[Tyga11]

Please post pictures if so.

- If you had it installed, how much did you pay?

- What do you pay for monthly maintenance?

[Dino GT]

Paging Alfisti

[kscarrol]

As I told my kids when they asked for a pool years ago… pools are like boats, you want a friend with a pool, or a boat.

[WallySlash]

$60k in 2014.

Once you get the water chemistry down you will spend very little per week/month for whatever you decide on using to sanitize the water. Liquid chlorine or tablets. Keeping a routine of brushing, emptying the skimmers and cleaning the filter is key to maintaining a healthy pool.

Lots of free advice out there. Visit trouble free pool dot com.

[///MPhatic]

I wish. They are best purchased with the home though, so I have never considered installing one.

I hope to have a home with one someday.

[evil-G-nius]

NOt yet but its on the list of additions we want to make

[MaC-N54-E82]

We have an approximately 15,000 gallon kidney shaped in ground pool in our side yard. The family that built the home had it added right before the house behind the pool was built, which allowed the contractor unfettered access to the property. We were one of two in our neighborhood, but during COVID times three neighbors had them installed. Prices varied from $55 to $80K. As the pool has been part of the property during our 12 years of ownership, we never noticed the monthly electricity cost associated with the pool equipment. Being in the Pacific Northwest, heating the pool is the biggest expense and is influenced mostly by how long you want pool season to last. We typically run from June to September, but during COVID opened in April. We have a pool guy which is no more expensive than a lawn service. Our youngest is a sophomore in high school and the pool continues to be a draw for her friends. We have zero regrets.

[KevinC]

Had it done along with the house build. Pool guy is pals with the builder, lives across the street. Builder subcontracted the pool so we were able to bundle it into the mortgage. Paid about $60k IIRC, with spa, decking, fire pit, high output spa heater, and solar heating mounted on the roof. Because this was done simultaneously with the house build, the plumbing for the solar heater runs INSIDE the walls of the garage, into the ground, and out to the pool equipment. And because the house is Santa Fe style with flat roof, you can't see ANY sign of the heater from anywhere - except up on the roof. Turned out great. 5 feet in the "deep" end, about 10,000 gallons IIRC.

[RichF90M5C]

Originally Posted by MaC-N54-E82

We have an approximately 20,000 gallon kidney shaped in ground pool in our side yard. The family that built the home had it added right before the house behind the pool was built, which allowed the contractor unfettered access to the property. We were one of two in our neighborhood, but during COVID times three neighbors had them installed. Prices varied from $55 to $80K. As the pool has been part of the property during our 12 years of ownership, we never noticed the monthly electricity cost associated with the pool equipment. Being in the Pacific Northwest, heating the pool is the biggest expense and is influenced mostly by how long you want pool season to last. We typically run from June to September, but during COVID opened in April. We have a pool guy which is no more expensive than a lawn service. Our youngest is a sophomore in high school and the pool continues to be a draw for her friends. We have zero regrets.

You have zero regrets now? Wait until she’s at college and brings her friends home!

[Llarry]

I voted no, but I have a swim spa -- sort of an indoor semi-mini-pool. A hit with grandkids. 2,000 gallons.

Price something like 100K if you include the spa, the room built for it, the extra bathroom for the room built for it, etc.

Only photo I can find is with cover on.

[Tommy-G]

Pool came with the house. Been there 7 years. First 4 years, used it non-stop. 5 & 6th year used it a little. 7th year, I used it quite a bit and my wife did not so much.

Unfortunately, the dog has rods and pins in his leg from being hit by a truck (Thats how we rescued him) so he wont go in the pool. Only runs around it like a crazy man. 2 of the 3 cats have fallen in and walked on water to get out....I would NEVER buy a house in Florida without a pool though, even if I used it 3 times over the whole year.

[floridaorange]

We chose location > house with pool, had one in both homes growing up, they definitely help while living in FL. We are walking distance from my sisters pool, and a community center with a nice pool. Also have an 18 ft boat we use at various nearby lakes.

[Bonk!]

One of our previous houses had the largest above-ground pool I've ever seen, fully decked around with space for multiple tables. Sounds simple, and it was, but because the bottom was level we had years (and years) of pool volleyball games. People still talk about those parties 15 years later. I'm sure we got WAY more use of it than if it was an in-ground pool.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

2 of the 3 cats have fallen in and walked on water to get out....

My wife had just gotten out earlier this year and was in the bathroom when she heard a splash. The cat was in the spa treading water. She reached in to get the cat out and got some deep, deep tooth puncture wounds for her trouble. New policy: When the cat is in the house and the pool cover is open, the door to the room is closed to prevent more bloodshed.

[Vinnrox250]

Always had a pool growing up so back in 2018, I added a pool to my house. Here’s a couple pictures of my backyard oasis. Lol.

