Swimming pool. Yay or nay?

[Bellabelloo]

Having spent so much time at home including during all of the glorious weather we had last spring and summer, we're thinking about putting a pool in the garden. We've got the quotes etc, just worried about all of the advice that it will devalue the house. Has anyone built a pool and regretted it? Thanks!

We are considering installing an indoor swimming pool. Just at the research stage at the moment.

Outside in the uk? No way!

Everyone just says it’s sooo expensive to run, I really need an idea of how much.
£100 a month is doable

We're looking to buy at the moment and I immediately discount the houses with pools. What about wild swimming? We did lots of swimming in rivers and at the beach this summer and it was fine even for my youngest with a wetsuit (I was fine in just a swimsuit).

We've been told £25 a week to heat by the few people who have quoted us.

I thought everyone would be dead against it...but there are some keen beans here too.

Thanks for all of your posts. X

I’d love a pool or a natural pool. I was wild swimming until last week, but there is nowhere that could be considered local enough to get to. Gutted. If you have keen beans OP, I’d do it.

Do you have kids op? It'd really put me off if a house had a pool, I'd never sleep

[quote Coquohvan]@Mamma I’d encourage you to read up on pool hygiene and how to correct green water. [Algie] Not to throw a couple of glugs of chlorine in wait a couple of hours all be fine. No it won’t, all chemicals levels need balancing not just chlorine, requires filtration and most certainly a good vacuum. Filtration and pool cleaning requires to be done more during hot sunny weather, rule of thumb 1/2 the air temp per hrs per day. ie 24 air 12hrs filter running per day. blog.intheswim.com/is-it-safe-to-swim-in-a-pool-with-algae/[/quote]
The filter runs 24/7 though? The reason to leave it is to give the chlorinated water a chance to run through the filter and for any excess to evaporate as far as I’m aware. You’re right; when I have my own pool I’ll definitely need to investigate further as my stepdad is like Alpha Man when it comes to checking the chemicals himself and he does do more than chuck a couple of glugs in - but it’s not a huge ordeal.

It looks to me like he does something that looks like a litmus test, measures a couple of scoops of powder, chucks chlorine in, might sweep/vacuum if it needs it and then over the next 2-12hours it’s clear and clean? Takes about an hour but he only does that when it looks like it needs it - from a week to maybe 3 (although it needs it by then 😅). In the interim we just chuck a bit of chlorine in when needed. It’s pretty easy.

They’ve lived there almost 20yrs so it’s worked fine thus far.

Indoor pool if you have the space and can afford it. In laws have one and hardly use it. I make a point of using it every day we are there. It's like when you have a hotel or spa pool to yourself. Our dc enjoy it of course (tonnes of toys for them), friends and family love to visit which they love.

I do prefer swimming in a proper long leisure centre pool for the exercise.

Not something I'd do because of the drowning risk for kids and animals.

I feel like this thread has convinced me to get a pool 😁

For those of you saying you do have one, do you all have chlorine pools or does anyone have saltwater pools?

At the start of lockdown last year I suggested to dh that it would be lovely to have a conservatory with a pool. He spent time on freecycle and we now have an orangery which is just the right size for an infinity pool. That's our next big purchase.

I am also considering a pool. Though just a small one. Instead of a holiday this year (and last year).

For my young DC and other DC in the family, if allowed to see them.

DH thinks it will be a lot of hassle and that something like this may be more practical, and transferable if we move house at some point. It has some kind of current that you swim against.

www.directhottubs.co.uk/MobileDetail.php?Prod_ID=4666

www.endlesspools.co.uk/

This is the one the GB athletes use

It’s better than the jet pools because there are no bubbles.

Can be above ground.

I’m a swimmer, hence the need for a proper flow

I tried it out and it’s astonishing

@Bellabelloo Have you considered a swim spa instead?

@ComeTheFuck0nBridget

I feel like this thread has convinced me to get a pool 😁

For those of you saying you do have one, do you all have chlorine pools or does anyone have saltwater pools?

I use chlorine. I wanted to install a chlorinator when the pool had a bit of an overhaul a few years back, but they are quite a high initial outlay. It pays for itself over time though as a 20kg bag of salt is far cheaper than a 20kg bucket of chlorine.

I always fancied one of those pools MzHz Still quite expensive though. It's on my want list.

Go for it. What the hell. Have a couple of lovely summers out if it

How about a swim spa? That's what many elite athletes used for training through lockdown. We tried one and have now ordered one. We went for an American made Master Spa with spa seat and message jets. You can even turn up the built in music system and the heat and use it as a giant hot tub if you want a hot tub party (I wouldn't personally but you can)!

Early last summer my dd and SiL got an above ground pool for little Gdcs, who could already swim after a fashion, so that they wouldn’t lose their water confidence when all pools were closed.

It’s only 3 x 4 m, no practical room for anything bigger in a sunny part of the garden, , but it’s been fantastic. They do heat it, so there’s a cost - plus there was a cost of extending the patio - and a certain amount of maintenance, but 100% worth it.
(Also v nice for granny to cool off in on a hot afternoon, esp. when SiL brings me a nice cold G&T…🙂)

P.S. this is an article I read about swim spa (it's an American article, so I can only find Endless Pool and Master Spa in the UK): toptereviews.com Best swim spa 2021
We tried both brands and ordered ours from thehottubsuperstore.co.uk

We got one of those giant blue pools last year at the start of the hot lockdown. The kids and adults had an absolute blast.
It’s obviously not the same as a proper pool, we would love one but our garden isn’t realistically big enough and we just spent a small fortune on a hot tub but one day we would like to move to somewhere with a huge garden and intend to build a pool if it doesn’t have one.
My friends mum has a lovely pool in her garden, they do the same as others have mentioned here, open and close it so it’s ready for spring, her parents swim in it daily, I think it’s 15 metres long. I’ve taken my dc there a few times before, my friend house sits when her parents go on holiday, they’ve got a lovely set up but it’s quite expensive to run as it’s quite old now so I guess not as efficient as if you were to build a brand new one.
It’s not ‘warm’ but it is heated, it’s definitely not cold and I’m a real wimp

I just know I could never get one for the worry factor of a child drowning

I have one of these: www.amazon.co.uk/FitMAX-6322227-Fitmax-iPool-3/dp/B0114MHIZ2?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I've always wanted a pool but didn't have the room or the money for an inground one. Probably not good for small children but teenagers love it. You could put it nearly anywhere.