Pools - Community vs. Your Own (living, design, company)

[fil]

How about both?

I like walking out and taking a swim, but I miss going to the pool also and seeing neighbors. Summer pool time at the neighborhood pool was a time to re-connect with other busy neighbors and meet new ones.

As for taking car of the pool, get a service. It's worth the money to farm it out if you don't want to deal with it.

[atlanta hope]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

Every home in Austin need to have a pool. It should be standard

No but really, maintaining a pool is so easy. It was easy for me b/c I added a SWG / Salt Water Generator. Salt in pool (you add) will purify and cycle the cell on the salt water system to convert the salt to chlorine. BEST investment ever!! No more messing w/ chlorine or those crap tablets. Plus when I get out of the pool. I felt like getting out of a water softner tub!! Its the great, really is!! Don't let any pool builder tell you a chlorine system is better. Total BS!! Spend that extra 1200.00 or so on a SWG. You will never deal with chlorine ever again or have to hire a pool boy.

I mainly watch the PH and my SWG monitors the salt for chlorine. When its low, I look at the guage, I then grab my chart manual and it tells me how many pounds of salt to add.

To shock the pool I add 100% bleach. I only have to do this once a year. I do it when the pool starts to turn green. It happens b/c I am cheap and don't feel like running the pump 12 hrs a day. Worse part is 100% sun @ 100 degrees heat streaming down at your pool, then killing off the chlorine. Its normal, but I could not really careless. It happens , but happens way more often w/ chlorine system pools.
Life is perfect when owning a pool w/ SWG!!

I stayed at a hotel with the salt water pool. I loved how it didn't dry out my skin. So they are less maintenance than a chlorine pool?

What is the range for getting a pool put in? I have absolutely NO idea. Is it $15 or $50K?

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by atlanta hope

I stayed at a hotel with the salt water pool. I loved how it didn't dry out my skin. So they are less maintenance than a chlorine pool?

What is the range for getting a pool put in? I have absolutely NO idea. Is it $15 or $50K?

Very less maintenance w/ the SWG for sure!! You'll see. I just make sure I have a great dedicated pool cleaner. I recommend robotic, and if its out of your price range, then check out the Pool Rover Plus. I never cared for Suction side or dedicated pressure pool cleaner setups. Get the electric one's. It works off the power supply and your pump will not strain or working your filteration system much. Pool cleaner bags in these aquabots or Rover is A+ way to go.

To get a pool in (in ground), expect to pay about 25K or more. It goes UP in cost if they have to break rock, then also goes up if you start add decking or patio setups.
It would be better to negotiate the price. Wheel and deal. Mine due to 1500sq of concrete decking would be over a 50K pool, but I got it around $37K
Hope this helps,

[iguanas4]

I have to second the salt water system recommendation! We installed one in our 20+ year-old pool last spring and it has been SO easy to take care of. We also got a new DE filter unit, and that in conjunction with the salt water system is fabulous. The water is super clear and clean-feeling, and not stinky at all, plus it's easier on your skin and hair than a normal chlorine pool.

We never had a pool before, and I was a bit worried about the hassle of taking care of it. Not a hassle at all! In fact, the pool is much easier to deal with than the spa tub we had at our old house.

We also forked out some extra money for an Aquabot robotic cleaner. I just put him in, usually once a week for about 2 hours, and he cleans the whole pool by himself. The pool guy wanted like $80 a week to clean the pool - no thanks! The Aquabot paid has paid for himself already in less than a year.

We bought this house largely because it had a pool, and that turned out to be the smartest thing we've ever done (possibly!). It was so nice last summer to just float around in the pool when it was so hot... I like to say that the pool alone was worth what we paid for the whole property!

A community pool wasn't of interest to us personally. We don't have kids and we wanted the privacy of our own pool. And I'm not 20 years old anymore, and not as comfortable running around in public wearing a bikini. YMMV!

[pilotskid27]

We had a similar dilemma when we moved here 7 years ago with our toddler-age son.

I had desperately wanted a pool from the time I was a teenager. We never had one, so I know nothing about the maintenance part--but my well-meaning, non-pool-owning relatives have always pointed out that pool maintenance is a pain. We had to buy a house quickly, and ended up with no pool.

We went to the Circle C pool a handful of times, and it is just a pain with a child that age. First, you have to pack tons of stuff and make sure it is all labled--I've seen heated words exchanged over debated ownership of a 99 cent pool noodle. As huge as that pool is, so much is dedicated to lap swimming, that all the parents of young children have to squeeze into the other end. (Reminds me of a place in Hong Kong called "Excuse me beach"...the beach was so crowded on weekends, everyone keeps having to say "excuse me" as you inevitably bump into people.)

