Buying a house with a pool; what should I ask?

[veghead]

We just have completed the paperwork to purchase a home with a pool (I am very excited).

I know nothing about pools. When we had the home inspection, the inspector said the pool looked in good shape and the current owners said they had it replastered a couple of years ago. Some mechanical looking thing has a leak, but my husband, a pretty handy guy, feels like he can fix it.

My question to the forum is, when we do I final walk through 5 days before close, what questions should we be asking the owners about the pool?

Thank you for any advice you can give. :)

[PoolDoc]

Hi Veg;

1. Get them to show you what tools and equipment they have left there (vac hose, pole, vac head, etc)
2. Find out whether they serviced the pool, or had a service. Get the name & info of the service, if any.
3. If there WAS a pool service, arrange to continue using if for at least a couple of weeks after you move in.
4. If there are any chemicals left, have the owner show you where, and what.
5. Have either the owners OR the service show you how to do all of the following:
- a. clean the filterers
- b. clean the pump basket
- c. clean the skimmers
- d. operate the valves (mark them, so you know what they are!)
- e. operate any other equipment, such as a controller, SWCG, spa, solar heating, etc.
6. Order a K2006 testkit (not: K2005!!) with DPD-FAS chlorine testing. You can use the Amazon link in my sig if you like.


Do NOT worry about chemical instructions. We can help with, and improve on, those (unless the previous owner was already a BBB method user!).

[veghead]

Very good.

I have been reading some of the various resources on this site and am interested in the BBB method.

The pool is also very plain. It has some cool decking around the pool, but it is not that attractive. I need to do something, so I will eventually be asking decorating advice. Until we get closer to the finalizing of all the paperwork, I will just do a lot of reading and, maybe ask for clarification from time to time. I understand that I have limited access to the forums, so do I post questions in this subforum?

Thanks so much for being available.

[PoolDoc]

You have access to most of the sections; your posts just won't appear immediately.

[veghead]

After all this, my husband forgot to take the list to the final walk through. :/

[PoolDoc]

Oh, well. Good luck!

[aylad]

Maybe your real estate agent can get a message to the previous owners and they'll be nice enough to call you to answer questions about the pool? Seems like a reasonable request to me, and it's not uncommon, at least down here.......

Also, if they used a pool service and you can find out which one, calling the pool service might get you some useable information about it. Just a couple of things to try......

Janet

[veghead]

I think we could contact the owner easily enough and my husband asked several pertinent questions at the walk through. I directed him to this site last night and, when I went to bed, he was reading. I am overwhelmed with all the information and I am hoping to just start the BBB method.

[Hornman120]

Since you're a fellow Las Vegan (I've been here 48 years), congratulations on your home purchase.

One key thing to watch this time of year. Keep an eye on your chlorine. We are in the season where the pool temps rise significantly with a resulting drop in chlorine level. Things will stabilize once the pool warms up as long as you keep an eye on it.

Good luck,

Kevin