The old pool needs a liner...

[rayinpenn]

Over the winter the old 24ft round, Aluminum Ester Williams, above ground pool lost much of its water, after 11 years it is not surprising. It lost some last winter but this year its way worse. The pool is still fine with the exception of the liner and some oxidation around the skimmer door.

The pool was part of a package deal negotiated with our 10 and 6 year old kids. “If we move you get a dog and pool.” Observation: never make a deal with kids as they will hold you to it. (Stop laughing). The dog, the pool and I are older now..

Options
1. I found a company on the internet that will put a new liner in for $2,000. My only contact is over the phone and “AL” sent me an email with the instructions sent us $1,000 check to get the ball rolling. Im sure it will end up being $2,500.

2. Find someone to take it down and fill in the hole (pool is somewhat burried) and bring back the grass. Not sure who removes pools anyway?

The historical users, in order of use, are the of the pool are the Daughter (will own home 30 minutes away -closing in just of a week- husbands family has pool), Me (on the hottest of days I enjoy a dip) and son (in college and will be working this summer - interviewing for remote internships now.).

The truth is:
- The days of kids screaming in the pool are done for now.
- KEY FACTOR: Houses with above ground pools dont sell as easy as those without above ground pool and I am ready to sell the ‘barn’.
- I am tired of dealing with the filter, water quality Open/Close and leaves
- the pool isnt heated and some what shaded - so July and August only

Any constructive thoughts?

 

[JoeWras]

- KEY FACTOR: Houses with above ground pools sell easier than those with above ground pools and I am ready to sell the ‘barn’.

This key factor came to mind right away, and I don't know what the market custom is in your area, so knowing this will help. I think you have a typo, Ray. Can you fix it so we can help you make the decision?

 

[joeea]

When our in-ground pool needed a new liner, we know it was time to give it up.

Our kids had been out of the house for a few years. We seldom used it. In New England the pool season seems to last just a few hours.

We hired my brother-in-law to come in with his excavation company equipment, take out the old pool, fill it in, and grass it over. It was a great move for us.

At least in my locale, it's much, much easier to sell a home that doesn't have a pool. (We just sold our house last week).

 

[pb4uski]

I'm guessing that it will cost you the same money to fix it or replace it with lawn. I suggest that you talk with some real estate agents on the marketability of the property with an in-ground pool vs with no pool.

You might leave it as is for now and offer the buyer their choice of either replacing the liner or replacing it with lawn.... to be done after the inspection period is over but before closing.

 

[ckelly78z]

Give it away on C/L, or ask a small amount of $$...someone will buy, and dismantle it themselves. After it is gone, the landscaping will be much easier to deal with.

 

[rayinpenn]

This key factor came to mind right away, and I don't know what the market custom is in your area, so knowing this will help. I think you have a typo, Ray. Can you fix it so we can help you make the decision?

Fixed
thanks Joe!

 

[Jerry1]

If I was thinking of selling the house, as you indicated you are, I’d pull the pool and fill in the hole and be done with it. Also, given its minimal use these days, it seems that the days of pool parties is over. Fill it in.

 

[Breedlove]

Plus ONE , pools are nice but it is nicer when there is no upkeep or repairs . A good friend of ours sold their house and building another . Asked them if they are getting another pool "Hell No " They are getting an above ground spa . When it goes bad they will jerk it out! If you were here in Texas I could give you 4 people within 10 mile. Talk to a small excavating company a couple man company . They do most anything. Big guys will do it for an arm and a tooth.
Tear down haul off for scrap . Those landscape bricks will sell . A couple loads of dirt 100.00 each 200.00 for grass all together approx. less then 800.00 out of pocket . But thousands ahead in upkeep .

 

[HarveyS]

Give it away on C/L, or ask a small amount of $$...someone will buy, and dismantle it themselves. After it is gone, the landscaping will be much easier to deal with.

This is my thought.

 

[rayinpenn]

Best rated landscaper $5500 removed, graded and seeded... i had the CL giveaway idea too but people on my property means liability doesn’t it... i did a swing set that way.. bam gone

Buddy of mine is thinking of filling his in ground pool in. “Biggest mistake of my life”

 

[Breedlove]

5500.00 Sounds high but I live in poor Texas . Tractor work / skid Steer 400.00 a day . One day to take down / haul off . One day to haul quessing 2 loads of dirt 100.00 a load spread by the skid steer . Grass is .90 for 16" X 24 " guessing 200.00
Tractor 1000.00
Haul off 500.00
Dirt 200.00
Grass 250.00 Deld.
Probably a good deal.


Just guessing doesn't look like a big job. We just put in a 300 yard drive way
3 French drains all over 40 feet long , contoured my house . moved a small barn . Put 2 sod waterways on the sides of the driveway . Turnkey 10K four days tractor and excavator work. The river rock for the driveway was 3900.00 / Our dirt was around 1000.

 

[38Chevy454]

Ray, I think you have already decided that the pool needs to go and I would tend to agree with that. But with you being now retired and having more time, is there a reason you can't disassemble the pool yourself and get rid of it? Or do the CL "free if you disassemble" path. It should not be that bad to disasssemble, if the bolts are corroded, just tighten them until they break. It's a lot easier that way.



