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Original poster

house with an outdoor pool

18 replies

mmmiwonder · 13/01/2014 16:25

we are thinking of building an outdoor pool. Our house is currently valued £450,000, with 4 average sized bedrooms, 2 receptions, with a 100 foot garden, ie not a massive house by any means, as we are in the expensive south east. Would building a pool add to the value when we come to sell in the future, or would the time and cost of maintainance put people off, we have had differing opinions on the pro's and con's of a pool, and wether it is a good selling feature

OP posts:
Chivetalking · 13/01/2014 16:30

It would put me off.

They are hideously expensive to heat and maintain. Also bear in mind it's a family house and you are potentially limiting your resale market in that a potential buyer will feel they could never let kids loose in the garden without supervision and may well prefer the play potential of a full size garden anyway.

Umicar · 13/01/2014 16:34

They are not "hideously expensive to heat and maintain" Hmm - unless badly planned and executed.

They may put people off, and won't improve re sale value. But think of all the fun your kids would have with it!

Theknacktoflying · 13/01/2014 16:35

A pool is only usable at best 3 months of a year, meaning for the other 9 it is just a money pit.

To put this perspective, my parents who live in SA, have baulked at putting in a pool in their new house ... Just too much money and effort.

QuintessentialShadows · 13/01/2014 16:35

Umicar, out of interest, how much does it cost to heat and maintain a pool?

ShatnersBassoon · 13/01/2014 16:36

It would put me off too. The cost of heating and maintaining it would not be good value when you consider how much use it would get.

I'd much rather have a big, safe garden.

CMOTDibbler · 13/01/2014 16:40

It would put me off as the use of an outdoor pool is so low overall. It would have to be under an enclosure of some sort to make it a feature.

Chivetalking · 13/01/2014 16:51

Of course they're hideously expensive to heat and maintain Hmm.

A quick google shows estimates from £20 a week upwards just for heating and without the required chemicals. Bearing in mind an outdoor pool will probably only be used three or four months of the year and the rest of the time you'll be fishing leaves and dead insects out I think it's a poor investment in comparison to having the use of the space.

TheZeeTeam · 13/01/2014 17:05

We have a pool. It's open from May1st to around October 1st. It's then closed with a winter cover and costs nothing at all during those months.

The upsides is they are a huge amount of fun to have in the summer. We don't use the heat except at the beginning and end of the seasons as it gets sunshine on it all day and we have a solar cover on it too. The kids love it and DH adores being able to swim some lengths after his commute. It's surprisingly easy to maintain. I test the water every couple of days and have learned what chemical is needed when.

The downsides are it is expensive, although learning to maintain it yourself saves a fortune and, during the winter, it's pretty ugly!

I wouldn't be without one now. That said, I live in the US and the summers are long and hot. I'm not sure I would feel quite the same in the UK!

Artandco · 13/01/2014 17:10

I would hate it so would put me off as would cost to take out. I wouldn't want an outdoor pool with young children as would be afraid to let them in the garden alone.

It's also freezing most of the year (even summer IMO).

An indoor pool I would love, as could use day and night all year, and lock it safely up from children when not in use

SoupDragon · 13/01/2014 17:18

The pool itself wouldn't put me off but I'm not convinced your garden is big enough - that would put me off. I don't think it would add enough value to the house to cover the cost.

Notawordfromtheladybird · 13/01/2014 17:23

I've seen a couple a houses on web priced btw 400-700k with a pool when we were house hunting. We didn't even consider a viewing, even though the houses looked nice enough otherwise. Unless you're talking a million plus home with cinema rooms or one those incredible natural pond pools, then it's a negative not a positive, let alone something that adds value.

mrscumberbatch · 13/01/2014 17:27

I'd recommend indoor pool with sliding glass door/windows.

Best of both worlds and not such a pain to clean.

specialsubject · 13/01/2014 17:28

put it in if YOU want to use it.

in the UK it is a house-devaluer, not an asset. Most people coming round will want to know the cost of filling it in and knock that OFF the price.

StripyPenguin · 13/01/2014 17:29

I'd love it but only if the pool had a fence and lockable gate round it for safety.
It'd put a lot of people off though.

Starballbunny · 13/01/2014 17:33

Huge plus for me, if you have solar panels, otherwise they are too cold, too expensive, but I'm married to a chemist, love swimming and have fish for DDs.

We have run a very large self set pool big enough to swim in the last two summers.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 13/01/2014 17:35

Big plus for me but I'm a cold water swimmer so my season would extend from March to October. I think you'd be limiting your pool of potential buyers a lot; it most certainly wouldn't make you back the money you spent on it.
But if you're going to be there a long time and you would have fun with it, why not?

MrsApplepants · 14/01/2014 11:40

It would put me off. Another thing that needs money and time spent on it. In the UK, it would be unusable for 9 months of the year. Now an indoor pool on the other hand, fab!

LibraryBook · 14/01/2014 14:16

How big will the pool be?

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