We found it much more comfortable to get one of those giant, inflatable pools for the backyard. It's about 10 X 5 and requres an electric pump to blow up, but it's big enough for an adult or a couple of kids to join the fun and splashing. Then, you put it in the garage and don't touch it for months.

When our son got big enough to actually swim, we hit the jackpot when our neighbor with kids his age put in a pool! It took about 6 months and cost about $60,000 (During construction, I teased them that they could have just filled the limestone hole in the backyard with water and saved a couple of bucks---there was lots of rock excavation on that project.!)

It's very convenient for us.....we take a bottle of wine and relax on the patio with the other grown-ups. But I know the Mom gets a little weary of always hosting the neighborhood's impromptu get-togethers. (The Dad is very social, and loves to have people over, so the invitations are frequent.) We try to reciprocate, but our backyard playscape doesn't have the lure of the pool, so, inevitably, after we have served the BBQ at our place, the kids all start begging, "Can we go across the street and swim now?" So, that is something I would consider....how often do you like to have company?

Even with all the time, expense, and hassle, sometimes I long for an hour to lie on a floating lounger by myself with a cool drink and a trashy novel....yes, I still wish WE had our own pool.

[Mike78613]

Amen. I knew I was not the only one. But the pool boys and pool supply stores hate us because we have the SWG and robotic cleaners.

Originally Posted by iguanas4

I have to second the salt water system recommendation! We installed one in our 20+ year-old pool last spring and it has been SO easy to take care of. We also got a new DE filter unit, and that in conjunction with the salt water system is fabulous. The water is super clear and clean-feeling, and not stinky at all, plus it's easier on your skin and hair than a normal chlorine pool.

We never had a pool before, and I was a bit worried about the hassle of taking care of it. Not a hassle at all! In fact, the pool is much easier to deal with than the spa tub we had at our old house.

We also forked out some extra money for an Aquabot robotic cleaner. I just put him in, usually once a week for about 2 hours, and he cleans the whole pool by himself. The pool guy wanted like $80 a week to clean the pool - no thanks! The Aquabot paid has paid for himself already in less than a year.

We bought this house largely because it had a pool, and that turned out to be the smartest thing we've ever done (possibly!). It was so nice last summer to just float around in the pool when it was so hot... I like to say that the pool alone was worth what we paid for the whole property!

A community pool wasn't of interest to us personally. We don't have kids and we wanted the privacy of our own pool. And I'm not 20 years old anymore, and not as comfortable running around in public wearing a bikini. YMMV!

[Vieau]

I have been looking for a salt-water swimming pool to swim laps. I am an ex-competitive swimmer and cannot swim in chlorine. Does anyone know where I can find a pool? If not, does anyone know of anyone that is willing to rent their salt-water pool one hour a day?

[readymade]

Hey Mike! Are you still planning to sell your house?

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by readymade

Hey Mike! Are you still planning to sell your house?

I would love to right now, but I think the price is still not where I want it to be

Only time will tell once these homes that are popping up all over here that are costing double then what mine is and they have no yard.

We're probably going to put it on the market in about 24 months. I want to complete my college first. Then think about putting it on the market. If I sell it now, I would not know where to go. Everything is just so much more expensive right now.




BTW.... I notice on one of your other posts that you want to come to Austin and freelance, what type of "web" stuff do you do? Development (if so, what languages?) or Web Design?

[readymade]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

I would love to right now, but I think the price is still not where I want it to be

Only time will tell once these homes that are popping up all over here that are costing double then what mine is and they have no yard.

We're probably going to put it on the market in about 24 months. I want to complete my college first. Then think about putting it on the market. If I sell it now, I would not know where to go. Everything is just so much more expensive right now.




BTW.... I notice on one of your other posts that you want to come to Austin and freelance, what type of "web" stuff do you do? Development (if so, what languages?) or Web Design?

I think that's smart, waiting 2 years to sell. Bummer for me, though. I want a pool!

As for web stuff, I do web design and print design. I code in html, css, Flash, some javascript & PHP. I've done some database stuff as well. I've been doing web design for, about 15 years now. I can't believe it's been that long... almost half my life!!

I'm currently making a living doing freelance web stuff and running my own company where we create personalized pulp novels & prints.