hand. Poured my own concrete bottom, finished that myself. Hired a contractor to do the concrete deck work. Lost 20lbs do the labour! For me the key is keep it small. More of a plunge pool to cool off and a very nice landscape feature

Concrete bottoms are not all that liner friendly so I hope that was an error.

Pool pad looks a lot like concrete but isn't, and it is liner friendly.

26X13 is also on the smallish side so naturally lowers cost.

[tsayta]

Pool pad goes on top of concrete bottom

[local astro]

We installed a fiberglass pool 10 years ago in Glenrosa. We purchased it from Viking pools in San Jose California and had it shipped up here. A local company dug the hole and the whole thing was lifted over our house into place with a crane then filled with water the same afternoon. Finding a company to do the concrete after was a challenge (there are some special requirements for fiberglass pools) but in the end we are beyond pleased with it- The care is easy and compared to our old liner pool it uses a lot less chemicals. The cost of the pool shell itself was about $25,000 and another $20,000 for install and concrete- best money we've ever spent

[Beverl]

Keep in mind that installing an in-ground pool does require a building permit through the City. Any pool from the USA must also be stamped by a BC engineer (adding cost). You are better off just to hire a contractor to take you through the process start to finish.

But people prefer in-ground pool even though the installation cost is high. Why?? I always wonder why people choose in-ground pool? I felt like above ground pools are cheap and more secure. Is it because the in-ground pools come in different sizes and shapes? The only advantage which I found is the in ground pools are much appealing than the above ground pool. Both in-ground and above ground pools required the same maintenance task like cleaning, filtering, maintaining chemical balance etc. Then why people prefer in-ground pools?
I think that the average pool installation cost might be $20,615. Or Between $ 9,221 and $ 32,264. The cost may vary depend on the
Swimming pool size
Area where the pool has to be installed
In-ground and above ground pool
Accessories like underwater lighting, heating, cover system, etc.
In-ground pool is expensive compared to the above ground pool.
And also, you have to pay extra for the maintenance and insurance. Check with your local swim spa installation company. They might be providing some special offers or additional services along with the installation service.

[TylerM4]

Here's why people prefer in-ground:
- Looks better
- Easier to get in/out unless you build raised decking around your above ground.
- Typically better quality with longer lifespan
- Easier to heat with lowered heating cost
- More fun. Difficult to install a diving board on an above ground, no pool deck to jump/dive from, can't put a basketball hoop on the deck for water-basketball, etc.
- Easier to watch/monitor children. Can't sit in your lounge chair beside an above ground and keep an eye on the kids.

Why people prefer above ground:
- Much cheaper
- more secure around children (less chance of falling in, don't need to build a fence around it, etc.)
- Won't impact property assessment/taxes
- Don't need a permit to install
- Easily moved or removed completely.


I personally think that buying an above ground pool and using it for a couple of years is a great idea. Try it out before you spend the big bucks on an in-ground.

[slootman]

You forgot depth. Good luck finding an above ground that's 9-10ft deep.

[gsc]

One option to look at might be the new trend of shipping container pools. This type of pool could also be moved if you decide to move as well. They come in diffrent sizes as well.

Its one option to think about depending on your yard size and cost. Personally if i spent all that money on a pool i would never move because youll never get it back. Now being able to take that pool with you or sell it later is kinda nice.

[TylerM4]

One option to look at might be the new trend of shipping container pools. This type of pool could also be moved if you decide to move as well. They come in diffrent sizes as well.
.

I never did understand the shipping container pool thing. Shipping containers need to be reinforced to hold water unless buried, they need a liner added, and they look horrible. Much more expensive than an above ground pool "kit". What is the benefit?

[Urban Cowboy]

The design of many above ground pools is far far inferior to an inground pool. They are not able to cope with ground movement as in earth settling a bit very well, and in extreme cases have blown apart, in the process often flooding basements.

By comparison an inground pool is a permanent structure and adds to the home in most cases. Exceptions are those instances where they were owned by people who didn't look after or maintain them properly.

In my opinion Canada is best suited to inground vinyl liner pools provided they are constructed properly with no shortcuts taken. The reason for this is that with our seasons, most notably winter freeze up, should something happen to a concrete pool, such as a crack, it can be very expensive, even catastrophic to deal with. Over time the same issues will manifest themselves if it's a fibreglass shell pool. Don't believe me, talk to some of the folks who got in on the inground hot tub fad, a few decades back, before manufacturers went to the self contained style units you see nowadays. Units that have the fibreglass supported beneath by sprayfoam.

Vinyl liner pools on the other hand are composed of galvanized steel wall sections that bolt together thus allowing for some movement/flexibility given that the vinyl is flexible too and can stretch without failure.

With proper care I've seen liners last upwards of 15yrs, after which it can be replaced with as little as two days down time and the pool looks brand new again.

By contrast concrete pools require some form of sealing in order to hold water, that being accomplished by either the use of tile, plaster, or epoxy paint, all of which are costly and time consuming to repair or replace.

[Leifer]

I picked up an above ground pool a couple of years ago for the kiddos.

It is all metal and has a proper sand filter & heat pump and a few other "bells and whistles". Everything included I think it was around 7K. The in-ground pool was going to cost about 50K.

We decided to pump that money into Kitchen and Bathroom renos and go with the much cheaper above ground option. At least we will get some back when we sell the place.
Our back yard in West Kelowna has a fairly steep grade and is terraced....but we managed to carry everything up the stairs and install it ourselves.
Best money I have ever spent. It gets used from May right through to October (heater makes the difference). When we sell the place....we can just disassemble the pool and lay some sod.