All said and done, after the pool, kitchen, appliances for the kitchen, the Pergola structure, pool equipment enclosure, a couple of extra built-ins around the yard I’m probably around $110k.

As far as maintenance, it’s salt water. So minimal. I check levels once a week and push a button on salt cell, if needed. Clean filters once a month. I have a robot pool skimmer and a dolphin pool robot vacuum.

Some of these are right when it was built; don’t have many pictures, without people etc. also, included one from Texas’ 2021 Freeze. Luckily all was good, only casualty’s were two palms, which are replaced.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Dino GT

Paging Alfisti

Reporting for duty sir!

We put one in JUST before Covid hit as part of a wider renovation. I wasn't happy with the ridiculous cost ($90K all in including the stone work/fence/equipment/permits etc) but it was now or never as at the time my kids were 8 and 4.

Needless to say, it was a godsend through covid and we do use it a lot but as time ticks by I find the wife and kids are fussier and fussier as to when they get in, the wife in particular wants the heater cranked up (we constantly fight about it) and a hot day or she won't get in. I do question the value in this climate but Toronto summers are quite humid. Again, it all depends on the rationality of the parties in question, my mrs still wants expensive beachside vacations, to which i say, go jump in the fucking pool.

Maintenance is not too bad, chemicals are not much given how little you need, once you learn to open and close that's a big expense gone so it's really how hard you grind the heater. My wife loses her mind if the water is not at least 84 degrees, normal people should be good at 80.

Now the cost is related to the size and we had to think long and hard about this. We have two boys, boys do stupid things especially around teenage girls, which will be inevitable as we will be the "pool house". So rather than try and police a no diving rule when they are 15 we decided to make the deep end some 8ft, which means this pool holds 80,000 litres of water.

In regards to being the "pool house", I am 100pc keen to be that house so we can keep an eye on the friends and just who we are dealing with as the boys get into cars and socialise with peers in the future, for the cost of a few pizzas I don't mind being the meet up house so I am familiar with the friends. In saying that, ideally we would have a cabana but just do not have the space.

The most fun we have, by far, is summer weekends on a real hot day and we host family, crank the BBQ and everyone in the pool.

Design wise, most efficient shape is a rectangle and we built in full length steps (you can see on the image below) where you can sorta bask in with a drink. A lighter coloured design is the more modern take but tougher to keep looking nice. Ours is 32 x 16 ft so can comfortably hold a dozen people.

Lastly, it is the law in Australia to have a fence and a Magnalatch (https://www.bunnings.com.au/magnalat...inges_p4150120), i am super paranoid about kids drowning so this was a no-brainer decision to install here despite there being no such law in Toronto. Put a fence and a magnalatch in people, just do it.

[MoeTE87]

Would love to have a pool. I grew up with one at my parents house. Nothing like coming home from football two-a-days and jumping in that cold pool.

Once interest rates decide to cool down whenever that will be, the wife and I plan on building and putting in a nice size pool for our daughter. She loves to swim! Past two years, every day in the summer she was at my parent's condo pool or my in-laws condo pool.

Beautiful pools posted above! Definitely some inspiration!

[LivingInSalt]

Originally Posted by RichF90M5C

You have zero regrets now? Wait until she’s at college and brings her friends home!

really creepy and gross dude

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

really creepy and gross dude

I took it to mean the college kids will wreck the place.

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by RichF90M5C

You have zero regrets now? Wait until she’s at college and brings her friends home!

I immediately think of Dazed and Confused

[dreamingat30fps]

Yes and no. Ironically at the FL we do not have a pool but in NC we do. We were not looking for a pool, didn't really want/need a pool, but the house we liked had a pool so it is what it is. It's in ground (but vinyl, didn't even know that was a thing, but apparently very popular there) and around 25k gallons. The only pic I could find is from the original listing for the house. I do all the maintenance myself when we are there. It's not that hard, especially once all the levels are good its pretty easy to maintain it. We have a huge tree right next to it so the main thing is getting the leaves out everyday. I don't mind it and find it relaxing.

What I won't do is open and close it for winter/summer. That cover is a huge pita. We opened it ourselves this year and won't do that again. Had a guy who did it for $100 but he disappeared so found another place that charges like $200. Still worth it. We use it probably once or twice a week when we are there in the summer. The main problem is the fucking water is freezing for most of the year. There is literally like maybe a month where the water is "nice". It needs a heaters, but those thing are $$ and huge.



What we use way more than the pool and we have one in FL also is our inflatable hot tub! I love this thing! Bought the first one for FL right before covid for like $300. The prices skyrocketed during covid and now they are back down. I finally decided to replace the one in FL because it was getting pretty run down. Walmart had the same one we have in NC for under $200! Have it sitting in the SUV waiting to set it up.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

really creepy and gross dude

Really? I thought he hit just the right note.