Which is better, inground or above ground?
An above ground pool is a pool – for swimming, playing, enjoying. An inground pool is an addition to your real estate, with everything that goes along with that. It changes your taxes, property values, resale price, etc. It’s permanent. Inground pools start at around $15,000. However, once you deck, fence and landscape, you’re usually […]
Which is better, vinyl liner or gunite?
It depends on where you live, who you are trying to impress, and your chances for vandalism. In the south, gunite pools are cheaper than vinyl pools, while in the north, they are more expensive. Gunite is a form of concrete that is sprayed into a hole in the ground in order to make a […]
Where’s the best place to put my pool?
Well, first it should be legal; zoning, setbacks, fences, etc. See our Do I need a permit to put up a pool? section for details. You can’t build over utilities, septic tanks, and leach fields. Avoid putting it under, or even close to; overhead electric lines, trees, plants, and shrubs. Why let wires, dirt, leaves, and fertilizers […]
With a vinyl-linered pool, which walls are best: steel, aluminum, resin, or concrete?
Steel is strong, but it can rust. Aluminum does not rust, but it’s weaker, and it does oxidize somewhat in alkaline soil. Resin does not rust or oxidize. It makes curves precisely, but it can crack. Concrete is by far the strongest, but it’s rough, it cracks, and it does not allow for as wide […]
What about those big bathtub-type one-piece pools?
Not bad if you live in the right spot; with nice, sandy soil. They do tend to be very small, because they have to get under bridges and telephone poles, and the transportation difficulties raise the price as you live farther and farther from the factory. The finish should last a long time, but it […]
I want a diving board, and everyone’s giving me a hard time about it. Why?
The builders probably don’t feel like losing their home and their business because some idiot got drunk and broke their neck in your pool. It doesn’t matter if you sign a disclaimer—you can’t sign away the ability for a guest or even a trespasser in your yard from suing. And if they sue, their lawyer […]
What’s the most important thing to look at, that no one ever looks at?
Look under the hood: plumbing, circulation, hydraulics. They’re underground. They’re not sexy. No one talks about them. And if they are second-rate, you can’t fix it, because it’s underground. A well-designed pool will move all of the water in the pool uniformly through the filter, heater, and chemical system. A poor system will keep circulating […]
How do I design a deck and landscaping? And how do I choose a shape and size?
First, be careful. This is actually your most important decision in terms of your property value. You can always improve your landscaping before you sell your house, but you can’t change the shape, size, and position of your pool. Don’t build a plain old rectangular pool centered on your house and parallel to it. That’s […]
What are good deck materials?
To keep up your property values, you want rich decking that goes with the theme and design of the pool. Avoid smooth or shiny—it’s dangerous when wet. Dark colors get hot when you’re trying to walk with bare feet. If you think you might ever want one of those bolt-on elephant-type safety covers, be careful. […]
Which filter is better: sand, DE, or cartridge?
The purpose of the pool’s filter is to keep the water clean and clear by removing dirt, algae, particles, and other stuff that makes the water cloudy. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) takes out much smaller particles much more quickly than any other filter. Take a look at a bottle of filter sand and a bottle of […]
