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 pushing $30,000 to $50,000.  If you do a nice job on the landscaping; inground pools are prettier, easier to maintain (they use better equipment), and easier to entertain around.  If you do a bad job, it lowers your property value and makes it more difficult to sell your home (ask any real estate agent).  But it still raises your taxes.

An above ground pool is a great place to start.  It is not every expensive, it gives you all the pool that you need, and it doesn’t affect your property value.  If you move, you can take it with you, sell it with the house, or even sell it through a classified ad.  At the moment, hardly anyone taxes above ground pools, unless you build such a large, permanent deck around it, that you lose the “portability” argument with the town.  Just to be on the safe side, however, check with your own town for their current opinion.

For more information on above ground pools, see for our Above Ground Pool Buyer’s Guide page.