Has anyone done a DIY pool

[FastStache]

I am looking around at houses and am considering a pool, but at the same time getting a pool scares me as far as repair costs go etc.

So, I have done some brief reading and it seems a very nice DIY pool can be had for 5K. Does anyone has any experience with this?

I figure if I did this myself I would make it with having a very low maintenance pool in mind. I think a salt water chlorinator would help as well as solar heat. I'm in Central Florida if this has any effect on what type of pool to get.

[ritchie70]

For what little it's worth...

I'm in Chicago suburbs. The house we bought about 10 years ago came with a 28' diameter round above-ground pool. It was technically 'above ground' but about half of it was dug in, and it was around 6' deep in the middle.

You may notice "was" in that sentence. That's because we had it removed around a year ago. Best decision ever.

The thing cost around $500 in chemicals to keep it from turning green each year. "Year" meaning "summer - between roughly Labor Day and Memorial Day." That didn't necessarily keep it swimmable - the last 5 years I didn't really even try for that since nobody was using it. I just wanted to keep it from stinking and mosquitoes from moving in. Our real swimming season is about 2 months - some time in July until early September.

That doesn't include the electrical cost of running the pump or the water cost of keeping the thing full.

Now, if you're going to use it a lot, and it's important to you, those expenses may make sense. But don't go into it worrying about the repair costs - worry about the day-to-day operational costs.

[plantingourpennies]

Hey - this is Mrs PoP, hijacking Mr PoP's handle for a second...

While our pool came with the house, so we didn't have anything to do with it's construction, I actually did a write-up on what the pool has cost - and the maintenance costs are really what get you. 

http://www.plantingourpennies.com/actual-cost-of-owning-a-pool-part-3/

Our pool season is probably comparable to yours, if not longer since we're further down in south Florida.  However our pool is in an enclosed screened lanai (giant screened pool cage), so our cleaning/maintenance costs are actually less because by keeping debris out of the pool, the water requires fewer chemicals and less filtration. 

If you really want a low cost pool, consider a very small pool, since the bigger your pool is, the less effective solar heating will be - not to mention you'll save money by not needing to run the water pump for as long.  (Electricity is already one of the biggest costs of having the pool and we don't ever run our heater.)  Our neighbors have a solar set-up for their pool and say it extends the season where they feel the pool is usable by about a month on either side of the summer. 

[Greg]

The only kind of pool I'd consider is one that uses plants and such to keep it clean:
http://www.biotop-natural-pool.com/index.html

[EscapeVelocity2020]

We put in a pool in October and I can't even imagine trying to dig and haul all of that dirt myself.  But since you sound more adventurous than me, here is a forum that I stumbled across when I was concerned about a heavy rain after the gunite was installed:  http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/index.php  They even have a section on DIY, who knew?

[GuitarStv]

The only kind of pool I'd consider is one that uses plants and such to keep it clean:
http://www.biotop-natural-pool.com/index.html

At that point, it's basically a lake!

[greenmimama]

We really researched a natural pool, we wanted one pretty bad, but having it put in was going to be a very expensive endeavor, but if you have some equipment or a friend that does, it could be a lot more doable, we wanted to raise fish in it and be able to swim in it, they are very beautiful too, basically a really large Koi pond.

[Greg]

Yes, for me it would be 100% DIY.

[dragoncar]

Nah, get a jacuzzi.  You could build a wood-fired one!

[Milspecstache]

Most people I talk to say always go with above-ground.  That way when you get sick of it (perhaps even just the add'l maintenance costs) you can easily get rid of it.

[FastStache]

I looked at some websites similar to this.... http://www.polarpools.com/do-it-yourself-in-ground-pools.html

I would outsource the digging and get the electrical up to code if I were to take this on.

An above ground does look like a good option as well.

[Hedge_87]

I just go swimming at a friends house lol lots cheaper that way. I do bring over some homebrew and occasianally some BBQ I made.

[Numbers Man]

Check out endless pools. A much smaller footprint and you can install.

http://www.endlesspools.com/

[soccerluvof4]

Unless your against a few plants and or some fish nibbling on your toes I too would go with a pond/pool. Alot cheaper to build and also alot better to look at as well as easy to implement a water fall in as well. In addition its alot less expensive to take care of. We have a waterfall/pool and some good ole dollar containers of salt to clean algea now and then and some chemicals you can buy at most big box stores for good bacteria. Nature will do the rest.  I dont have a web site but just google Aquascapes.

[FastStache]

Unless your against a few plants and or some fish nibbling on your toes I too would go with a pond/pool. Alot cheaper to build and also alot better to look at as well as easy to implement a water fall in as well. In addition its alot less expensive to take care of. We have a waterfall/pool and some good ole dollar containers of salt to clean algea now and then and some chemicals you can buy at most big box stores for good bacteria. Nature will do the rest.  I dont have a web site but just google Aquascapes.

This does seem like a great idea, and I have looked at some websites and the possibilities seem endless. How do you go about identifying the correct plants and design to use for it to be clean?

[southern granny]

We did on an above ground.  Thought we had it level until we filled it up, not level.  Ended up draining the whole thing and doing it again.  It isn't that bad except the dig out has to be exactly level.  Save yourself a whole lot of extra work, by making sure you have level ground to begin with.

[ArcticaMT6]

On purpose or by accident?

[Matte]

Starting on a similar project.  I thought lots about diy in ground pools with foam blocks or cinder blocks.  I figured it was just too hard and uncertain for me, this is with free access to a mini excavator.

 I found a large oval above ground pool and large wood deck on craigslist and got it for 1200.  It was 5 years old, good shape and came with all the stuff that nickel and dimes you, pool vacuum, solar panels, pump, sand filter, skimmer and chemicals.  The pool alone with accessories cost over 6k.

[Boz86]

I haven't (because we plan to move to a lower cost of living state than MD), but I did some research and decided if I did I would go with something like this: http://insulatedpoolkits.com/

I would use a solar DC pump and a cartridge filter, sized so the water runs through the filter during the available sun hours.

Adding a solar pool heater would extend the season. www.builditsolar.com

Last, I'd use a cover to keep the heat in when not using the pool. Also keeps the water cleaner.

The idea is that I could put a pool in much cheaper than paying someone else to do it, and the solar power aspect would keep recurring costs low.

[Stagleton]

The only kind of pool I'd consider is one that uses plants and such to keep it clean:
http://www.biotop-natural-pool.com/index.html

At that point, it's basically a lake!

yeah, swimming in a pond sounds much better than a bacteria/chemical frappe. These are so rad! http://www.inspirationgreen.com/natural-pools-swimming-ponds.html

I was swimming in one before; way cooler than a swimming pool and I didn't get that chlorine headache a normal pool seems to give me.

[greaper007]

My community has an outdoor waterpark that only cost my family $150 to use for the entire summer.   The rest of the year the indoor waterpark at the rec center is $58 a month (including the rest of the rec center attractions).   

My parents paid $25,000 for a smallish pool in our backyard in 1986, I can't imagine how much it would cost now.   Plus the monthly expenses were outrageous, and once you have a pool the whole neighborhood wants to come over and use it.    That's fun at first, but it starts to get old.   No, I'd rather hit the community pool.   It's cheaper and I can shower there for free!