Dingdongler

Damn, I've been rumbled. Don't tell the insurance company

Dingdongler

Thanks.

No way am I paying £1.5k to have the water delivered! Hose pipe and some patience it is

David Lock

Are you on a meter?

If not some water companies get a bit iffy about ponds/pools over a certain volume often around 5000 gallons. Best to do a discrete check. I just got on with mine. Took about 2 days to fill completely from hosepipe. dl

Clarebabes

You can get a refund on waste services from the water company I thought if you tell them you're filling a pool or large pond. This is due to the water not going back into the sewage system.

I might be wrong tho

sti-04!!

I have a hot tub that cost me close to 10k, its drained 4 times a year & kept heated & treated. As per above Costco have a above ground pool in at the moment with filtration for under 1k. Go have a look first.

Dingdongler

Thanks. I didn't notice an above ground pool at Costco, unless its that huge thing suspended from the ceiling? I thought that was just one of those flimsy thin plastic type ones.

Anyway, I'll pop in tomorrow and have a look.

I bought my kids climbing frame/swing/slide thing from them last week and its still in the boxes!

sti-04!!

It maybe look thin but its perfect for above ground & gives you an idea if its going to be used.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

there is a below ground one too which is not out but boxed up, they are plastic coated metal sheets that slot together. im sure it was £799 plus vat. J

hodgy0_2

we have a large over ground one (Intertek)

re water -- test for PH levels and add the necessary stuff -- keeps the water very clear and easy to do, I usually test about once a week (and if we are going away on holiday just bung a load in tbh)

it comes with a pump/filter which does the job (i only run it 2 X 12hrs a week)

re warmth, does get warmer thru the spring/summer but never gets “warm” wife threatens to buy a heater, I tell the kids to put their wetsuits on

due to low water pressure – it is right at the back of a very large sloping garden out of site of the house (we think they are a bit of an eyesore) it takes 36hrs to fill

last hot day in September, we empty it and pack it away untill the first hot weekend in the spring – they usually last 3 years, then we get another one

Kids love it and use it all the time – fav trick is to run full tilt and launch over the side (we also fill it with inflatable’s etc)

pics below our ours and a familly friends at their house in Cornwall

Simon K

Ive got an indoor pool. 35ft long, deep end is around 8ft, swallow end around 4ft, gas heated, under water lighting, so yes sounds cool and flash, but would I have another one ?? God no.

Previous owner had it installed, proper job, concrete / re-enforced steel, aka `tanked`, proper brick built structure over it with changing room / loo / pump house. Got 3 double sized patio doors opening into the garden, looks the nuts. When I brought the house 9 years ago, I was a single man, and it was a real chick magnetic, amazing how a hot pool, under water lightening, would somehow make thongs drop :-) Had some amazing pool parties too ! Oh yeah, had small great times. :-)

Now though, since having a laaadddyyy in my life and two small children, damn thing is a money drain. Chemicals, water, pump costs, maintenance, jesus, the list never ends. The biggest cost is heating the f**ker. Gas is just too dear, and I havent the spare cash to spend on solar panels, as these take 7-10 years to get your money back. Dehumidifiers are around £2.5K a pop, and one has just burnt out, mmm nice.

however, saying that, my little boy ( 2yr old ) loves it, throw a couple of blow up mattresses on it, lots of ***** / toys and he loves jumping off and swimming about. Trouble is, I then have to heat it to 31', to keep him warm.

Out of interest, to the other pool owners, has anyone ever done a calculation in regards to costs, whether its cheaper to keep warming a pool, topping it up daily, or leaving it off, then heating it constantly for 3 days, then leaving it again ??

Pools are lovely, but you all need to be realistic, the number of good days, verus the overal costs do need to be worked out. As mine is indoor, I can use it all year round, infact I have my gym gear in there too, cross trainer, weights etc, so utilise the room more. In a bright sunny day though, nothing beats an outdoor pool.

Also, look into insurance !!!! Your family will be covered on your house insurance, of course you do need to tell your insurance company if you have a pool. If a friend popped over, tripped and fell, or hurt themselves in the pool, then your in trouble and can be sued !!! So, you need to put up warning signs, and responbilities messages.

