Is it Worth it to Build a Swimming Pool?
Best Selling Swimming pool Equipments
Nothing is more relaxing on a hot summer afternoon than a deep dive into a swimming pool. The cool sparkling waters can be so refreshing. A pool provides a way to bond with your children and friends as you sip cool lemonade or cocktails and wind off a hot day. Having a swimming pool in your backyard is a dream come true.
That said, a pool comes with many responsibilities, some of which you may not be prepared for. You have to give up loads of yard space and spend a lot of time maintaining a clean pool.
So is it worth it to build a swimming pool?’ Let’s find out.
Benefits Of Having a Pool in Your Backyard
Is it worth it to build a swimming pool or purchase a home with one? Here are some of the reasons why you should get a pool for your yard.
1. Boosts Home Value
A backyard pool helps customize your outdoor space with a luxurious and inviting atmosphere that boosts the value of your home. If you live in a high-end neighborhood in an area with a warmer climate, a pool could raise the value of your home to 7%.
2. Developing Swimming Skills
Did you know that drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional deaths for children aged 1-4 years? A backyard pool provides a favorable environment to conduct swimming lessons to impact swimming skills to your child at a tender age and prevent them from becoming a statistic.
Do not allow your kids to go to the pool unsupervised to reduce drowning-related deaths. You could further fence the pool to enhance your family’s safety.
3. Family Fun
A pool provides a place you can play games and enjoy the sunshine with your family. It is a place your family can bond after a long busy day at work or school. And if you love hosting parties, you can have your friends over for awesome pool parties, all in your backyard.
4. Aesthetic Appeal
A pool can turn your backyard into a personal oasis, especially when it has a unique design with captivating features such as a flowing waterfall, colorful tiles, and an infinity-edge, to mention a few.
5. Health Benefits
Swimming in your backyard pool can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress, help you develop strong and toned muscles, improve cardiovascular health, coordination, flexibility, and balance.
Why a Pool is a Bad Investment
Is it worth it to build a swimming pool? While a pool provides a place to cool off during hot summer afternoons, installing one may not be the best financial option for your home. The following are reasons why pool ownership is not an ideal investment.
1. Additional Insurance
Various accidents could occur around the pool, including injuries, drowning, or even death. Now, these risks may not be covered in your homeowner’s insurance policy. For this reason, you should apply for a personal umbrella insurance policy for your residential pool, often referred to as an ‘attractive nuisance’ by insurance providers.
The umbrella insurance policy comes in handy when paying attorney fees, judgments against you, and any other risks not covered in the homeowner’s policy which covers up to $300,000 worth of risks.
An annual personal umbrella policy worth $1 million could cost you around $150, which is money you could otherwise use on other home improvement projects. What’s more? You further have to pay structural insurance to build a pool in your area.
2. Increased Energy Bills
Owning a pool can accrue an extra $300 annually on your electricity bill. For a pool to function properly and maintain clean and healthy pool water, you need to keep the pool pump running, which requires electricity.
The energy consumption could go even higher if you have to heat the pool. Pool heaters can result in energy bills averaging between $100 and $600 a month. If you opt for a gas heater that uses either propane or natural gas, you have to incur around $200 to $400 a month, as if your energy bills were not high enough!
3. High Swimming Pool Maintenance Costs
There is more to just constructing a new pool in your yard. You further have to maintain it to ensure that the pool water is clean and healthy to swim in. This means you have to spend more money on pool maintenance to keep your family and friends safe.
To maintain a pool, you need to purchase cleaning supplies such as chlorine, skimmer, pool vacuum, filters, quality pool cover, and a pH kit, to mention a few. These cleaning supplies come in handy when removing leaves, bird droppings, algae, and debris from the pool, which prevents a cloudy or murky pool. You may further hire a pool cleaning professional for your pool maintenance solutions.
The average cost to maintain a pool ranges between $115 to $200 a month, depending on the type and size of your pool.
4. Expensive Installation Costs
The cost of installing a backyard pool is the main reason why you should forgo owning a swimming unit in the first place. This is because ground pools have high installation costs. The cost of installing a pool depends on the pool type.
You may have to pay $1,100 to $3,500 to install an above-ground pool and over $50000 for an inground pool, which is expensive. Swimming pools also have additional features, including decks, patio, and lighting, which affect the general installation cost.
5. Low Resale Value
Often a swimming pool will increase your home’s value by 7%. But this depends on the location of your home. You have to live in a warm climate or a high-end neighborhood to enjoy this home value increase. The yard has to be big enough to accommodate the pool while still allowing children to play and a kitchen garden. Woe unto you if you do not meet these requirements.
