Kind of want an inground pool, but . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a pool and love it. PP the only time other kids come over to use it is when we invite them. So much better then going to the public crowded pool. Yes it is a money suck but we wouldn't trade it. We send about 1 hr total if that maintaining per week.

same here

[Anonymous]

8:34 (& 7:37) - thanks so much for all the advice! I'm glad to hear your lot is not that huge - we have about 1/4 acre too and I was worried it would be tight but I do think we have plenty of room for a nice-sized pool and patio if someone designs it well. I'm fine with losing the green space there. For some reason, my kids never play in the backyard, only in the front. We have a swingset in back and our youngest still uses it, but other than that, our backyard is sort of wasted space because the kids are never out there.

[Anonymous]

Its great until shit breaks. Everyone I know has something to replace once or every other year.

[Anonymous]

Its great until shit breaks. Everyone I know has something to replace once or every other year.

Same is true of houses and cars, but people still buy them.

[Anonymous]

We LOVE our pool. I had second thoughts after we put it in (obviously too late at that point), but now that it is summer, we use it 3-4 times a week. It's fantastic and really, not all that much work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be wary of the naysayers, OP. PP here. There are a lot of people here looking to pee on others' parades, so to speak.

If you can afford it, why not? If not, MYOB and wallow in your own.

Informative PP, did you find it a problem with the neighbors at all? Or are they more wealthy and can buy their own if they want it/belong to their own clubs, etc.? I would think in upscale neighborhoods, leeches are less of a problem

I am being frank here after seeing some bad situations in non-welathy neighborhoods. Because the leeches would also be litigious, of course!

Great thread, for the most part! I too am wondering about a pool. We would prefer the jacuzzi be separate, as we don't want everyone in it, frankly. We are considering a seperate porch and patio. Would Lewis do that?

Are the salt water pools most expensive? What is the bulk of the expense (I would assume digging and installation)?

Our back yard is currently "open", so we would need to put a 6' (is 7' allowed in FX?) fence, plus some trees for height. We would likely put the pool closer to our house, than further back.

Is your pool closer to your house?

You are such a transparent striver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Florida where most people have backyard pools. I'm house shopping now and so tempted to buy a place that has one. I absolutely loved it growing up. Lived in that pool in the summertime.

I also grew up in Florida and miss having a pool. DC people seems nuts when you consider how laid back everyone in FL is about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a ton of work. We have (had soon!) a nice lap pool (the house came with it). I actually just hired a contractor to remove it, which is super-expensive too but I hate that pool with a passion I thought I reserved for things like trashy baby names and Walmart shoppers.

I end up doing all the maintenance which is so time-consuming for a working mom of 2 young kids, I worry constantly about the kids being out of my sight, and repairs are unbelievably expensive. Especially for the safe cover we have, which seems to break on an annual basis to the tune of a couple grand. I will so happy when it is a nice grassy spot instead.

[Anonymous]

My husband grew up with a pool and insisted on buying a house with a pool (to my dismay at the time!) Now that the kids are 5 and 3, I cannot imagine not having a pool - both kids want to be in the pool all day long (and it is wonderful!). It is a life-saver, and with the tech advances discussed by the pps above, it is not as time consuming or expensive as it used to be. Our back yard is fully fenced- there has never been an issue with anyone attempting to access our yard. Obviously we purchased a house that already had a pool, but as a pool skeptic, I want you to know that I have been converted to an individual who, as a home owner, does not regret having a pool.

[Anonymous]

Built a 25 yd lap pool and it was the best decision I made. All socializing is poolside. All kids are fantastic swimmers. Pay to open and close $800 per season and self maintain with bleach. Have had it for 10 years and enjoy it every day, May through September. Pump heat doesn't work and gas is way too expensive so we enjoy it 5 mos of the year. Highly recommend it!

[Anonymous]

We have a salt water pool. It came with the house when we bought it. We don't use it much, so I would never put one in, but it is very pretty and makes our house seem much more upscale. We have an autocover that requires a key to open, so no problems with people using it. We have a pool company take care of it weekly. It is a little expensive, but I have no desire to take care of it. I think we will use it more when the kids are older.