profmom Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) If you lived in a climate where you could use the pool at least 1/2 the year, would you want an in-ground swimming pool? We are looking at houses (online--very early in the process), and so many have pools. We have been ignoring those houses because we don't think we want one -- partly because of safety concerns and partly because it seems like it would be expensive & time-consuming to maintain. What about you guys? I'm wondering if we're being silly and should consider it. Edited May 31, 2009 by profmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 If I could use it more often I would love an in-ground pool. We have a short summer and taxes are high on an in-ground pool. I'll swim at your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Not unless it came with a live-in cabana boy who would just pop out of the pool shed like a cuckoo from a clock, clean the pool, and pop back in. :D So I guess that's a no on maintenance for me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurad1125 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) We live in SE Texas and we have had one for almost 9 years. I was so afraid we wouldn't use it but we do almost every day from May to September. In April and October we use it occasionally. It's not much work to take care of (total of 1 hour a week?) though the chemicals do get a bit pricey ($30 a month). Dh had some pool experience as a lifguard, also. I'm so glad we got it!!! Regarding safety - that's always a valid concern. Our oldest was not quite 2 when we built it and we were able to put a 4 foot fence around the pool separating it from the house. We took it down a month or so ago as our youngest child it 6 and a very proficient swimmer. You can also get an alarm on the back door that goes off when it's opened. There are plenty of options but having a pool in the yard is a risk. We felt it was very small but it's something everyone has to decide for themselves. Edited May 31, 2009 by laurad1125 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 While I "think" I would love a pool I'm not sure. We have huge trees and I think the maintenance would drive me crazy. We'd also have to put in a fence and we have a big yard. I would love to jump into the pool every day, but I don't know. Plus the expense. If our house had come with a pool I think I would like it, but not the cost of installation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) I answered the poll before I read your post. I said no, too expensive, too much maintenance. The maintenance part is ok with me, as long as everything is accessible, which is more likely, IMO, with an above ground pool (which we have). ETA: one thing about accessibility--I know someone with an in ground pool, and this year it has a leak. They can't find it yet, and they're worried it's in a place that will involve some major work--can't remember where, but they'd have to have the concrete torn up to get to the problem. They're hoping it's the liner instead. I answered in terms of adding an in ground pool, not buying a house with an existing in ground pool. I would consider buying a house with an in ground pool. It might raise the cost of the house a little, but you probably wouldn't be paying the full amount that it cost to have the pool installed. Edited May 31, 2009 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I'd want an inground indoor pool :D That way, it could be securely locked up, preventing safety issues, eliminate much of the maintenance issues (debris, etc), and I could use it year round :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin's Mom Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 No, they are to much work. Plus the kids do get tired of them in just a few years. Go to a friends house that has a pool and take some goodies to share.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I think they are both a pain to maintain and risky. There's also the extra cost on your insurance. I love visiting the pool and teaching swimming. Now, I understand there are areas of the country where many people already have in ground pools. Here are some factors that could make the pool not so much of a negative factor. how old are your dc? how well do your dc swim? is it a salt water filtration system? Are there a a lot of pool maintenance services so that you could decide to pay for someone to do the maintenance for you? My sil has this in Burbank, where apparently everyone on her street has a pool. Most people use a service so it's not very expensive. how many safety devices are installed around the pool? Is there an alarm? Is there a separate alarmed gate around the pool as well as a gate around the yard? Are you willing to sit by the pool and always watch when you have visitors? You won't really know your dc's friends swimming abilities or whether they have good judgement, but you will still be responsible. Are you willing to hire a lifeguard if you have a large party where the pool will be in use? Do you like swimming? In live 200 yards from my neighborhood pool and outdoor pools are not generally a six month possibility here. Perhaps if I moved south I'd be more inclined toward a pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 If I were looking...and houses already had the pool...and seeing that I have several yahoos..we'd use it often. Biting the bullet to install one is a different issue. I'm married to the pool guy...I'll just have to have him schedule us in for cleanings and such ;) Nah, that's what I have a 12 yr old trainee for. :D I would take into consideration the surroundings, as ElegantLion mentioned...I wouldn't want one in an area that would catch a lot of debris. But a nice, clean, already installed pool area? Sure, I'd go for it in the warmer climates :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLH in ND Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) I chose No for other reasons. In ND, a pool would be used June, July, and August -- May if we have an early summer and September if we're having an Indian summer. eta: If I lived in a location that had warmer weather year-round, I'd still probably say no to wanting a pool - mainly for expense reasons. The expenses for homeowner's insurance is outrageous, as well, if you have a pool. Sheri :) Edited May 31, 2009 by SLH in ND Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I love ours. I've had a house with a pool for the last 13 years. Dh keeps it clean and running well. It's convenient that he is handy, and can fix the things that go wrong. We have an iron pool fence around our pool, and we keep a very close eye on Miss Bossy. She has a very cautious personality, and I really don't think she would even WANT to get in it without one of us being with her. We swim with her every day