Newbie - what type above ground pool for our family?

[Damasco]

After bugging the hubby for years about springing for an inground (I grew up with one) I can see it'll never happen! His compromise is to get a bid to level a part of our all-sloped back yard and have a paver stone patio, to match our fire pit area, put in directly below our deck. We are in Oregon, in a region where rain is typical and we have a short summer season; also in a neighborhood with newer large homes on 1 acre, unfenced lots and strict CC&R's - and on a corner lot with wide open visibility of our back yard. The thought is that we would get an above ground pool to place on the patio that we could put up in May and take down in early September. So the pool area would be an extended outdoor area for us in the non-summer months, we wouldn't have a bunch of dead grass where a pool was sitting all summer and hopefully no issues with neighbors leaving a pool up 12 months out of the year. He thinks an Intex pool would be fine, I'm spoiled from growing up with an in ground pool so that doesn't sound too great to me. I personally love the idea of an above ground buried pool with a paver surround, or in-deck, above ground pool but we've checked into it and the price tag to do that is pretty steep as well. If we do end up going with a patio paver I guess I need to know which type of above grounds can be taken down and then put back up each season? I would like it to be as deep as possible for an above ground with sitting on pavers, that is. Also, as good a filtrations system as possible and a heater of some type. Obviously a giant unused patio next to our deck is going to look a bit odd and bare in the winter so I guess I'm somewhat limited on how large of an above ground pool to get as well I'm thinking an 18' round or some size of smaller rectangle. Thanks for any input in advance!

[BigDave]

I think you'd need to fence the pool area to mitigate the liability of the attractive nuisance your considering. The cost of a fence and patio may help move the needle closer to the decked or partially decked traditional steel wall AG. I doubt buring an AG would be worth it, with excavation, and a special pool that can be buried, you might be backing into IG prices.

Just my two cents.

[PoolDoc]

One option many people here have followed is to start with an Intex, gradually improve filtration and fencing, and then, after you are an experienced and successful 'pool operator' AND are sure you are really into pools for the long term, spend the big bucks.

Amazingly, you can get a 16x32 Intex for under $2,000 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004DCANNU/scouscho-20/) . You'll need to upgrade filtration, and you'll spend some money on site prep, but you can get your pool in place, filled, and treated with all needed bits and pieces for under $3,000. And that's a pretty large pool!

You MUST make SURE the site is level, though. Also, buy locally or direct from Amazon (not a 3rd party seller on Amazon), and get the pool UP within a week of purchase. That way, if there's a problem, you can return to the seller within the 30-day window, without having to deal with Intex's somewhat obnoxious customer service process. (So prep the site BEFORE you buy the pool!)

[BigDave]

I agree with PoolDoc that starting with a soft side pool and moving up to more expensive options is a great way to get your feet wet. Our first pool cost $70 and I learned the first day that "looks level" is not at all the same as "is level".

My concern is that the OP mentioned "unfenced lots and strict CC&R's". I don't know if a soft side pool would qualify as an effective barrier which would be needed if fences are disallowed. There's no mention of HOA but with CC&R's in place there's a chance that a neighbor could take exception to a temporary structure and litigate.