Thoughts on a pool after retirement...

[misshathaway]

IConsider a swim spa. The larger ones can double as a small pool. Some of the largest ones have a longer area for swimming and a smaller separately heated hot tub. I swim 30+ minutes every couple of days, and without the turns, it is a better workout than swimming laps in a community pool.

That is my dream! Was it hard to get used to? What sort of climate do you live in? I am in New England and I did look in to putting one in the basement, but it would have been too expensive and dreary.

 

[socca]

Enclosed is my favorite photo from my recent swimming pool removal project. The photo shows the wrecking ball in flight (it's the brown orb in the foreground). Every time the wrecking ball hit the bottom of the pool, the entire house shook. I was a bit nervous about cracked stucco, etc. but no problems have yet emerged. On to the next project!

 

[Shanky]

I understand those who would not use a pool, it would be a waste of money. For those who would like a pool, i cannot understand the comments on maintenance expense & time as that has not been the case for us. Upkeep is about 20 minutes a week. expense is maybe $5 a month at most for Salt / Acid which are added infrequently. Pool pump and heater may add some expense, but it is so low, it is not an issue. Even when we had a freshwater pool, the expense was minimal.

What am I missing here?

 

[Big_Hitter]

I understand those who would not use a pool, it would be a waste of money. For those who would like a pool, i cannot understand the comments on maintenance expense & time as that has not been the case for us. Upkeep is about 20 minutes a week. expense is maybe $5 a month at most for Salt / Acid which are added infrequently. Pool pump and heater may add some expense, but it is so low, it is not an issue. Even when we had a freshwater pool, the expense was minimal.

What am I missing here?

not sure - I generally agree having maintained a pool in Houston for 15 years.

however, some older pools will have issues - leaks, either around the skimmers or through the backwash valve, black algae, chemical imbalance, LEAVES, etc.

I only had to call a pool guy out maybe once a year or so to replace a valve or blow out a line (sometimes I a pine cone would get sucked in accidentally)

I used to use bromine but it got too expensive so I got cl shipped in bulk through a web site

If I ever live in TX again I'd definitely have a pool, no question

 

[ttvjef]

It has been awhile since there has been a thread on pools. I retired this year (58 and DH is in mid 60s) and unfortunately our above ground pool needs to be retired as well. I have mixed feelings about what to do next. The pool has primarily been for me and I have done the bulk of the work. To be honest it has been a huge chore and got neglected in times of family crisis. Now that I have more time to maintain and enjoy it I am wondering if we should get another. I'm even considering a possible in-ground. I am not sure if this is momentary insanity or if it makes sense at this age to jump "into the pool again". It is an expensive change to possibly regret.

We are in the Northeast with a dog that would enjoy it too. Not planning to travel much. Mostly short US trips.

What are your thoughts? What has your experience been like with retirement and pools?

TX!

I'd say go for it! I have friends how have one and it's lovely. Doesn't seem to be too much work at all.

I've only ever had above ground kiddie pools growing up in the city and always thought it would be so nice to have a beautiful in-ground pool in a lanai. Thinking about eventually relocating down south and a pool is certainly an option. Especially like the salt water pools.

 

[Cassius King]

I'm in the go for it camp as well. I live in Cincinnati and have been kicking around the idea of adding an in ground pool to our backyard.
I thoroughly love to be around water so it makes sense for us. Plus a nice in ground pool and a wonderful outdoor kitchen area would be very pleasing on the eye as well.

You only live once, if it's not a material amount of money, go for it!

 

[socca]

Each unit in my Dad's Florida condo association pays $1700/yr for a community pool that is rarely used. There are also occasional large special assessments for major repairs. The primary argument for keeping the pool is that it helps maintain property values, according to the conventional wisdom. I'm glad that I do not live there.

 

[folivier]

I loved my pool in our last house. Swam once or twice each day during the summer which is late May thru early October here. Thought about one in retirement but since we like to travel during the summer it wouldn't get used as much. We do have an indoor pool in our subdivision but only use it when the grand girls come visit.

