Swimming pool

treecol

We are currently looking around as the house we wanted to buy has fallen through. We've found another we really like, but it has a big inground swimming pool. We have 13 grandchildren so in one way it could be useful. But the house has had a huge reduction of £75k since it went on the market in the summer. The owners won't disclose how much the pool costs to run, at the moment, which their agent agrees is not helpful. We also want to know how you would go about draining a pool? We can fill it in ourselves & are fully aware of the expense of that. It's the cost to drain it.
Our estate agent says it's the pool that has devalued the house as they are trying to sell a property with one & so far no one wants it. What are your thoughts on a house with a pool & also any input as to overheads & emptying costs would be fab. Thank you in advance.

aneary

It depends if it's heated or not.

My parents spend around £30 a year on chemicals and dad spends time cleaning it out during the summer months. The cleaning out means normally one day chucking the chemicals in, the next day scoping all the bits out after that it's just little bit each day. In the in winter it's covered with a winter cover.

Other than that they have brought a new pump (around £200) a new liner (around £200), a winter cover and a summer cover. They have been in the house for 15 years and the pool is around 35 years old (going by when the parts for the original pump were stopped being made) so the expense isn't massive unless it's heated.

Btw the water meter saved them a lot of money this house (with a pool) was cheaper on water than the previous smaller house (without a pool).

Eric_the_half_a_bee

Check first that the pool can in fact be drained without damage. Some designs (e.g. vinyl liner) cannot and are never drained.

G_M

There must surely be a plug you can pull out....?

Or stick a hose in, suck on the other end to get water flowing, and drain it that way.

aneary

G_M wrote: »

There must surely be a plug you can pull out....?

Or stick a hose in, suck on the other end to get water flowing, and drain it that way.

This is a joke?

badger09

We have an above ground 24' x 12' pool which is mainly below ground. Don't ask:cool:

Its almost 20 years old and in the 18 years we've been here, we've had to buy new winter & summer covers - total approx £200, filter and pump total approx £850 including fitting, and chemicals cost average £70 a year.

Chemical costs are probably high as we have a farm opposite, so we have to counteract their fertiliser etc:(

It is heated though we never heat it, and our water charges are still way below what they were before we moved here 18 years ago.

I would never have one installed but my husband loves it - and looks after it, and it is great for grandchildren.

Slithery

aneary wrote: »

This is a joke?

Obviously you need to dig a hole deeper than the pool and stand in that first

Gers

Draining a pool - you need to check with the local water authority for that. They may require a staggered draining process in order to make sure the large volume of water can be accommodated and that their treatment works can cope.

When I was but a callow girlie I worked in LA authority pools for extra money. Emptying of even the small pool needed planning and permission from the water authority. I’ve no idea if there was a fee to pay for the draining.

Sandgrownun

I have no idea of costs but just as a off topic suggestion, if any of your grandchildren like skateboarding/skating, and the pool has curved edges down to the bottom, then if you drained it you would have an amazing skating bowl!!

kerri_gt

Could you make an enquiry to a pool installation company and find out an estimate of how much such a pool would cost to run? You could also ask about what happens if you'd need to drain it and such. Perhaps pose as a new customer asking 'we have 13 grandchildren, thinking of getting a pool as they'd love it and we enjoy swimming' etc. The company may be more obliging if they think they're going to get a sale rather than just a query on an existing pool.

Loanranger

We had swimming pool in a previous house and the trick is never to drain it, just keep the water clean with winter cover and the appropriate chemicals. If there are trees nearby, walk away from the house purchase. The roots will become a problem as will the leaves and debris in the autumn. You need to have it heated otherwise the water just isn't warm enough in this country.
Doubtful if you'll get much use from it.