Pools, pools are lovely if your mate has one that you can use. Just like speed boats, another lession I learnt !!! :-)

SBK

Dingdongler

Simon, thanks for your comments.

I did have an idea that pools cost a lot to run. I have a few friends with the proper ones and they often moan about the costs.

I'm still very much in two minds about the whole thing and will be popping down to a pool shop tommorrow to have a chat.

Mine would be an outdoor pool so I presume that means it will be drained and using no energy from say sept to april? So the heating and upkeep costs will be for about 4 months?

I have to balance the cost of this against other entertainment for the kids during summer ie days out etc

Simon K

I like the look of the blue plastic looking thing pictured above. That loooks like a good solution to have, as in the winter you can fold it up and store it. Ive seen some real pi55 pool temp pools, that were more hassle than thier worth.

Never under estimate the requirement for chemicals either. People see a clear water in a pool and assume its okay. Throw 5/10 kids in, and the next day you've got a green looking thing, so always watch chemical levels. Took me a few months to get my head around this, as in the early days old SBK's pool was like a bleach bottle :-) Mind you, atleast you knew the people in thier would be clean for after pool acitvities ooo errr :-)

Ive seen my pool strip off fake tan within 5 mins :-) due to the wrong chemical levels :-0 haahah But, now with little baby's Im dead on the money and ensure its at the correct level.

As your thinking of stuff for your kids, I recently brought a huge wooden climbing frame / tree house, slide / swing set, and my little fella loves it. cost me around £1K and well worth it. Im not sure how old your children are, but my 2 year old, and his mates love it. One minute its a tree house, then a pirate's ship, then a car, children's imaginations :-)

Ive also got one of those big trampoline's that DIY were selling for £100. So, with that, the tree house, and the pool, and a recently water slide thing, i.e. strip of long plastic sheeting, that you connect the hose too, i.e. run, slide down it, my son never wants to leave his garden :-)

SBK

hodgy0_2

they are actually a very good compromise between something more permanent and a paddling pool

there is zero emotional and financial commitment yet it still occupies the children for hours, and the littlies can swim in it

and as you say simply pack it away in the winter

Dingdongler

Thanks for your comments.

I just bought one of these Simon.

http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product....62*&lang=en-CA

Just waiting for somebody to help me build the damn thing!

Gordo

Similar to Simon, we have an indoor pool (35ft by 12 ft, gas heated an sand filter). It's a PITA and I wouldn't choose a pool again (previous owners put this one in). It costs a fortune - basically the same as running the central heating all year for gas plus electric all year (needs more filtering when it's heated, but always needs a level of pumping/filtering). chemicals etc. It's great when visitors are round with their kids (though needs adult supervision all the time) but wifey takes our daughter to public pools just as often (ours rarely as warm as she'd like - which in her world is low 30s - and little one wants to swim in company. I've pointed out it's the equivalent of boiling a kettle a third of the volume all the time, but it falls on deaf ears, as does me suggesting filling it in to put a snooker table in there).

I refuse to look after it as it's a pain. We historically had real issues with the water not being looked after properly - the third time she forgot to do the chemicals / bleached pants with chlorine etc so we contracted a bloke who does it for us at sensible money. Another cost but peace of mind (don't want kids getting ear infections etc, and it costs >£200 to refill on the meter - oh, and you can't leave it empty for long as the sides rely on being wet and you run the risk of them collapsing).

Upside is it's great for over-wintering plants in there as it acts as a big heat-sink

Would I get an outdoor one? Nope, and certainly not something that looks like an adult paddling pool.

Gordo

Simon K

Ding, nice pruchase my friend :-) Ive got a similar set up although my slide is straight. funnily enough I did see that one from Costco, but brought something else from a local supplier.

Took me and a mate a day to build it, although I havent cemented it into the ground yet in case I want to move it around the garden. Also, as my little ones are still young, playing on it wont cause it to move, well not until they are much older.

I also brought some more bolt on telescopes / wheels / lights / handles which I got from a German website. Ive also brought some LED solar lights and wrapped them around the thing, so its all lit up at night.

