Dang is this hard!!!

[CarlD]

If you want to build it yourself, you can get a vinyl liner steel IG pool for about $7500--in various shapes of the size you like. You'll have to get permits, get it dug, install it, etc, but you can save SERIOUS $$ by investing sweat equity instead.

Alternatively, if you have a flat (and I mean FLAT yard) you can put up a temporary pool like an 18'x42" Intex donut or donut oval and wait for them to hassle you. You then claim it's temporary and can take it down--or see how much the fine is and if it's worth it. 18' rounds sell on sale for about $300 to $500. lowestdeal.com has them instock for UNDER $300. 15' rounds are less then $200...If they make you take it down, it's not a huge investment and you learn whow hard pool maintenance is.

I can assure you that you get just as wet and just as cool!

If' you've got a fence it may be a while before anyone notices. Most HOAs try not to get too nasty about some stuff. Just threaten to sue them and they may back off. Find out if they've hassled people about kiddy pools and if not, you've got them. A kiddy pool is temporary--so's an Intex inflatable--you HAVE to take it down for the winter.

[MarkC]

I had the same sitiation you did. I needed a retaining wall about 100 ft long and 4 ft at the highpoint. It cost about $6,000 using EP Henry Coventry stone. I could have saved half by putting the wall in myself but I was occupied installing 300 linear feet of aluminum fencing that took me a month of weekends. We put in a 16X32 kidney but I wish it was a 18X36.

[Jeffski]

I asked the kids if they wanted to sell the boat and get a pool, and they said yes. The wife and I like the boat too much to sell it so we kept it and are building the pool right now.

The wife stays home with the kids all summer so it makes sense to have a pool. We still use the boat every nice weekend or on camping trips. I wonder if we'll have less desire to take the boat out on the weekend once the pool is done? We'll see.

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

We use our pool/patio area CONSTANTLY! Never realized how much having a pool would turn the backyard into our own vacation getaway. I really voted against buying a house with a pool but was glad I was over-ruled by the wife . I really enjoy coming home from work and wondering out back to sit and relax or take a swim. Also, as someone else pointed out, we didn't have a lot of people over/parties before the pool... now it's tough to go two weeks without people FIGHTING to come over.

[bradjo]

Since it's really impossible to quantify recreational pleasure and it's worth to someone else later down the road about the only advice I would give would be not to secure recreational debt. In other words I wouldn't use my house as collateral to finance any recreational activity.

Good of luck on your decision it's not an easy one,
Jo

[s6skuzy]

Since it's really impossible to quantify recreational pleasure and it's worth to someone else later down the road about the only advice I would give would be not to secure recreational debt. In other words I wouldn't use my house as collateral to finance any recreational activity.

Good of luck on your decision it's not an easy one,
Jo

I think that hits the nail on the head. Based on the pricing we're getting, we would have to take at least a 20k home equity loan (along with the cash from the boat). Not to offend anyone, but we decided it's to much to spend at this point for something that will not provide any financial value in the future. I know. I know the boat doesn’t either but at this point its two years old and I can still get 80% of what we paid. Can't say that about a pool in two years. Thanks for everyone’s input and good luck. We will be pursuing some lake front property instead.

Thanks again...

[Jeffski]

If you think a pool is expensive wait 'til you see the price of lake front property.

[shrike]

so glad I found this forum!

Any my first post......

I just went through the same thing. Here is what I found -

BTW, we live in Hot Dallas, on Lake Ray Hubbard.

i have had a trailer ski boat before, and the main thing that kept me from using it was the trailer, and having to drive to the lake. So, this time, and having a "bit" more income than when I was in my 20's, I wanted a smaller cruiser. Was looking at a 24 searay at about $25K. I wanted it in a slip so all I had to do was untie and drive away - even go boating solo.

Pool was about the same for basic, or 10K+ with options. Boat cheaper? Lets see!

Boat:

Consider operating costs -

Slip - covered with electricity - $160/month
Insurance - $500/year
Bottom Job - ($1,000/ each 2 years?)
closed coolant system so no winterising needed.
Gas? $4.50/ gallon at marina X 65 gal tank @ 12-25 gph(depending on speed and what you are towing) - most marinas prohibit you from bring your own fuel
Taxes - second home - deductible interest - not very important, as I would not have much of a loan.....
Resale - Can be kind of a pain to sell a boat this size.
Any ammount of loan payment.


Pool:

31' x 18' (est) - 8.5'deep, waterfall and diving rock, beachwater entry with sun lounge and bubbler, no spa. larger deck area.

Loan - ~ 250/month
Elecctric - ~40/month
Chlorine - I will make my own!
Insurance - No change in premium.
Taxes - home improvement loan = deductible interest!
etc.......

Anyway - I think the per month cost of a pool is much less than the monthly for a boat the size I would want.....and I can use the pool anytime I want.

I agree, that the pool would not raise the property value that much, but here in the land of 105 degree summers, it would speed up the sale time. The tax office has told me they will add $10K to $15K for adding a pool.

Sooooo.....although the pool costs more up front, I think it is a better value in the long run.

[carolynn]

just my 2 cents-- I was a pool owner on a lake with a boat, moved to a new town without lakes, no pool and no boat. I went through terrible withdrawal from the water!!!! I really miss the lake and boat, but I did put a pool in last summer and LOVE it. I want a boat next, but the pool is an everyday thing that is truly like a vacation. Even in the winter we don't cover the pool just so I can look out the window and smile!! (I am in Birmingham, AL )
A couple of my thoughts as I read all the posts are: What kind of pool did you get an estimate for? I looked at gunite, then found a liner pool was almost 1/2 the price, and now I like the liner pool better than the gunite I had before. I would get a few quotes. Also, I just had a market analysis done on my house, (just in case I do find on on a lake, or even a little pond,) and the pool increased my value at least what it all cost. I was surprised, but seems like the younger generation wants all the "treat me" perks in life now and a pool helps a lot to sell a house around here. I did borrow the $ for the pool and figure it is less than most people spend on a fitness club membership and eating out all of the time, so we just spend our $ on the pool instead of those things, and it is much more fun!!!!