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I'm currently building a house (under the approach to runway 14 at ACT, nonetheless). I would love to have a swimming pool. I'm not worried aboot the logistic side of things, as I'll just hire a contractor to come in, wave his magic wand, and present me with a beautiful oasis. I haven't contacted any sales consultants yet, so I was wondering if anyone here could provide me with details of their experiences with in-ground pools.

Ballpark cost? Maintenance? Things to look for? Things to avoid?

I don't need anything too spectacular. I know that I want it to be fifteen feet deep so that I can conduct PADI instruction at my house. I figured I'd try to get the sticker shock outta the way here, rather than have my chin land on my consultants desk.

Thanks!

BAB

Probably $40,000+, depending on all the details. Here in Cali, a good pool could easily run to $50K, but your depth is a bit unusual.

Electrical costs about $50+/month, but the variable is the pool volume.

I don't know how much you pay for water over there, but you'll have to keep the water level up constantly, especially during hot weather.

Not to mention the chemicals and/or pool service costs. Chemicals are about $30/month, plus the service can run you $90/month.

I had a pool and screenroom built about a dozen years ago. I moved out of that house five years ago, but I did master the art of keeping the water crystal clear.

Fifteen feet deep will run you some money. That's twice as deep as the average pool so you may pay twice as much. Mine was about 15K but that was in 97 and it was only 12 x 24.

My power bill didn't go up that much, I'd say between five and ten dollars a month. The chemicals you need are directly related to the gallons of the pool. Use liquid chlorine and only put tablets in if the stabilizer is low. Probably won't use too much acid. Calcium's important if it's a gunite pool because if it gets low the water leeches calcium out of the pool walls. I found that even with evaporation, after the initial fill the water usage didn't increase that much. You'll need a Barracuda or other Creepy Crawly to keep it nice, and they run about $400 to $500 for a good one.

I've been to the pool store buying chemicals and they'll tell me I need five pounds of whatever, and the guy next to me will be getting fifty pound sacks, so be aware that the volume of the pool is what will cost you money...

My parents built had a pool put in back in 2002. It was about 7ft deep and had a Pebble Tec finish, which I HIGHLY recommend. It is more expensive, but it looks amazing. Also, it doesn't wear down the bottom of your feet like a standard finish seems to. The pool was about 35,000 gallons and if I remember correctly, it cost them around $40,000. Chemicals can be intimidating at first, but are easy once you get the hang of it. Cleaning can be a pain in the ass, but we had one of those "rovers" that crawled around and got most of it. We never had a pool service, we never found it necessary. Just educate yourself and put forth some effort and you can save quite a bit of money monthly.

Any idea of where the water table sits in your area. If you hit water at say, 10 ft when digging, this will make construction of the pool seriously more difficult=expensive as they'll most likely have to excavate a larger area, build cofferdams, pump it dry, then start working.

BaylorAirBear wrote:I know that I want it to be fifteen feet deep so that I can conduct PADI instruction at my house.

Maybe it's just me, but have you looked into the liability issues of that?

Would hate for there to be an accident and someone (else) ends up owning your house...

My brother has been in the swimming pool business for 20 years (since the day Eastern went under and he needed a job) and he owns a store. If you'd like to ask him some questions feel free to PM me and I'll arrange it. He builds pools for a living and his is not really short of spectacular. He's got Disneyland in his backyard.

Isn't BAB's house sitting on solid rock? As in central Texas? That's going to cost quite a bit more than just calling in the boys with the backhoe.

How much for some dynamite?

Mark wrote:Isn't BAB's house sitting on solid rock? As in central Texas? That's going to cost quite a bit more than just calling in the boys with the backhoe.

I know here in SAT if you want a pool you stand a good chance of finding solid limestone 4 inches below the surface.

bhmbaglock wrote:Any idea of where the water table sits in your area. If you hit water at say, 10 ft when digging, this will make construction of the pool seriously more difficult=expensive as they'll most likely have to excavate a larger area, build cofferdams, pump it dry, then start working.

