Opinion Needed

[Rach0730]

I need some of your valuable opinions... I've been offered the 18X33 oval. Got a good look and more info on it today. End of story is this worth anything or should I just stick my original plan and get the 18X48 walmart metal frame for the next 2 years until we can afford the new 24' permanant round in about 2-3 years.

Pool age: unknown. Whom we are getting it from bought house where pool is located 6 yrs ago. They do not know the actual age of the pool. GIS ariel photos show the pool in place in 2006 / 2000 / 1994.

Pool Construction: Metal frame wall appears to be in excellant condition. Obviously does not look new but doesn't look like its over 10 yrs old. No obvious rust on any of the pool outside with the exception of hooks that have been placed on the pool to hold the covers in place. The top rail looks like the paint is wearing off. Now there are plastic covers between all the top rails sections these look very very weather sun beaten. One or two are actually broken in half. The screws holding this pool into place are not rusted. This pool has a deep end liner in it and appears that part of this pool is buried about 1' into the ground don't know what the condition is there. At ground level no rust.

Pool has 6 side supports. Looks like a little surface rust on some from maybe knicks from putting the woodend deck surround over it and not completely coating it again.

Pool Liner: Obvious from previous post was told to get a new one. Would need to anyway due to maintenance history of this pool.

Filtration system. The skimmer looks good no cracks in it. However the actual basket is missing. Has a DE filter...it is 4 yrs old he said. that's all I know don't know the size. Been stored in a garage up in the rafters. I was surprised as he said it was DE and when he removed the top it has a finned cartridge in it. He said I would just need to take out the cartridge and hose off and good to go... Don't know much on the DE filters. I didn't know a DE filter had a cartridge in it??? BIG THING HERE NOW... there is NO PUMP. They have no recollection of the size on it. Unfortunately I did not get the size of the filter either.

Maintenace: Pool has been not been used or cleaned for at 2 full years. That is when pump died. They did not have it covered for that amount of time either. Obviousl debris has built up in pool leaves and misc other things (thankfully no dead animals floating)

MISC: The pool has a deck built around it... the ladder was the kind that went from the deck into the pool. They no longer have it. I would need at least for 1 year a new A frame ladder.

Understandably this is going to be a project getting it down and back up... I'm not afraid of the hard work... just of disappointment and not alot of funds to dump into the pool or I would just go ahead and buy new. I know that I'm looking at least at probably $500 to make this operation right at this point. Should I waste it on this pool or just buy the small new pool and keep saving for the big pool???? What are your thoughts

[hrsdennis]

Hi, I have taken down, moved and reinstalled thousands of pools over the years. I have also sold hundreds of used pools. I have a little foundation for what I will be telling you.

I feel Walmart pools are your worst option and a good used pool would probably be your best.

The worst part about the Walmart pool is the filter. If you run it 24 hours a day it might keep the pool clean. The pool frame and liner might last a couple of years. They really are that cheap.

The used pool you described is a little on the old side. The only way to no for sure what you are getting is to cut the liner away from the inside of the pool and examine the sidewall. If you find holes in it I would pass. If not it is worth all the work it would take to dig it out, move it and reinstall it. It would be a project but it could also save you thousands and you would have a pool to swim in for many years.

If you had any more questions about the condition of this pool, grab some pictures and post them here. A few photos would tell me everything I would need to know about the pool.

The connector covers I believe can still be ordered. They were the worst part of that pool. The rest just might be OK. The price of a pump. ladder and connector covers are small compared the price of a new pool that size.

[Rach0730]

hrs dennis... thank u so much for your input...

I'm very familiar with the intex pools lasting only a couple of years. We have had 3 now over the past 8 yrs. You get what u pay for. My thought was the same this is a $3,000 pool new even though it is not new.

I think I will definately go ahead and take it now with someones reassurance. I just had some doubts that I was making a horrible mistake and was going to instantly fall into a money pit. My other thought is even if it last 1 or 2 seasons I probably would get my money out of it.

Still planning on getting the new one probably in a couple of years anyways... might be a smaller oval than this don't know... guess I'll find out at the end of summer when this project is completed... lol.

Any thoughts on the pump and what size I would need to get or info I need to get off the filter to get the right size pump?

Also... hubby is body man (very good one to not to brag)... if there are any minor rust spots on this... is this something that he could sand/grind and fix and recoat do u think?

[sisie5]

I bought an oval last fall 18x33 this was an ester williams.we had pool city take it down and reinstalled it.the cost for everything was 2,000 dollars

I checked with ester williams web site and if I had purchased this pool new the cost would have been around 25,000 So I think buying a used pool was well worth it.

Do you have any pictures of the pool you are buying ?If so post them Maybe someone on here can tell you what kind of pool it is

[NWMNMom]

sisie5 - I hope you mean $5,000 was the price for new...typo maybe?

[CarlD]

Again, the condition of the pool is critical, and, as you know, the liner is a throw-away.

Things like a skimmer basket are trivial--all the pool stores selll them--don't worry about it. Even if you have to replace the whole skimmer, it's not going to be a major expense. Even replacing the filter and pump isn't going to be a big deal. There are lots of inexpensive combos that will work well--you only need 1/2 to 3/4 hp on the pump for that pool.

HRSDennis has given you, I believe, good advice. If the support system and the pool wall are sound, then it's a do-able project.

I also have a bias for ovals over round pools. IMHO, I think you get a lot more pool for the money--and a lot less water to maintain. You can actually swim laps in 33'--you cannot in a 24' round. 18'x33' has about 13,500 gallons (approx)--exactly the same as a 24' round, so the filter and chemical costs are the same. The length makes it easier for games as well.

There is an issue that a round is structurally stronger than an oval, while this is true (simply physics), ovals compensate with extra side-wall supports. Many ovals EASILY last 20 years or more. You'll be replacing the liner by then and can fix any problems!

If it's a good, sound pool, I'd say take it. If it's in trouble, well, maybe not.

I got 3 years out of an Intex EasySet 15' donut. While I regularly had to replace the hoses and clamps (all of $20/season), and get a new cover every 2 years (another $30) the basic pool never showed anything more than a little fading. I expect if I hauled it out, it might STILL be sound...but I'm not going to, just yet.