What’s more? You may not recover the installation and maintenance costs while selling the home. According to real estate experts, a pool can keep potential home buyers away due to the time and the thousands of dollars required to maintain a backyard pool.
6. Swimming Pools are Insects and Wildlife Haven
A pool is an attraction site for water-loving animals, including mosquitoes, waterbugs, snakes, frogs, raccoons, and alligators, to mention a few. Now, these animals cause illnesses that could lead a pool owner to spend tens of thousands on hospital bills. For instance, raccoons are parasite carriers that could contaminate pool water, resulting in severe neurological illnesses.
To keep these animals from your pool, you have to spend thousands of dollars to install a fence around the pool to ensure your family’s safety.
7. Exposure to Illnesses
While providing your family with a place to relax and wind off a busy day is crucial, you further have to ensure their safety and good health. Pool water is often contaminated by chemicals, germs, and bacteria that expose your kids and friends to recreational water-related diseases such as rashes, diarrhea, skin, ear, and respiratory infections.
What to Consider Before Installing a Pool
A swimming pool is an expensive investment, so before you hire a contractor to install one in your yard, you need to do your due diligence first to avoid making mistakes. Here are factors potential pool owners should consider when adding a pool to their home.
1. The Pool Site
Is your site ideal for swimming pool installation? A suitable site for pool construction is on an even ground. A location with sandy, rocky, unstable soil or high water table makes pool building difficult.
When choosing a site for your pool, you should consider a location with maximum exposure to sunlight to heat the pool, the accessibility, the view from inside the house, and wind exposure to cool the water, especially during hot summer days.
2. The Yard Space
The yard space determines the size and shape of the pool. It is worth noting that a pool takes a lot of space in your property, so you should determine everything you need to include in your yard before choosing the pool size.
Consider whether you’ll need space for your kids to play and to entertain friends, install a patio, a kitchen garden, or flowerbeds, to mention a few, before deciding on the pool size.
3. The Pool Type
What type of pool do you want for your home? There are two types of swimming units a potential pool owner could choose from, including the above-ground pools or the inground pools.
When deciding what type of pool to install, ensure that you consider each pool’s pros and cons. For instance, installing an inground pool is more expensive and time-consuming than an above-ground pool.
a) Above ground pools
These are prefabricated pools, and just as their name suggests, they are installed above the ground. The above-ground pools are ideal if you want a pool temporarily in your yard. This is because these pools are portable and can easily be assembled and disassembled.
Above-ground pools are easy to install and maintain and do not bring many alterations to your property.
b) Inground Pools
If you want a pool that’s a permanent addition to your property, then an in-ground pool is your best option. These pools come in various sizes and shapes and require extensive excavation to install, and have high maintenance costs.
4. Pool Materials
Aboveground and inground pools are made from three distinct materials: concrete, vinyl liner, and fiberglass.
a) Concrete Pools
These are pools made from shotcrete and gunite. A concrete ground pool is ideal for potential pool owners as it can be remodeled, enlarged, and updated in the future to suit specific needs. Concrete pools can also be custom-made into distinct sizes, shapes, and depths, depending on the available space.
Now you need to hire a contractor to install a concrete pool as it requires higher technical-know how since you have to build it from scratch and is time-consuming. You further have to use more money to maintain a concrete pool as you have to buy expensive chemicals to keep algae growth at bay.
b) Vinyl Liner Pools
A vinyl liner pool is made from a preformed sheet of vinyl. These pools are cost-effective, easy to install, and available in different designs, making them ideal for a uniquely shaped yard.
Now, if you are looking for a low-maintenance pool, a vinyl liner pool may not be your best option since these pools are prone to algae growth.
c) Fiberglass Pools
This is a single structure made from fiberglass material and has a protective gel-coat cover. The gel coat cover makes the fiberglass pool algae-resistant resulting in low maintenance costs. These pools are easy to install, so they are ideal for DIY installations.
That said, fiberglass pools are premade, so they are available in limited sizes and shapes.
5. The Zoning Laws
Every community has rules that dictate pool building, liability, and maintenance. So before you start the ground pool construction journey, ensure that you abide by local zoning ordinances for swimming units to avoid breaking the law.
6. The Purpose of The Ground Pool
What is the intended function of your pool? Before you break ground, you need to be clear on how you plan on using the swimming unit. Is it for training purposes, or do you want a place to swim and relax during hot summer days?
Deciding the function of your pool beforehand helps you choose its ideal size, shape, depth, and design. For instance, a pool for training needs to be more extensive and to include features such as handrails and variable-speed current systems.