He won't have to worry about that in Waco! I believe they are still under a severe drought! Although I know the water table is not totally dependent on rainfall I would have to guess the local vegitation is sucking the ground dry near the surface. On top of that, we had a pool put in here in Houston, 8 ft down, it was dry enough to dig the hole, spread the gravel, lay the steel, and spray the gunnite. They left a hole in the bottom while the gunnite set up and some water did leach into the bottom but not bad. The rock issue mentioned elsewhere might be a bigger problem for him.

KFLLCFII wrote:Maybe it's just me, but have you looked into the liability issues of that?

Would hate for there to be an accident and someone (else) ends up owning your house...

If you have a pool without insurance you are just asking for disaster to begin with, whether or not you use it as a place to conduct business. I have insurance and still have a firm rule that whenever my daughters friends are over an adult has to be present if they are going to go swimming.

AndesSMF wrote:Probably $40,000+, depending on all the details. Here in Cali, a good pool could easily run to $50K, but your depth is a bit unusual.

Yikes....how big?

I have a 20K swimming pool in the backyard, picture below, it is a salt water pool and I highly recommend that option. It does away with having to worry about adding or storing chlorine. I use the dry acid (ph minus) and in the summer have to add a 5 of pounds per week, maybe a little more, depending on usage. They are now coming out with a seperate chemical that can reduce even that. With the robot skimmer my maintenance consists of adding the acid, brushing the pool twice a week, skimming before swimming, and cleaning the paper filter cartridges once a month (we have a black lab and it is her 20K dog toy!), and manually vacuming it in the spring due to some chinese tallow trees in the area. I would also recommend a pool cover for use in the fall and winter. In the fall it will help keep the water temps up for a few weeks and in the winter keeps all sorts of crap out of the pool. I take it off as needed to clean it during those seasons and in the summer it rolls up on a big spindle and sits out of the way against the fence. My electric bill did not go up noticably and since I did not have a spa or heater put in, my gas bill was untouched.

Two things I would have done differently if I were reconstructing, one, skip any type of flag stone. They all melt for lack of a better word when exposed to the pool chemicals. We had to have the 3 low sides completely redone and although the new stone is much tougher, it is still melting. Go with brick or even better for what you have in mind, have them install a tanning shelf all the way round the pool with a raised curb between it and the deck. The tanning self will sit in 2-3 inches of water and give the divers a place to sit and get ready to dive.

Two, they were just coming on to the market when we built and I wish I had paid the money for one, a solar heater. We don't have any type of heater on our pool because in asking around I found that our gas bill would jump astronomically in the winter to keep that body of water warm enough to swim in. I've read some pretty interesting material about the newest generation of solar heaters and I'm still trying to think of a way to re-engineer my pool to accomodate one without having to tear up a lot of deck to do it.

Anyway, imo the salt water feels better than a chlorinated pool. You don't have that sticky feeling when you get out and your eyes don't burn. On top of that your hair won't bleach and your bathing suit will last a lot longer. To me it just feels better and the savings in chlorine purchases plus the not having to hassle with it makes up for the chlorinator pretty quickly. Good luck, get a number of bids, and check to make sure every little detail is in the contract before you sign it. Depending on the contractor it can be kind of tough to make any changes after signing. Also, check warranties and the contractors responsibility. We were and continue to be extremely pleased with the family business that did our work and I hope you have the same luck. Here's our decompression area!!! And I found some shots of it under construction as well.

First of all, Dx did you check all those guys papers...illegals..
You had some good solid tips, #1) no visiting kids in the pool with the parents. Umbrella insurance policy for at least $1million
Right about the salt pool..Right about being an expensive dog toy
Ours is 17,900 gallons with a pebble tec finish, which can lasts much longer than a plaster pool. Ours has a propane heater and a device that circulates the water through the attic to heat the water in the spring and fall which extends the swimming season (Mar-Oct). Only use the propane heater in the winter if we have visitors from the cold country coming. Throw on the solar cover and then it takes about a day and a half to get the water to the low 80's. To expensive to use the propane in the winter on a regular basis, and when the pool was installed, the HOA had a rule against solar panels, (which since the courts have ruled the HOA have no control over solar panels, satellite dishes) and like Dx I'm looking at a way to incorporate solar system for the pool which also would work with the house. Ours was about $25,000, including all the heating system, although to build a 15ft deep pool for scuba certification I would think it would cost mega dollars.

