Least expensive gunite pool? (Help me convince DH :)

16 years ago

Hello all,

We are in the middle of a new build, and I am trying to convince my husband to let me add a pool.

I LOVE the water. We had an above-ground pool when I was a child, and I was always in it. We've vacationed at a Caribbean villa with a pool, and it was all he could do to get me out of it long enough to go sightseeing. I spend so many hours in the ocean on vacation, that I am "pruney" for days after we return.

My DH, otoh, cared for a pool one summer back in the early 70's and hated it. I have tried to explain that care technology has changed a lot since then, but he is not buying it.

The two major uses would be 1. exercise and 2. general ambience - sunning, floating, swimming, dinner and/or drinks by, etc.

What I am wanting is very simple... Just a basic small to medium rectangle with lights, and walk in steps to the side. No water effects, no diving board or slide or waterfalls, etc. MAYBE some kind of integrated bench seating along the side. Not too deep. (Not sure what depth is best for swimming.)

I was thinking I might be able to get it smaller by using a swim tether as opposed to trying to make something long enough to swim laps in. I tried swimming laps in a pretty short pool once, and became exhausted with worrying about whacking myself, and getting turned around.

Soooo, can someone give me a range or a ballpark figure on what to expect to pay? I am close to Raleigh, NC. The good news is that he is not TOTALLY dead set against it, but does not want to do it right now with all we have going on. Would it add a lot of cost to do it later as opposed to now?

Thanks so much! :)

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Comments (4)

gorilla_x
16 years ago
First of all, there is very little difference in actual pool costs between small and large pools... it's the options that will generally raise the price of a pool the most.

For instanece, here in Orlando FL, the base price of a 400 SF pool costs about 20,000... and an 800 SF pool costs 23,000 (no decking/tile/coping). Now, large pools have more tile, more coping, etc., so an 800 SF pool may have 50% more tile/coping than a 400 SF pool... not 100% more.

Automation adds (builder prices) about 2,000; heat pumps adds another 5,000, etc.

If you are interedted in swimming, build the largest lap pool you can afford. You won't need much decking. Have the builder pre-plumb for a heater, and other options, so that you can buy from the internet, and install yourselves.

-Gorilla
snookums
16 years ago
If you want to convince him of minimal maintenance, research and then discuss with him things like:

An automatic vacuum like the Hayward Navigator
A salt system
Autofill
Overflow drain
Computerized controls (like the Aqualogic, that includes a salt system)

Of course nothing is maintenance free but my dh spends about 5 minutes a week - tops, to test the water and add acid. Maybe brush it a bit. With everything else automated and a salt system there's not much else to do, but swim.

My dh is the type that is a total couch potato and doesn't take out the garbage or change a lightbulb without a fight. But the pool? He LOVES it. Can't keep him away. We were going to hire a pool guy but it wasn't necessary. It's his baby.
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oakrunfarm
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you both very much for the information.

If I thought I could get something pretty close to what I want for $20-25,000, I might be able to convince him. I will certainly have to pull out all of the stops to do so though... :)

Gorilla, I understand what you mean about the economies of scale. I guess it does not take much to dig a bit larger hole and add a bit more material while they are doing the whole thing.

It is good to hear that the extras are what add most of the cost, because I don't really need much in the way of options. I can do without a heater to start with. Your idea to add those types of things later is an excellent one.

Snookums, thanks for the information on topics I should be researching. In the little bit of time I've put into it, I've read that maintenance effort has come a very long way in recent years. Maybe I will have to promise to take care of it myself!
Shannon01
16 years ago
My friend did a builder owner pool and spend about 27,000 on a pool that would have easily cost 40,000. If you are looking to save, you could do this and for what you want to spend get a lot more than you would if you went with a builder. But like the others posted, you can get standard builder to build a basic pool for your price. Start calling around and research the features you really want.