as it is. If our knew baby is more reckless, I may have to increase security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Absolutely--as long as it didn't occupy most of the backyard. I'd need room for a nice patio area and BBQ and some lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyhappymama Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 We are renting a home with a gorgeous in-ground pool that is fenced. But our kids are just too young and the maintenance is just TOO expensive for us to justify it (the homeowners say it's $1500-$2000 a year for the electricity and chemicals), so we aren't filling it this year. But our kids are all young and cannot swim unsupervised at all, and we are expecting a new baby this summer so I know I will not be up to being out there with them all the time. So at most it would get used a few days a week. IF our kids were older and I knew we'd get more use out of it, it would probably be worthwile. We're actually hoping to buy this house from the owners in another year or two, so I guess I wouldn't rule a home with a pool out completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaTanya Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 My family had one when we were growing up. I was a teen at the time. I loved it. We enjoyed it for a few years and then went our separate ways -- college, military, marriages, etc. Mom and Dad were left with the bills and maintenance on the big hole in the ground that was hardly ever used. They finally had it filled in and Mom planted her big garden in that spot. Dad once told me how much it had cost per month for those 12-15 years of pool. Installation, chemicals, electricity, insurance. The pain of maintenance and having to pump it out during our pretty regular gully-washers to keep it from flooding back toward the house. I can't remember exactly what the cost was, but I remember being shocked. And we have a long swimming season. Dh and I are surrounded by pools. Neighbors on either side and others across the street. We've never heard a splash next door from the retired couple who keep it for the grandkids (must be rare!) Instead, we join a swim club in the summer. A flat fee for the whole family. Lifeguards. A regular pool and a baby pool. I can relax and know I'm not responsible for neighbor kids. That my own can't escape into the yard without our knowledge. That someone trained is helping me watch mine. And that I don't have to test chemicals or worry about the weather. When we were looking at houses, I actually CHOSE to steer clear of houses with pools. That, and the fact that a friend's 2 yo nearly drowned (was unconscious) in their pool as she brought in groceries. And the fact that a different friend's teen son drowned at a pool party. The negatives outweigh the positives for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 Interesting! Currently 51% have voted yes! The negatives outweigh the positives for me. This is where we are right now. I'm not sure we can be swayed otherwise, but I wanted to post to see if there were things we weren't considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 NO! I just couldn't justify the waste of water. We ahve only very limited water where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyinPA Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 We, just tonight, looked at a house with an inground pool. We are in PA so pool season is pretty much June, July and August with maybe late May and some of September thrown in there. (Although, this one is heated so that may make a difference) We have always belonged to a community pool but my reasons for wanting a house with a pool are "my pool, my rules". I don't mean that as rudely as it sounds but I would like to avoid the obnoxious kids (unless they are my own and then I can deal with them myself;) the immodest swim suits, the arbitrary closings just as we are showing up etc. Never owning one I obviously haven't experienced both sides of it, but sitting out there with my cold drink and summer novel while the boys swim sounds really good to me;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 We bought a house with one when dc were younger (2 - 6). We had to fence it ( original owners had no fence around it!) It was great for the dc, they loved it, spent a lot of time in it, etc. Dh loved it - he would go for a swim every evening. I thought it was way too much work. I'm the one who had to cover and uncover it, skim it, vacuum it, check the chlorine, fish the dead squirrels out of the filter, etc. etc. Chlorine alone cost more than the local pool for the family for the season! We only lived there two years and had no major problems (filter, leaks, etc) and it still cost thousands of dollars. And it was too small to do laps. And they expected me to sit out there and lifeguard for hours (getting nothing else done) all day every day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I voted yes, and that was under the assumption that it had a good safety fence that would keep my little guys out. However, dh would vote no. He had a cousin drown in a lake and worries more about water than I do. Dh would probably win. But since you asked if I'd want one, I said yes. Swimming in a pool is one of my favorite outdoor activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I voted no--too risky. Of course, the ironic thing is that we live on a river. :lol: (But we have almost 5 acres, so the river is not very close to the house.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I do want one.... it would get used a lot :D The pool forum might help you get a handle on cost in the area you live in - there would be advice on what equipment to look for (age & efficiency of pump system), "chemical" cost (salt system is loads cheaper and easier to maintain), and the various safety options. Also, people weren't afraid to post their electric usage either. It's a WEALTH of info.... http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/pools/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Nope. There are safety, maintenance cost and time, and environmental issues, not to mention the omnipresent smell of chlorine. Uck. Our kids go to our community center pool (it's a private center, but rather like a Y) and have a blast during open swims with their friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 When we moved here, I thought "absolutely not". Now, I think I'd love one! I'd want it converted to salt water (instead of chlorine)... And naturally, I'd want it gated off so young children couldn't get in without an adult. I doubt we'll ever *have* a pool -- I think it would have to be just the perfect house that came with a pool already there -- but if I woke up one morning and found one in my yard, I'd think that was just fantastic. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 No, I'm paranoid about children drowning. I can't afford to maintain it, and I don't like to swim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Shoot. I want to change my vote; I said no, but meant yes. In this climate, there would be no reason to have a pool. It could be used, max, 6 weeks of the year. Six months, though? Darned tootin' I'd want a pool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I'd go for an inground pool right here in NY! I have to admit we have the next best thing though... open invitation to a friends inground pool anytime we want. Using it has made me realize how great it really would be to have our own if this wasn't available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 (edited) Nope. There are safety, maintenance cost and time, and environmental issues, not to mention the omnipresent smell of chlorine. Uck. Our kids go to our community center pool (it's a private center, but rather like a Y) and have a blast during open swims with their friends. We don't have a community pool. WHich i don't understand considering the dynamics of where i live (next to a retirement community - that donated land for the school... ). They are talking about building a Y next to the new school they are supposed to be building - but i'm thinking some of that might have gotten tabled right now. The other 2 towns nearby are struggling to keep their pools OPEN though, and this is Florida. It's expensive for us to go use them. I wish the retirement community would let us buy a pass to some of their facilities (it's a community of 60,000+ - they have lots of stuff! LOL!!) Edited May 31, 2009 by TraceyS/FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 The other 2 towns nearby are struggling to keep their pools OPEN though, and this is Florida. It's not expensive for us to go use them. I wish the retirement community would let us buy a pass to some of their facilities (it's a community of 60,000+ - they have lots of stuff! LOL!!) A number of community/facility pools are struggling to stay open here too. The school pools are in the greatest jeopardy because with so many surprise late year budget cutbacks (Oregon school funding is insane... and I'm not talking about the level of funding, but rather the fact that budgets are subject to change at any time during the year), closing the pool seems tempting. If anyone is looking for local pool access and has a large hospital nearby, check that out. Sometimes hospital pools have open swim times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 A number of community/facility pools are struggling to stay open here too. The school pools are in the greatest jeopardy because with so many surprise late year budget cutbacks (Oregon school funding is insane... and I'm not talking about the level of funding, but rather the fact that budgets are subject to change at any time during the year), closing the pool seems tempting. If anyone is looking for local pool access and has a large hospital nearby, check that out. Sometimes hospital pools have open swim times. I had to fix my typo btw, it should have been - "it's expensive for us to go use them". Not, "not expensive". UGH. Oops! LOL!! It's $3 per person per day for non-residents ($2 for residents). I just don't have $12 to take the kids swimming for the day. Its cheaper to run our inefficient above ground pool pump. Well, it was in the past.... apparently that isn't happening this year with the divorce either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 One thought on the maintenance issue - we bought a house with a pool and after 2 horrid years trying to keep the water clean we spent the $$ to convert the pool to a salt water system. It made a big difference in our pool. Now our water is always sparkling with little maintenance and no chemicals. Before we converted to salt system, my poor dh spent hours on the pool and mucho bucks on chemicals. He even had some of the pool equip replaced thinking something was wrong with the filter/pump. He was at the pool store for water tests several times a week and at one point paid $100 to have the Pool School come train him. Our water was always cloudy and in the heat of the summer cloudy and greenish. It was worth the money to switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 We lived for 2 1/2 years in coastal Florida and rented a house with a pool. IT was wonderful. WE used it almost all the year, though less frequently Late Nov- late Feb. I never wanted a pool when I had littles but our youngest was 9 1/2 when we moved in and she knew how to swim. Both of the younger children became better swimmers with the pool and now we live in a house about seven houses down from the community pool. Both girls are on the dive team there and the younger is also on the swim team. Would not have happened without the pool in our yard those last two and a half years. We plan on retiring in a warmer climate than Northern Virginia in a few years (military retirement, and then a second career for DH) and we hope to buy a house with a pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I desperately want an in ground pool and our pool season is only 3 months. I'm still putting up with the above ground though. We live in the country, there are no neighbors to worry about drowning. My kids are great swimmers as I was as a kid. I grew up with an in ground pool and we used it every day in the summer for 10 years or so until we moved. I love to swim, it is great exercise a fabulous way to stay cool and so worth the cost and maintenance. Of course, for us, it is a 20 min. drive to the nearest public pool, no neighbors have pools, and it is really too costly and time consuming to use a pool that is not ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Now, my yes was assuming that we were farther than 1 hour from a good beach. You can do more than swim in an inground pool like raise fish for eating which is probably what we would eventually do with something like that if we had one. But I can see where it would be nice and convenient to have a pool all the time with kids. I could even see having regular swim dates with friends.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Yes, totally. We have an above-ground and love it, but would love an in-ground even more. (Of course, we'd install the fence, surface alarm, etc. We do have several public pools near here, but I highly prefer the privacy of my own pool and proximity of my own yard/kitchen/bathroom etc. I doubt we'll ever get one installed--we'll have too many other things to do with that money for quite awhile--but if we had $30K to spare and I knew we'd be staying in this house long-term, I'd totally do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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