BlueLion wrote:First of all, Dx did you check all those guys papers...illegals...

Ignorance is bliss!

That's a great read (and pics) for those us ignorant on pools. Thanks, DX.

AndesSMF wrote:Probably $40,000+, depending on all the details. Here in Cali, a good pool could easily run to $50K, but your depth is a bit unusual...plus the service can run you $90/month.

I won't spend more than $25K, for sure. You have to realize, the dollar goes a lot farther here than elsewhere. As for the service, I'll maintain it myself.

JetsGo wrote:...and had a Pebble Tec finish, which I HIGHLY recommend.

I definitely want to spend the extra money for that. I've spent too many summers with no skin on my toes.

bhmbaglock wrote:Any idea of where the water table sits in your area.

The average table rides 12 feet below the surface in Waco, proper. However, I'm on the north side of town in China Spring, where the water table runs much, much deeper.

KFLLCFII wrote:Maybe it's just me, but have you looked into the liability issues of that?
Would hate for there to be an accident and someone (else) ends up owning your house...

I already operate one business out of my home, so I have a good grasp on all that mumbo jumbo, thanks to my attorney and insurance guy. The short of the long is that if I get sued for whatever, my business may be liable for damages, but my my personal effects will be quite protected.

DL021 wrote:My brother has been in the swimming pool business for 20 years (since the day Eastern went under and he needed a job) and he owns a store. If you'd like to ask him some questions feel free to PM me and I'll arrange it.

I will definitely keep that in mind. I'm about six months away from a firm commitment, at which point I'll be happy to receive any advice I can get.

Mark wrote:Isn't BAB's house sitting on solid rock? As in central Texas? That's going to cost quite a bit more than just calling in the boys with the backhoe.

It's true, central Texas is one huge mass of Limestone. By the grace of Yahweh, bedrock is deeper than 20 feet on my property.

DXing wrote:I have a 20K swimming pool in the backyard, picture below, it is a salt water pool and I highly recommend that option.

Yeah, I've swam in a few salt water pools, and the experience was definitely better than your average water hole. If I may ask, did $20K include the flagstone decking and everything?

...I wish I had paid the money for one, a solar heater.

Also on my wish list.

We were and continue to be extremely pleased with the family business that did our work and I hope you have the same luck.

Thanks!

BlueLion wrote:... although to build a 15ft deep pool for scuba certification I would think it would cost mega dollars.

Hopefully, the income from PADI instruction will offset the added expense.

Thanks for everyone's help so far. I will keep y'all updated as time goes by. Once my pool is installed, we can have an ACT meet and pool party.

Cheers,

BAB

I'll bring the Baby Ruths...

BaylorAirBear wrote:

DXing wrote:I have a 20K swimming pool in the backyard, picture below, it is a salt water pool and I highly recommend that option.

Yeah, I've swam in a few salt water pools, and the experience was definitely better than your average water hole. If I may ask, did $20K include the flagstone decking and everything?

Thanks for everyone's help so far. I will keep y'all updated as time goes by. Once my pool is installed, we can have an ACT meet and pool party.

Cheers,

BAB

20k referred to the gallons of water in the pool. Although the cost was pretty close, 23k for the pool and the initial decking, flagstone, filter equipment and such. I poured the secondary decking, where the lounge chairs are, filled in the dirt behind the raised wall, did the landscaping, and poured the pad where the shed sits. The shed actually covers the pool filter and pumps. It really cuts the noise the pumps make at night down to nothing. I recommend doing that as well. The 23k also included some concrete work you can't see and we spent some additional $ on an enclosed sun room off the back of the house. All in all, with the way real estate prices are depressed, I'll be in this house for another 30 years before I get my money out of it!

BaylorAirBear wrote:You have to realize, the dollar goes a lot farther here than elsewhere.

Thank goodness for those illegal Mexicans, eh?

YVRtoYYZ wrote:Thank goodness for those illegal Mexicans, eh?

Sometimes.

GQfluffy wrote:I'll bring the Baby Ruths...

I just got that joke. I'm slipping. Time to put down the crack pipe.

BAB *sigh*