Backyard Swimming Pool in City (Pittsburgh, Oakland: to rent, houses, neighborhoods)

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Does anyone know what restrictions, aside from monetary, that exist on building an in-ground backyard swimming pool in the city?

I ask because my gf and I have discussed, if we were to get married and buy a home, that we both would like to have a swimming pool. She isn't opposed to the suburbs in order to get this (among other things), but I'm very opposed to moving outside of city limits for a multitude of reasons. Would it be possible for us to buy a home and build a pool? We have been doing some casual perusing of listings recently, as I would consider buying ahead of marriage (in my name only) if the right opportunity presented itself. However, I haven't seen an abundance of listings (read: any) in our desired neighborhoods that offer pools.

[hinsey86]

The ordinances should be available on line. ( our Little township has them online). Most places require 4 foot high lockable fence. The cheapest way to get a pool is buy a house with a pool. We looked at having one installed at our last house and it was roughly 40,000 for a descent inground that we wanted...wasn't worth it here. But we got one with our recent house.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Codes on such things are, in practice, rarely enforced in the City.
I can go around my neighborhood and find all kinds of pools that are not in compliance.

You would certainly want to have the fence and locking gate in place though to save
yourself from liability from children wandering in.

To the people who moved out of their house and left the pool filled, breeding a massive
neighborhood mosquito infestation last summer, thank you!!

[jay5835]

To get one of a decent size, you might have to go in halvsies with your next-door neighbor.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by jay5835

To get one of a decent size, you might have to go in halvsies with your next-door neighbor.

Yeah, I'm fully aware of the (lack of) space issue. I'm thinking it is a pipe dream but it would be pretty cool to have that sort of thing in the city. Maybe I can buy two houses? Anyone want to rent one from me with a shared pool?

[Hopes]

I've seen some great in-ground pools at houses near Oakland. The yards are tiny so the pools are long and narrow or geometrically shaped. You can create a really nice outdoor living space since you won't have a huge area to enclose with a fence. It's definitely possible. When deciding on a home, it would be a good idea to find out which direction the sewer lines and utilities run on the property before making an offer. You'll have a huge expense if you have to reroute those if they run through the back yard.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

This will be really cool for that 2.8 months a year you'll be able to use it in Pittsburgh!

[Burghgirl17]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

This will be really cool for that 2.8 months a year you'll be able to use it in Pittsburgh!

This. I just can't see how people justify the expense and trouble. I wonder if it affects the resell value/time on the market negatively or positively? When we were looking at houses, we refused to consider anything with a pool. Houses in my plan have sold like hotcakes when they have hit the resale market, but one of the houses with a pool had a hard time selling and now the owners took it off the market.

That being said, I have a coworker who purchased a large house in Shadyside with a nice pool and a small poolhouse.

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

This will be really cool for that 2.8 months a year you'll be able to use it in Pittsburgh!

We used ours from mid May thru September. In May it was heated though and the last September use felt like a polar. plunge. But this was last year which was a very cool Summer.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by Hopes

When deciding on a home, it would be a good idea to find out which direction the sewer lines and utilities run on the property before making an offer.

This is great advice! It isn't something that I would have considered.

Someone rep her, I can't!