Inground Pools for Every Budget
Whether your tastes run from simple to sophisticated, or your spending goals from frugal to extravagant, there is a pool to match your needs.
Focus on Economy
Before starting your quest for a pool, discuss with the entire family how you plan to use the pool and what features seem most important.
Keeping the design and related amenities simple will shave costs. Plan ahead during construction if you plan to add extra features inexpensively at a later date; for instance, have a line plumbed if you want to install a pressure-side pool cleaner.
Construction methods will affect pool price. In many areas of the country, an attractive vinyl-lined pool offers great value at minimal cost.
The contractor will dig a hole for the pool and install a metal, wood or polymer frame to support the pool and hold the 20- to 30-millimeter thick liner. Aluminum or PVC coping may top the frame and conceal the track. The framework offers a degree of flexibility in response to ground movement that may occur during freezing temperatures.
Decorative liners, available in an array of colors and patterns, can give the appearance of waterline tile or create an altogether personal look with a unique monogram or custom imprint. Because of their smooth texture, vinyl liners are extremely popular. Many manufacturers produce liners with an algicide to inhibit algae growth, thus easing pool maintenance. Another plus? If attended to quickly, stains are easy to remove.
Today's vinyl-lined pools feature cut-in steps, swimouts, water features, fiber-optic lighting and return jets in the step area to create relaxing jet action similar to that of a mini spa. Adding such amenities, however, will increase construction costs.
Middle of the Road
Concrete remains a popular choice for pools at all levels of the spending spectrum, especially in regions without major seasonal temperature fluctuations. The contractor digs a hole, installs reinforcing steel rods and applies concrete and an exterior surface. Where the ground freezes and thaws, builders must add more reinforcing steel and concrete, which boosts the cost.
Durable concrete offers limitless design and size options. The interior shell will require periodic resurfacing. While exposed aggregate and pebbled surfaces initially cost more than plaster or marble mixtures, they are more durable, saving you money in the long run.
The pool builder will let you select from a range of colorful or natural-appearing tiles installed at the waterline, and complementary tiles will mark the step edges. Coping bridges the deck and pool. A cantilever or bullnose style brings the deck to the pool and requires no extra materials.
Fiberglass, the third construction method, strikes a chord with people seeking ease of maintenance and lasting beauty. The smooth, colorfast surface maintains its appearance for years, with no resurfacing. Algae have a hard time sticking to fiberglass, so your pool will require fewer chemicals.
Built at a factory to precise specifications, fiberglass pools are lowered into a hole in the backyard, plumbed and ready to enjoy. Newer models include tanning ledges, beach entries and connected spas.
While not as appealing as the aesthetic elements, your circulation and filtration systems are essential elements for a clean, safe pool. Scrimping on these elements will only cause frustration and expense in the long run.
Cartridge filters have become more popular in recent years, as concerns about pollution and wasting water have turned people away from sand and DE filters. An oversized cartridge filter, while possibly costing more initially, requires less frequent cleaning.
A variable-speed pump saves electricity by running normally at a lower speed and increasing to meet the demand of a water feature or pool cleaner. As an added benefit, the pumps produce minimal noise at the lower speed.
Going for the Gold
Loosening the purse strings means different things to different people, depending on priorities. One person may consider a season-extending heater and automatic cover essential, while someone else might not be able to imagine a pool without a spa.
Extras add money but increase the aesthetics or enhance the convenience of pool ownership. You can add some features later, but others, such as an in-floor cleaning system, must be installed during initial construction.
Wireless, automated control systems allow in-home, push-button convenience to control water features, lights or a spa.
Alternative water care systems help keep the water sparkling clean. Many homeowners do not consider it an indulgence to add a salt chlorine generator; the device keeps sanitizer levels constant and eliminates the need to handle sanitizing products. Other people prefer to add a couple of chlorine pucks weekly, rather than haul 50-pound bags of salt and perform quarterly maintenance on the chlorine generator cell.
Consider the total pool package. To boost the ambiance, install stone or brick coping and decking. Additional deck space provides room for sunning, partying or for children to play.
Grottos, caves or swim-up bars with cascading waterfalls create a distinct appearance but may not blend with every home style. Laminar jets, sheer water walls and in-deck fountains add the relaxing sound of running water to a more contemporary setting.
Whatever your budget, there is a pool and backyard vacation out there to fulfill your dreams and enhance your family's quality of life.
Talking the Talk
Bullnose coping. A decking finish in which the deck comes up to the water, but does not extend over it.
Cantilever coping. A decking finish in which the deck curves over the pool edge.
Exposed aggregate surface. A blend of concrete and colorful quartz particles applied as the top surface of a concrete pool.
Laminar jets. Jets embedded in the deck that direct arching water into the pool.
Salt chlorine generator. A device which produces chlorine from salt.