 

[Redbugdave]

Three things I would never have:
1. A pack of dogs.
2. A boat too big to trailer.
3. A swimming pool.

They are all a PITA after a while.

 

[CountryGal]

Three things I would never have:
1. A pack of dogs.
2. A boat too big to trailer.
3. A swimming pool.

They are all a PITA after a while.

How big is a pack of dogs? We have one and thinking of adding.

 

[48Fire]

Probably getting a pool soon here at our new house in Florida. Had one up North and loved it. And my wife likes the cleaning part

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[LARS]

Pretty easy really. If you can afford it and you will use it: do it.


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[Redbugdave]

How big is a pack of dogs? We have one and thinking of adding.

I figure three dogs make a pack...

 

[USA]

DH is outside cleaning 4 pool filters as I write. We built our home with aging in mind. That was many years before the catch phrase aging in place. The pool went in 6 months after the house. That was 20 years ago. No regrets. If we bought/built another home( now that we are RE) it’s hard to tell. It’s a known $$ loss. There would be a long list of pros/cons. We live with triple digit heat but living while working and living while retired are two different lifestyles. It’s your money and your time.

 

[urn2bfree]

Grew up with a pool. Loved the fun, hated the maintenance work. Painting, tile, pumps, chemicals, vacuuming, etc. No way would I ever put one in my own house and would avoid a home with a pool if at all possible. It lowers property value by limiting the market. I do swim 3 x a week- at the local Olympic sized community pool- that somebody else takes care of.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We have had a pool for 11 years, as we get older we use it less. It is easy to maintain and we do not hire a service to do it. But we would like to downsize and get rid of it.

 

[athena53]

We have had a pool for 11 years, as we get older we use it less. It is easy to maintain and we do not hire a service to do it. But we would like to downsize and get rid of it.

DH and I ended up doing that. In the end, he didn't use it at all and I was using it less and less (mostly short dips to refresh after weeding the garden). I'd owned a pool in the previous house- in both cases it was there when I bought the house. I never would have paid to put one in; as people in the other thread on this have pointed out, you almost need to consider it a sunk cost. When it comes time to sell, the people who consider it a plus will be outnumbered by the people who don't even want to look at it.

But... it was nice while we had it- and SO much prettier than an expanse of lawn!

And the time my new BF (later DH) said to my Ex when he called: "She can't come to the phone right now. She's in the pool." Priceless.

 

[Midpack]

We had a pool when we lived in central FL, but we'd never have one again. I don't think she would, but if DW insisted on a pool it would be a plunge pool or stationary lap pool (e.g. Swimex) but that's it. If we have to swim, we'll go to a Y or some community pool.

Of those that say go for it, some have never had the pool experience before. Having one changes the minds of many, but not all, who thought it was a good idea.

Mansions aside - in some regions, having a pool makes a home easier to sell, like FL or southern states. But in other areas, a pool makes a home harder to sell, like the Midwest or Northeast.

 

[rodi]

I swim several times a week. But at the YMCA.

 

[mexexpat]

DH did not want a pool when we house-shopped last year. I insisted. Guess who swims in it most? I spend about 8 hours a day near the pool....covered terrace, covered bar area or on the open patios. Nothing better than a good read, pool-side.

 

[WestUniversity]

From my experience a pool was a hole in the ground I poured money into. Electricity for the pumps and chemicals for the water ran easily $1,000 to $2,000 per year, and I took care of our own pool. Then there’s the replacement cost of pumps failing, rebuilding the Polaris, filter grids needing replacement, underground leaks in the plumbing and the occasional re-plastering. I will never own another pool. Maybe a hot tub but not a pool...

 

[Ally]

We live in an HOA that costs us about $200 annually. On the street behind us is the neighborhood pool, which is rarely crowded. We often take our grandchildren there or go ourselves in the summer, and I’m happy we don’t have to maintain it ourselves.