eternalknot Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 My sister and I are buying a home together. We've narrowed our search down to two, both of which have swimming pools. Right now I live with my parents, who have a swimming pool. They also have someone come and maintain it, which isn't something my sister and I would want to spend the money on. During the summer our kids use the pool pretty much daily. I don't think they'd miss it, though, if they didn't have it; and if they did, my parents live a short distance away so the kids could easily go over there to use theirs. I'm leaning towards nixing both homes in favor of one that doesn't have a pool -- that means post-poning our purchase until something different (and new) comes on the market. Whenever that would be. My sister would rather buy soon, and says we should just buy one of these two homes that has a pool ... and deal with it. IYE has your pool been worth having, given the maintenance and cost you put into it? We have swimmable weather from May through August, sometimes into September, if that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I love our pool. BUT we don't have central air so it's a trade off. I actually like the pool better though, because we're outside getting exercise that doesn't seem at all like exercise. And we're out there every sunny day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 It just depends on rather you have the time and money to put into it. We briefly had an above ground one. It was too much work for us. I loved the idea of it, but it wasn't worth it for us. If money will be tight, then I wouldn't do it. It would be unfortunate to have a pool sitting there taking up the back yard if you don't have the money to prep and use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 So far it seems the pool is worth having ... great, LOL. Both homes are on an acre, so the pool doesn't eat up too much yard. Both are already fenced in (we have little kids, still). One has a gorgeous wood deck that my sister is wild about (and all I see is more dollar signs as it weathers and needs replacing). Both were recently resurfaced, and one is beautifully updated. The other is still that stark, white generic looking pool but it IS in great shape (if ugly). She called me Debbie Downer today. I said I gladly accepted her euphemism for Realist ;) Hiring someone isn't out of the question, since it's not about money so much as it is about cheapness. I hate to pay someone to do something I or the kids are capable of doing. I'm just not looking to add anything to my plate, and I know she doesn't have time for it. She's on-call and works crazy busy hours as a doctor. I googled "pool maintenance" yesterday and it seems to be less work than I originally thought, but still just onemorething - you know? Thanks for chiming in. I can be swayed, and I know the kids will love it ... I'm just, ... cheap. I'm sure after the first season we'd end up hiring someone to come in and maintain it unless it's something two young teenagers (13-15) could conceivably do on their own? Opinions on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 We are currently looking for houses. ONe of the houses has a pool. We loved having a pool when we lived in Florida but we will be living in an area where the pool can maybe be used from May to September or October. I don't know if it can be used later though it has some type of solar heater. I am going through this dilemma too though if we got the pool, we would have it serviced since my dh works too long hours and I don't feel competent nor really interested. OUr pool in Florida had weekly service and either the kids or I did occasional extra maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I am not sure how old life guards typically are, but they are usually left to maintain the pool. I would think with a little bit of help while learning they could take care of the pool. We have only had ours for about a month and it needed cleaned up and a new pump when we bought it which was a lot of work. Now it seems pretty easy. You might find that a pool service is fairly cheap, they are here in Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 We have an in ground and honestly it is really no work at all. We throw the little vac guy in there at night and he cleans while we sleep. We just converted to salt which is even cheaper to maintain and better for your skin. We have had no issues at all with cloudiness and all the stuff that some people get. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Our pool store has a "pool maintenance" class. If your teens are fairly responsible, they could definitely do the weekly maintenance. We have a birdcage over our pool which helps tremendously with keeping the leaves and dirt out. We don't use the pool much - only ds will with friends. If you've got a house full of kids it would be used more. The time and expense aren't worth it to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 You don't have the poll option I'd have chosen: We don't have a pool but wish we did. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I wish we had a pool! If our yard were big enough, we'd have one put in. In our next house, it will be a priority. Our public pools here are not very nice. Had we known that when we bought, we'd have bought a different house. We moved from an area with nice public pools, and very nice, affordable private pools too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mellee Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 My $0.02...a pool is an asset, if you have one you must maintain it. It is less expensive to buy a house with a pool than buy one without and add one later. The homeowner who installs the pool takes the loss, all future homeowners get the benefit. We live in a resort area and own a pool maintenance company (please don't ask me how to clean them though, I do the accounting, lol). The thing my hubby shakes his head at the most are pool owners who neglect the pool during the off season and think no damage is being done to the pool until it turns into an algae pond, has staining or they ruin the plaster...more often than not these pool owners saved $400 by letting us go for the off season to pay us $600 or more to restore the pool to swimability. My best advice is... a) ask your parents pool guy to teach you what to do (pay him for his knowledge) and make sure to do it every week (kids shouldn't handle the chemicals, but make great water testers and manual laborers) OR b) hire a pool guy and never think about maintenance again, except to net out the occasional leaf between service days when you want to swim you homeschool so you can do anything...if you can teach fractions and multiplication tables, balancing chlorine/muratic acid will be a piece of cake oh and...brush your pool EVERY week, your plaster will thank you...and yes, I know, everyone knows someone who never brushes their pool but I gotta tell you the re-plaster guy knows them too ;-) Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I don't have one, but I do truly believe it would be worth it for our family. We do have community pools, the closest being 1 mile down the road. Even with our short swim season, our family gets an enormous amount of use out of it, and would definitely get even more if we didn't have to interrupt our day to pack up and drive a mile down the road and back each time we wanted to take a dip, or if we had extended hours. (Pool is only open 10-5). Exchanging that hassle for the hassle or expense of maintenance would be well worth it, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 No reason the teenagers couldn't maintain the pool. I think having one is a great idea, especially in the south. I'd go with the house which works best layout wise as landscaping and other upgrades can always be added to the one with the "ugly" pool. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 We have several friends who converted to salt and never looked back. They never complain about their pools anymore. :) (And they maintain them themselves) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzymom Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 It is really not a big deal once you learn how to do the maintenance. We open & close our inground pool, throw in the Aquabot to vacuum, have the water tested at the local pool store when we need to, and adjust the chemicals. Our biggest expense is running the filter, which we need to do 8 to 12 hours a day, depending on sun. We've put a pool in at every house we've owned, and I know we would miss it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 You don't have the poll option I'd have chosen: We don't have a pool but wish we did. :D Yeah, that's me too. Every day after coming in from watering and weeding our little garden that I don't wish out loud that we had a pool. I wanted one as a child at my parents' house and I've wanted one since the day we moved into this house but both times I was nixed by grumpy people who swear pools are too much work. Bah humbug. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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