That said, ensure that you plan on using the pool frequently to justify your spending. Do not go for an extensive pool if you are going to train only once a year. Remember to account for your family’s needs when determining the purpose of your pool.
7. The Pool Builders
Pool construction is time-consuming and demanding, so you may need to hire a contractor to do the work for you. Ensure that you are keen on your contractor’s choice to get the full value of your money.
When choosing a contractor for your project, consider seeking recommendations from homeowners in your community who have had pools installed in their homes. You could also visit different contractor’s websites to check the reviews and testimonials from pool owners who have sought their services before.
When working under a tight budget, choose a pool type that is easy to install, such as the vinyl liner above ground pools, to opt for DIY installations.
8. The Cost
When adding a new pool to your home, you should consider the installation and maintenance costs.
a) The Installation cost
This refers to the amount of money required to have the pool up and running. Various factors determine the construction cost, including the pool type and material, the size and shape, the pool builders, and your location, to mention a few.
So, ensure that you consult a professional to help you develop a reasonable budget for your pool installation project.
b) The Maintenance Cost
Before breaking ground, ensure that you factor in the cost of maintaining a clean and healthy pool to maximize your family fun. This helps to determine the pool type, material, size, and shape. The bigger a pool is, the more time and money you will require to clean it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the questions potential pool owners often ask.
1. Is adding a pool a good investment?
Yes, a pool can increase the value of your home up to 7%. That said, the home value increase depends on your location. Often, homeowners who live in warm climates and a posh neighborhood are likely to experience an added value to their property by installing a pool.
The average cost of building a pool is $28,000. Of course, the cost could go higher or lower depending on the pool type, size and shape, and the pool materials.
2. Does building a pool increase home value?
The most straightforward answer is yes. But this will depend on your location. If you live in warmer climates, you will likely realize a 7% increase in your home’s value.
It is worth noting that the home’s value increase is not directly proportional to the amount spent on building the pool. This means that you may experience a low resale value if you decide to sell your property.
3. Is it cheaper to build a pool yourself?
Pool construction is generally an expensive investment. But when you build the pool yourself, you cut down the cost of hiring a contractor. The average cost of building an inground pool is $30,000 to $50,000, depending on the pool size and type.
That said, ensure that you have the necessary technical know-how if you opt for DIY constructions since pool building is demanding and time-consuming.
4. Is it harder to sell a house with a pool?
Yes and no. Selling a house with a pool might be hard because most buyers consider a swimming unit as a liability. This is because one has to invest a lot of time and money to take care of the pool.
That said, if you live in a posh neighborhood with a warmer climate, a pool is a bonus as it increases your home value by 7%.
5. How long does it take to build a backyard pool?
The amount of time spent building a pool depends on the climate, the pool type, and the proficiency and speed of the contractor. That said, the average time spent in building a pool ranges between 6 to 12 weeks.
6. What are the stages of building a pool?
Different pool types have distinct pool construction processes. For instance, the construction of an in-the-ground concrete pool involves the following stages.
Step 1: Design selection
Step 2: Excavation
Step 3: Make a rebar grid
Step 4: Plumb the swimming unit
Step 5: Wire the pool’s filtration system and the electrical components
Step 6: Concrete the swimming unit
Step 7: Waterproofing
Step 8: Coping
Step 9: Fill the swimming unit with water
7. How big of a backyard do I need for a pool?
Pools come in different sizes and shapes to suit varying yard spaces. For instance, 12 feet by 24 feet inground pool could fit in a backyard with 1,2oo square feet. This space includes ten feet on every side of the pool to allow a patio or any arising setbacks.
8. How small is too small for a pool?
Different pool types have distinct dimensions and sizes. That said, a pool that is 10 feet by 10 feet or smaller is seen as a tiny pool. The standard depth for floating and soaking is 3 feet and 5 feet and above for lap pools.
9. Do pools decrease home value?
Yes, a pool may decrease the value of your home as potential homeowners consider it a liability instead of a luxury due to the time and money required to maintain clean and healthy pool water.
That said, with the right conditions, such as living in an area that experiences long summer periods, adding a pool could raise the value of your home by 7%. However, you may not recover the total amount spent on building the pool if you decide to sell the home.
Conclusion
A pool is a great addition to your home as it improves the home’s aesthetic appeal while providing your family with a place to have fun and bond. However, pools have high installation and maintenance costs and result in increased energy bills and additional insurance fees.
So before adding a pool to your property, consider its pros and cons to ascertain that it is a worthy investment.
