Pool or No Pool? (heat pump, school, to live)

[jnojr]

I've been doing it myself. Partly because it's no big deal, and partly because too many pool guys are flakes. I know there are some who are really good, and I have a few friends and neighbors who've used the same guy for years, so if I need to do that, I can. But testing once a week isn't really cutting it for me, at least not until I get go to a salt system to maintain chlorine... I've been losing a good 1ppm per day in warm weather. And my pH jumps up quickly, too.

I place a high value on my time, too, but part of that is not spending a bunch of time chasing after someone else who maybe doesn't do the job 100%

[beez74]

I do my own pool but then again I change my oil, did my own yard landscaping (they wanted $30 a ton to move rock to my yard !?! screw that) and pretty much anything I can do on my own I do. I cant see paying someone to do things I can do my self..... I get that lots of folks would rather pay someone but to me its just such a small task to balance the pool and brush a few times a week that to pay someone double what it would cost me just doesn't add up.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by beez74

I do my own pool but then again I change my oil, did my own yard landscaping (they wanted $30 a ton to move rock to my yard !?! screw that) and pretty much anything I can do on my own I do. I cant see paying someone to do things I can do my self..... I get that lots of folks would rather pay someone but to me its just such a small task to balance the pool and brush a few times a week that to pay someone double what it would cost me just doesn't add up.

It depends how much you value your time. Clearly you value yours at a lower rate than I do.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by beez74

I do my own pool but then again I change my oil, did my own yard landscaping (they wanted $30 a ton to move rock to my yard !?! screw that) and pretty much anything I can do on my own I do. I cant see paying someone to do things I can do my self..... I get that lots of folks would rather pay someone but to me its just such a small task to balance the pool and brush a few times a week that to pay someone double what it would cost me just doesn't add up.

I look at my ROI. If I can make more money doing something I like, then it is bad economics to do it myself.
Hence, I don't clean, or take care of my lawn, plow (in MN), wash my car, change my oil do any repairs, etc etc.
I am cheap. but I understand econ 101. I pretty much outsource everything because it isn't worth my time.

[juke46]

About 40 years ago we looked at a pool for our home. It had a small backyard for a tiny pool. Real pools were so permanent and so expensive. We decided on a "trial pool" using a good quality above ground pool. We installed it ourselves and it was fine. I made a solar panel and diverted a portion of the filter discharge through it. It worked very well and extended the swimming season for us.

We had several small pool parties and one was memorable due to my B-I-L's carelessness. He had consumed a few beers and sort of jumped on the metal top rail of the pool to sit on it. It was strong and he was not the first to sit on that top rail. Since it was a good quality pool the top rail was a strong wide metal plate around the circumference of the pool.

He sort of missed that top rail and, yes, he fell right out of the pool. He would have been OK except one of his feet hit the metal ladder used for getting into and out of the pool. He was Ok except for a "not too bad cut" on his foot. He got up with a big smile, shaking his finger at me and said "Dave, I"m calling Owen Marshall" (or some attorney on some TV show of the day) and I'm gonna sue your "&6%829"! Now, who the heck falls out of a swimming pool?

It was all in fun but he did get an infection and had to make several visits to his Doctor.

In a couple of years we tired of the pool and thanked ourselves for only having purchased an above ground pool we could remove and leave not a trace of it behind.

[HTY483]

I wouldnt live in the Valley without one. We used ours pretty much every day in the summer when I was growing up. It wasnt anything fancy, just a simple kidney shape with a diving board. Takes all of about 30 min once a week to clean the filters and empty the leaf trap. Well worth it for an environment that sees temps above 100 degrees for 5 months out of the year.

Originally Posted by kell490

Can't get stuck in your AC home all day if your buying a home with a pool make sure to get it checked out by a licensed pool service.

And this. I hate the feeling of being trapped inside with AC for 5 months out of the year. Our pool was one of the few things that allowed us to be outdoors in the Valley during summer months.

[SFBayBoomer]

Originally Posted by Spuggy

This was one of the challenges we found when house hunting a couple of years ago. Either I had to have a pool large enough to swim laps in or a house near a community pool. I didn't see any point in a play pool. When we were househunting we only saw two houses in the pheonix area for sale (older homes) that had really large pools, and many had wee play pools. We managed to find a house with a moderate size pool that I could use for lap swimming.

Lap swimming is the reason I would want a pool. I want the exercise. I don't want a large "entertainer's" pool surrounded by too much hardscaping.

[Ponderosa]

Speaking of pools, September is the best month of the year for them. The drier days will cool the water down below soup temperature while the days and, especially the nights, are perfect for a dip. By October, its too cold and all over except for the young and early snowbirds.

[jcp123]

I’m not a pool fan. Pools translate to costs. A house with a pool is a dealbreaker imho

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by jcp123

I’m not a pool fan. Pools translate to costs. A house with a pool is a dealbreaker imho

Things that add comfort cost, but duh. Purely anecdotally, but here in Phoenix, I believe you're more likely to alienate a buyer by not having a pool than you would be with one.