Pools

Summer in Dallas always brings the problem of how to cool off. After a cold beer, the most frequent solution is a swim. If you decide to take a swim you have another problem: Unless you have a friend who doesn’t mind having you show up at his pool every day, you’ll be fighting the crowds at public pools. More and more people are finding that the best answer is to build their own pools.

Having a pool built is really not much harder than buying a car. First, you have to know how much you can spend. Your budget will dictate whether you have the entire backyard landscaped with a waterfall running into your pool, or buy an above-ground model to install yourself.

There are basically three types of in-ground pool: gunite, fiberglass, and liner. Gunite, a kind of concrete, lasts the longest and increases the value of your property the most. It is expensive, $ 11,000 to $13,000. Fiberglass pools fall in the middle, $9,000 to $11,000. The trouble with fiberglass is that it tends to look chalky after a few years in the sun. Liner pools are relatively cheap, $5,000 to $6,000, and easy to install: A hole is dug and then the plastic liner is simply set into it. However, a liner pool won’t last as long as your house or increase its market value. The size of the pool doesn’t have a great deal to do with its cost, although landscaping, materials and extras run the price up. The figures given are for a basic, no-frills pool.

The best time to buy is during the winter when the demand is low and labor and materials are easy to get. Buy a pool as soon as you can afford it. The average price went up $1,000 last year, and the same kind of increase is expected this year; this more than offsets the cost of credit, so don’t wait to save up.

Shop around for a builder. Pick the size and construction you want and get estimates from several contractors. Ask friends who own pools for recommendations, and talk to former clients of the builders you are considering. Look for a builder who displays the National Swimming Pool Institute seal. The Institute has a set of standards which pool contractors must meet to retain membership.

Where do you put your pool? Trees and shrubs have a tendency to fill pools with leaves and twigs, so set them some distance away. If you have children it’s best to pick a spot visible from inside the house, so you can supervise without having to be outside every time the kids are swimming. Your builder should make sure that waste water and overflow can drain easily.

What you plan to use your pool for will help you decide the size and shape you’ll want. Allow 100 square feet for each diver and 36 square feet for each swimmer. The diving well should be at least 8 feet deep 5 feet out from the end of the diving board (assuming the board is no more than 30 inches above the water). If you just want to swim laps, dig a long narrow pool.

Remember that your pool will become the entertainment center for your family during the summer. You’ll want to leave room for sunbathing, barbecues, disco parties, etc.

The current trend is toward landscaping the entire backyard when a pool is installed. Landscapers can add to the beauty and value of your home by adding brooks or waterfalls running in and out of the pool or just by adding greenery to complement it.

It’s best to get just the essentials (filter, pump, ladders, etc.) for starters. Use the pool a while and decide what extras you want. Slides, spas, saunas, fountains, even underwater stereo can be added later on. Because the pool becomes a family (and neighborhood) hangout, you might want to add a bar and barbecue area.

Solar heating is an extra that really pays off in Texas. It can add weeks to the swimming season and is cheaper than alternative forms of heating. In many cases it’s possible to heat a pool with a solar system throughout the season. If the system is for residential use there is no property tax on it: the state of Texas has also eliminated all sales tax on solar heating systems. Considering the operating costs of gas or electric heaters, solar systems pay for themselves in 2 1/2 to 3 years.

Solar heaters work quite simply. The pump which already runs the cleaning system pushes the water through the filter, up to the roof, through shallow trays heated by the sun, and back to the pool.

Maintenance of pools is not difficult or time-consuming, so a pool-cleaning service isn’t needed unless your time is at a premium. Maintenance usually consists of cleaning the filters, sweeping dirt off the steps, cleaning out leaves and grass, and adding chemicals to keep the microbes down. The chore shouldn’t take up any more time than mowing the grass you used to have in the yard.

Chemicals should be stored in a locked shed away from cars and tools. Aside from the obvious hazard for children, pool chemicals are injurious to most metal surfaces. If kept in the garage they will give your car body rot: in the garden shed they’ll quickly ruin your tools.

The law requires pool owners to put up a safety fence around the yard or pool. When you put up a fence it’s best to get one that will trap blowing leaves and paper, and protect your privacy as well.