Gordo - I can so relate to your thoughts :-) As well as winter plants, its a tremendous room to dry things out. With my dehumidifiers I can dry out carpet, towels, clothes within hours ! :-) Also, I tend to put all my Mrs's horrible large ugly plants in there and watch how within 2 days, they turn brown as every drop of water is sucked from it :-)

I need to check my pool's pump / filter every weekend, or if I leave it, dont pay it any attention, like a woman it gets sulky and springs a leak. I know that sounds strange, but if I leave it for 3 weeks, come in, leaks from the pipe work, pump, etc etc. If I go in weekly, then somehow it doesnt leak.

I now service my own boiler in the pump house, as the Teledyne lars guys used to charge me a fortune, and British Gas wouldnt touch it under home care either :-) I often get people telling me to fill it in, but it cost the previous owner £80K, and is properly tanked, where as your one sounds like a linner ?? However, I still cant drain my pool completely unless its been a dry month, aka jun / july, or the surrounding water pressure in the ground could back the `back`.

How you ever worked out the cost of heating your pool ?? I run my pump 5 hours a night, but Im on the economy 7 electric thing, so cheaper tarif.

SBK

Wish

iTrader: (2)

We need some pictures of this £80k pool .... The last owner must have really liked swimming !!

Simon K

He did :-) Used to swim every day. He kept all the reciepts, even took pics of the pool be dug, and the building be constructed, which is grafted on to the back of my garage. The pics show all the metal rods / cement going in, and pipes / wires etc being laid. It uses Marbelite and tiles, where as some pools just have cement and require painting, or just use pool liners.

The only thing I wish it did have was a roman end, which a friend of mine that also has a pool, does have.

£80K isnt a lot for a pool, considering dehumidifiers are £2.5K a pop, of which I have two. Boiler is about £2K, pump + Lacron filter about £1K so you are already up to £8K without using a spade to dig the hole :-)

I certainly wouldnt of paid to have it done, but hey, each to thier own. Pools can also rule your house out of 50% of potential house buyers, as people either love them, or hate them. Dont get me wrong, I do like mine, just wish heating it was cheaper. There's something nice swimming nude, in a warm pool, 1am, MTV on the TV, patio doors open, so the cold air instantly condensates / steams when it hits the warm water. :-) I just wish I could connect my gas feed to my neighbours gas pipe, then life would be great :-)

SBK

Gordo

Pool is a tiled one about 20 years' old - not sure what's behind it, but I'm sure I read somewhere that over time the walls become soaked (the grouting etc) so if you let them dry out you run the risk of cracking. Apparently.

Not sure about cost of pool alone, but it costs us about £300 a month for gas all year (we only run either central heating in the house or the pool boiler) and electric is about £150. I know it would upset me if I worked it out as the cost per swim would send me over the edge. We have a cheaper tariff at night but I also run it sometimes during the day (e.g. at the minute whilst we're getting it up to temperature - it'll take about a fortnight at roughly 1 degree per day).

It's ok but I'm not that fussed about swimming - nice hifi and pool table out there keep me happy whilst others swim.

Gordo

Dingdongler

You guys are putting me off the idea of a pool, and its got cold out again

Simon, did you put some sort of soft surface down around the play centre? The instructions on mine suggest you do and that turf may get too hard when very dry to protect from a fall.

I was thinking about using rubber mulch

Cheers

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Can we see the construction pictures ... Would love to see one being built and finished.

hodgy0_2

children in ours an hour ago

Dingdongler

God, your kids are made of sturdy stuff! It was quite cold out today.

Oh, and your wife is very pretty

speye91

+ 1 Bang Tidy.

hodgy0_2

Thanks for the comments

Look, as has been stated by Gordo – it is what it is, an overgrown paddling pool (and as I am sure Simon agree it would dissappoint the local hottie you chatted up at the bar - who had been promised a midnight swim and some pool side ****).


But that said the ROI is terrific, kids love it, and if they are happy so am I.

davyboy

Matte, is that you?

zip106

Don't be daft.

His in laws have a MASSIVE Olympic sized heated outdoor pool.

zip106

She looks especially nice at breakfast - I've seen her.

David Lock

Well I must be mean, with tough kids

Couldn't afford to heat our pool but kids used it a LOT during summer holidays and adults went in on hot days which suited everyone. Found a reasonable chemical supplier and that was it. Left it full over the winter with cover and then just drained out and cleaned in late Spring. Perhaps I have a thing about blue kids

dl