Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've read the prior ones and I think it's time to update. I'm thinking of putting a pool in. I know some of you have them, so I'd love your feedback on your pool and the company you used to put it in. I'm leaning toward vinyl or possibly fiberglass, but am open to gunnite. I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback, especially if youve had your pool for a while. Thanks!
Well I will just repeat what i put in the other threads
We went with gunnite and had it built by Blue Haven. BH is a large national franchise and some of the operations in Florida and Texas have gotten a bad rap, but the guy here in Raleigh was great to work with (Curtis Brock) and they did a great job for us. This was back in early 2008, and now in early 2013 I still feel the same way. The only problem we had was with the robot vac which Curtis changed out for us no fewer than three times until we got something that worked right and it's worked right ever since. We kind of went "all in" and got a nice shaped pool with a hot-tub with over-spill waterfall, nice lighting, extensive "cooling" decking etc. We ended up spending around $70k. It's a lot but we have loved having the pool and we continue to use it all summer each and every summer. While fibre-glass would have been massively cheaper, I simply don't think we'd continue to use something so small, so I think that is a false economy. Then the price differential for vinyl is not that much as a good deal of the cost for ours was the additions like the hot tub (with associated heater), decking etc.
Back then we also got a quote from Backyard Oasis but in dealing with them we felt that our business just wasn't that important. When we asked for a proposal, we got something scribbled down on a sheet of paper that looked like a 5 year old spent all of 5 minutes preparing. Curtis gave us a properly done computer designed detailed proposal. We stopped by their office one day and the guy who owned the place barely acknowledged we were there. This was back in early 2008 and I think back then unless you were spending $150k you were nobody. This is when spec builders were dropping $200 g's with these guys to build fancy pools for spec homes in Hasentree which all got foreclosed on a couple of years later. Maybe they need the business more today than they did back then, but they sure as heck did not seem to want ours at the time.
If we were to ever move and needed to build a pool again, I would not hesitate to go back with Curtis and Blue Haven
Thanks ma91mph, that was the kind of feedback I am interested in. It's great to hear you are still happy with it years later.
No problem. There were definitely a lot of "you'll regret it" comments back in the day but we certainly haven't. From around the end of May through August our house virtually turns into a luxury resort... friends and family come and visit and spend endless hours in the pool. Heck we even had family over for the White Christmas of 2010 and all the kids had fun doing snow angels and then jumping in the 100 degree hot tub We have many great times and memories from it and the season will kick off again soon
On the counter side I will say it is for sure an expense. Initially we ran the pool all the time 24/7 and had a cleaner come out every week. Over time we've realized that is not necessary, so now we have the cleaner come once a month (to tend to larger items like cleaning the filter) and only run the pool for a few hours in the "winter" (no need to winterize) to about 12 hours at peak (in fact right now we need to run it 12 hours so it clears all the pollen that gathers on the surface - which will mean the filter will need a good clean). So there is an on-going expense that can't be completely ignored.
Also I have seen some folks make their entire backyard into a pool. That does not make sense to me. Our backyard is split down the middle and one side is mostly the pool and deck, the other side is all lawn and trees and a playhouse so the kids and the dogs have plenty of room to run around and play. I think if the pool fill the entire area, it would get very frustrating.
We used Clearwater pools in Clayton. Very good experience. We got a basic, 12x23 fiberglass rectangle pool....saline salt water filter system. Depth ..3' to 5.5 feet at deeper end. A few sitting ledges at various spots in the pool. Not big enough (or deep enough) for diving board or slide...but we don't have small kids so that wasnt a priority for us. We wanted something basic, easy , not real big...but in ground( not interested in above ground..our neighborhood didn't allow it anyway)..... Just something to cool off in as our back yard is unbearable in July, aug....full sun....and something to use and cool off in for family and neighbor hood gatherings.
Total cost, including fence, concrete, and pavers around pool....@ 33,000. Dh did most work himself after pool was installed. Annual maintenance is minimal...around $200 since we went with saline system. No noticeable rise in electric bill.
No problem. There were definitely a lot of "you'll regret it" comments back in the day but we certainly haven't. From around the end of May through August our house virtually turns into a luxury resort... friends and family come and visit and spend endless hours in the pool. Heck we even had family over for the White Christmas of 2010 and all the kids had fun doing snow angels and then jumping in the 100 degree hot tub We have many great times and memories from it and the season will kick off again soon
On the counter side I will say it is for sure an expense. Initially we ran the pool all the time 24/7 and had a cleaner come out every week. Over time we've realized that is not necessary, so now we have the cleaner come once a month (to tend to larger items like cleaning the filter) and only run the pool for a few hours in the "winter" (no need to winterize) to about 12 hours at peak (in fact right now we need to run it 12 hours so it clears all the pollen that gathers on the surface - which will mean the filter will need a good clean). So there is an on-going expense that can't be completely ignored.
Also I have seen some folks make their entire backyard into a pool. That does not make sense to me. Our backyard is split down the middle and one side is mostly the pool and deck, the other side is all lawn and trees and a playhouse so the kids and the dogs have plenty of room to run around and play. I think if the pool fill the entire area, it would get very frustrating.
I still think you're running it too much and wasting power. To keep my pool water in balance in winter, I only need to run my pump at VERY low speeds for 4-5 hours a day max. Who cares if there's pollen floating on it? As long as the chlorine and other chemical levels are in check, it doesn't matter if you're not swimming.
Of course, I love a crystal clear pool as much as the next guy, but it really could cost a ton less to run your pool and not be so much of an expense.
Even in summer I'm running mine at less than max pump speed for only 8-9 hours per day tops. You can get your pool clean with much less time as long as the chemicals are all in check and the water appears clean.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We have many great times and memories from it and the season will kick off again soon
