New Above-Ground Pool?

[csevel]

I've been clamoring for a pool for awhile now. Finally convinced hubby to come to the dark side! I owned a 24' AG pool 10 years ago. Loved every minute of it...even the work! It had a previous owner and cost me $350 bucks to take it away, plus a liner, plus stainless screws, chems..and a freezing northeast Ohio June weekend to put it up. It had a prefab deck and a Hayward sand pump. Used Bioguard products and never had any issues to speak of. The kids learned to swim before they were 2!

Now that I'm in the market for a pool for just me (kids are teens & could give a hoot) (AND a research junkie)..I feel grateful to have stumbled upon this site! There seems to be so many options but I have narrowed my search down to size (18' round 54") with a package deal of chemicals and equipment. Can't believe that this darn thing will cost me somewhere in the area of $5000. (slope excavation of 3' or so, the pool/pump, and any additional decking) Ouch! I guess I'm just wondering if that's the normal range for obtaining a new AG pool. Is there anything that AG pool owners can tell me about what they would have done differently when considering a new purchase? I'm wondering about buying a reputable one off the internet and putting it up myself. I know I'll do the 3 "B"s now thanks to this site and that will save me from the expensive mineral system they wanted to sell me....But what should I know about filter/pump options for that size pool?? I understand the concept of the lower HP motors and won't go above 1HP 2 speed. I liked the sand...worked fine for 5 or 6 years...but I've been told the filter option is better & easier. Any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated.:

[CarlD]

People forget that site preparation is a HUGE component of pool installation and don't figure it into their planning.

However,
$5000 for an 18' round seems HIGHLY excessive. But how much of that is getting a level surface--if $2500-$4000 of that is getting the level pad, because of excessive sloping of your yard, that may explain it--but only if you are building UP, not digging down. The pad for my pool cost $5000, but I was building up as much as 2', and needed to support a 16x40' pool. I needed lots of retaining wall block, gravel, fill, and drainage. So the pad is over 20' and 45' long.

Builders like cartridge filters, but you will be just fine with sand or DE--less hassles too. A 1 hp up-rated filter (2 speed) is probably as big as you should go.

[JoshU]

As CarlD said $5000 even for a top of the line pool with some accessories is getting pretty high. Is this including decking?

Josh

[vinnygnj]

My pool cost about $5,000 about 5 years ago. The pool itself was $2,100 but the excavation, electric, safety ladder, liner installation and associated landscaping (which I didn't do much at all).

It gets expensive when the "standard" excavation doesn't happen. They charge by the inch and for me 3" was included in the liner install price but they had to go down 14" on one side. As a matter of fact - most things about my install wasn't "standard" - electrical was more, ladder was more and the final price came out to $5,000. I think originally our idea was about $3,500

Our opinion is - water is water - and this was a lot cheaper than the possible $20,000 or more for an IG pool. Although this site is full of pool lovers, we also figured that an AG pool is a lot cheaper to get rid of if and when we sell the house or decide we no longer want the pool. I remember looking at houses with IG pools and thinking "great - I need to take care of a pool" (sarcastic tone!!).

[CarlD]

I think it was Ben who found that A/G pool owners tend to get far more use ON AVERAGE than I/G pool owners. I/G pool owners don't have much choice--filling in a pool is expensive, so they maintain it, even if they don't use it. But A/G owners, if they don't use their pool, they get rid of it in a New York Minute. It's just not that hard to take down a circular or oval A/G. Some rectangulars (like Splash) come down really quickly as well.

I still think that $5000 for an 18' round AG is excessive unless most of that is in prepping a level area.

[kevkline]

I didn't check into the cost of rounds, but I just bought a 15x30 oval and it cost $4500 just for the pool, pump, vacuum, etc....Still going to cost another $1100 for installation plus $595 for electric.....

I guess it all depends on the manufacturer / model you choose. I could have gotten the same "size" pool ranging from $2000 - $6000 depending on walls, top rails, liner, etc....

[csevel]

The pool itself with pump, winter/solar covers, vacuum, pole, hoses, thermometer, deluxe ladder, leaf net, min. chems, & some video will be in the neighborhood of $3,000. The excavation will be about $600 and the deck will probably take up the rest of the $5000. The pool itself is an 18' round Artesian Echo Canyon 54" deep. Nice 9-1/2" top rails and uprights. Its steel but has resin track. I'm sure I could find a comparable pool online..shipped for free with no sales tax. But who do you call if you have a problem?? If a part is missing on shipment...what do I tell the installer? Come back next week!? I think the price isn't too out of the ballpark considering everything.

[CarlD]

Well, truly the bottom line is if you are happy. Sounds like you are getting a lot of pool for an 18' pool, and, yes, there are cheaper alternatives. But if it's what YOU want and fills your needs and you are happy--well, that's the whole ball-game, isn't it?

[NWMNMom]

Our pool/pump/filter system was just under $4000 with the winter cover solar cover and solar panel delivered. My biggest issue was that there were more uprights/shorter distance and size/strength of them for support, decent top rail and the corrosion resistance of the bottom rail (resin or aluminum - ours aluminum) as well as good liner and total warranty. Went with a buttress free.

All the ground prep will be around another $500-$700 (could have been more if we didn't own some of our own heavy equipment) THAT we want to make sure is right.

[slowtan]

I think she is getting an ok deal.

I bought my 18' Vougue 100% resin pool last year for $3200 installed.
I came w/DE filter, 1 speed 1 HP pump , baracuda , basic chemicals , and everything you listed. I didn't get a deck which could be anywhere from $1000-$2500 depending on size and features .. lights , power , plumbing.

If they are running power for you and maybe putting a faucit close to the pumps so you can put an auto-fill on it, then you are getting a great deal but I still don't think $5,000 is that much.

Looking back I wish I would have gotten the 2 speed pump but I am happy I upgraded for a DE filter over the sand and happy I upgraded for the hard-bottom floor. My slope in my yard was 10" so they charged me extra for that too.

Stephen