Average Cost To Build Pool

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

It is cheaper, but not 'free' - depending on the depth of your well. For a reference point, a 300' well and 10 cents/kwh will cost you about $1/1000 gallons, or $50 to fill a 50,000 gallon pool. The cost is essentially linear with the well depth, so a 100 well would be 1/3 as much.

I have a well on a solar pump so the electricity is "free". Interestingly the solar pump doesnt even need batteries, the pump is designed to run off the panels alone.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I have a well on a solar pump so the electricity is "free". Interestingly the solar pump doesnt even need batteries, the pump is designed to run off the panels alone.

What is pumping rate? It should work 'well' as long as you don't need a lot of water when it isn't sunny! Presumably it is variable speed and can work from a trickle to full design flow.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

What is pumping rate? It should work 'well' as long as you don't need a lot of water when it isn't sunny! Presumably it is variable speed and can work from a trickle to full design flow.

https://shop.rpssolarpumps.com/produ...ly-rps-2-1-100

I have the RPS 200, but my well is only 40 ft or something like that. I do happen to have batteries on the solar panels.

[Trainwreck20]

I like the solar well concept for non-critical uses like this. It does look like it would take about a month to fill a 50,000 gallon pool, though, under optimum conditions and 50' head (and the 200 instead of 800 model). Or two weeks for one half that size. Austin area can put in fairly shallow wells - like yours - but my parents' out in the hill country was 300' or more, I don't recall exactly either.

[Mama Grey]

After looking into salt conversion, a few folks turned us on to a “chemless system” using a copper and silver ionizer. Does anyone have any experience and feedback with ionizer systems?

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

After looking into salt conversion, a few folks turned us on to a “chemless system” using a copper and silver ionizer. Does anyone have any experience and feedback with ionizer systems?

according to the people at trouble free pool that is the worst system and you still need chlorine

[PRon]

Any recommendations on good Pool Service(Cleaning) in Austin?

[TTBintheHills]

Originally Posted by PRon

Any recommendations on good Pool Service(Cleaning) in Austin?

I have been happy with Real Clean Pools. A few neighbors use them as well for weekly service.

[jonclegg]

We built our pool 3 years ago, so I can't speak to today's prices. I recently contacted my builder to do some minor tile repairs. He sounded depressed, he said he can't take new jobs and is already 24 months out. He's short on workers and can't find anyone.

That said, we paid around 95k for a rectangular pool with a built-in spa and automatic (Coverstar) pool cover, and a gas heater. If you are worried about using the pool, I recommend this combination. The cover allows peace of mind with small children, keeps the leaves out, and keeps the heat in. We can use our pool year-round and do! I keep it at 92f right now, so it's comfortable on colder days. For some reason, the gas used to heat it comes to around $5-10 a month. I couldn't believe how cheap it was.

The cover can help keep the pool cold during the summer as well. Close the pool during the day, the sun's heat can only heat the top of the cover. Then at night, open the cover and let the heat escape, I can get our pool down to 84f in the summer heat this way.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by jonclegg

We built our pool 3 years ago, so I can't speak to today's prices. I recently contacted my builder to do some minor tile repairs. He sounded depressed, he said he can't take new jobs and is already 24 months out. He's short on workers and can't find anyone.

That said, we paid around 95k for a rectangular pool with a built-in spa and automatic (Coverstar) pool cover, and a gas heater. If you are worried about using the pool, I recommend this combination. The cover allows peace of mind with small children, keeps the leaves out, and keeps the heat in. We can use our pool year-round and do! I keep it at 92f right now, so it's comfortable on colder days. For some reason, the gas used to heat it comes to around $5-10 a month. I couldn't believe how cheap it was.

The cover can help keep the pool cold during the summer as well. Close the pool during the day, the sun's heat can only heat the top of the cover. Then at night, open the cover and let the heat escape, I can get our pool down to 84f in the summer heat this way.

How big/small is your pool?! 1MM Btus would cost somewhere in the $15 to $20 range and would raise the temperature of a 40,000 gal pool by one degree. Your pool must be needing almost no heat.