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Hi everyone. The wife and I are looking for ideas and any information we can gather on all of the different types of pools avaliable. We are looking to have a pool installed sometime first of next year and wanted to start researching our options. Right now we are open to any type. Haven't even decided yet if we want above ground or in ground. The forums here look like a great place to get started.
I live in South Florida, so I only tell you that few people have above-ground pools, and those that do have done it for cost reasons. Either a simple Intex-type vinyl pool (only a few hundred $$) or a permanent, above-ground pool (less than $5K) is what I've seen for above-ground. Most people opt for in-ground pools because they are aesthetically appealing and add some value to your home, too. A basic in-ground pool is $20K, but you'll easily spend more than that to get upgraded features for the deck and pool. Your decisions will be dictated a lot by your budget as much as it is your personal desires.
We used an Intex pool for most of the last ten years (2002), which was okay when I had real young kids. We didn't have the $$$ for anything nicer, and we had a large screened enclosure in our back yard that my wife wasn't keen on getting rid of. As our kids got older, though, having a bigger pool was more desireable. We finally got an inground pool built this spring, after beginning the planning and bidding exactly one year ago, in July 2010. I regret that we didn't get this pool sooner, maybe four or five years ago, as my older teenaged kids don't use the pool nearly as much as my younger two kids do. But I'm very glad we have an inground pool now. It's going to be a strong draw to have family members visit us in the winter and during spring breaks (I love having family members visit us).
Welcome to the Forum!
That is such a broad question that iI doubt many will chime in. It's a very subjective thing - some folks prefer a concrete pool, others a liner - some like sand filters, others won't have anything but a cartridge filter...
Perhaps we could help if you'd set up a few things you really want out of the pool and tell us how you think you'll use it - if you did this and bumped the post on Tues. night - I could probably give you some input on Wed. (my next day off) :)
The key question is: what do you want your pool for? This is not trivial. Everyone here who has a pool has their own personal reasons for the pool THEY own.
I wanted a pool I could swim laps in--that, to me, meant 40' long. I didn't want to spend an insane amount of money but I was willing to spend more than most above-ground oval pools. I didn't need a diving area, but wanted a deep end. My wife said "It cannot be ugly" which, to her, meant a common above-ground pool was out. We wanted solar heating but wanted panels that weren't obtrusive....These were my needs.
If you don't swim laps, then you may want a pool to splash in, a pool to float in with a nice cool drink.
Do you want something simple, or "House Beautiful"? These are some of the questions you need to answer.
Carl