Do you have access into the backyard for a truck to dump some topsoil into the hole? If yes, then it is an easy DIY to spread the dirt out. If not, it might be best to hire a skid steer guy to bring the dirt back from a big pile dumped in your front driveway. Then you can do the grass seeding yourself. In the end you can DIY most of the job and it won't have a big cost. You might even get it done faster since all the landscaper guys are real busy now that spring has arrived.

 

[euro]

Ray, I think you have already decided that the pool needs to go and I would tend to agree with that. But with you being now retired and having more time, is there a reason you can't disassemble the pool yourself and get rid of it? Or do the CL "free if you disassemble" path. It should not be that bad to disasssemble, if the bolts are corroded, just tighten them until they break. It's a lot easier that way.



Do you have access into the backyard for a truck to dump some topsoil into the hole? If yes, then it is an easy DIY to spread the dirt out. If not, it might be best to hire a skid steer guy to bring the dirt back from a big pile dumped in your front driveway. Then you can do the grass seeding yourself. In the end you can DIY most of the job and it won't have a big cost. You might even get it done faster since all the landscaper guys are real busy now that spring has arrived.

Agreed - this does not look like that big of a project. It certainly doesn't look like a $5500 project! That said, if Ray cannot or does not want to be hands-on, perhaps a couple of more bids will bring the cost down to something more reasonable.
I certainly agree that this should be removed before selling the property. You would be VERY, Very lucky to run into a buyer who actually wants to keep it - and even those, would probably not want to pay extra for it. From a sale standpoint, it needs to go.

 

[pb4uski]

5500.00 Sounds high but I live in poor Texas . Tractor work / skid Steer 400.00 a day . One day to take down / haul off . One day to haul quessing 2 loads of dirt 100.00 a load spread by the skid steer . Grass is .90 for 16" X 24 " guessing 200.00
Tractor 1000.00
Haul off 500.00
Dirt 200.00
Grass 250.00 Deld.
Probably a good deal.


Just guessing doesn't look like a big job. We just put in a 300 yard drive way
3 French drains all over 40 feet long , contoured my house . moved a small barn . Put 2 sod waterways on the sides of the driveway . Turnkey 10K four days tractor and excavator work. The river rock for the driveway was 3900.00 / Our dirt was around 1000.

+1 $5k sounds outrageous... once the pool is gone a couple loads of fill and a load of screened topsoil and a day's work for operator and machine... would probably be $1,500-$2,000 in our area... I would get other quotes. I would offer it on CL and let someone who wants it take it away.

 

[kgtest]

I agree with removing it prior to selling. As a buyer I bid on a property with the costs of me removing the above ground pool in my bid...My realtor advised me any other buyer would likely want it removed also. But if you are going to stay for a while...if/when kids have grandkids it will get used again as if it was back in your own kids heyday. I know because we go over to the in-laws almost every weekend it is warm enough to swim in there pool, and they encourage it, because its costly to run especially for little to no use.

 

[GravitySucks]

Took mine out 3 years ago when the liner went. Could have patch it and pro ably get another 2 years but the chemicals and upkeep are a pain when you travel alot.
$25 sawsall from Harbour Frieght. Hauled the steal and aluminium to the local recycler and got $15 back. I had some fill in the back yard to start and bought maybe $50 worth of dirt and $15 worth of seed.
$5500 sounds high. Maybe rent a BobCat and have some fun.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My parents gave their’s away which was the cheapest and easiest way to do it. Here we hired day laborers to landscape our yard.

 

[Sunset]

I took ours apart when the liner went.

If you look closely, you will see stainless steel screws/bolts that hold it together, and all the pieces come off easily. The hardest part was the actual metal wall, which is just a giant roll of metal.
I cut mine with sheet metal snips (manual scissor type) into 15-20 lengths and rolled it up, tying with some rope like a rolled up carpet.

I put all the metal out at the curb before garbage day, and it was gone in 2 hours.

The liner I bunched up and picked up lots of little brittle pieces and put in garbage bags.

Overall it was a lot easier than I first thought.

 

[rayinpenn]

Searched around got a couple grand knocked off the price..
This is a bobcat kinda job and must be done carefully to bury that stone without making a mess...

I am no fool and know my limits and readily admit we simply not up to it. It would take us a month and I know Id probably hurt myself.

 

[joeea]

Searched around got a couple grand knocked off the price..
This is a bobcat kinda job and must be done carefully to bury that stone without making a mess...

I am no fool and know my limits and readily admit we simply not up to it. It would take us a month and I know Id probably hurt myself.

Yikes, don't bury the stone - have it removed!

And make sure you get a pool removal permit if required in your locale.

 

[Sunset]

There will be a few inches of sand under the actual pool and beneath that sand will be a plastic sheet.
You will want to remove the plastic sheet as it will stop water from draining, otherwise every time it rains there will be puddles in the lawn for a couple of days.

 

[rayinpenn]

There will be a few inches of sand under the actual pool and beneath that sand will be a plastic sheet.
You will want to remove the plastic sheet as it will stop water from draining, otherwise every time it rains there will be puddles in the lawn for a couple of days.

Thanks Ill look out for that

 

[HarveyS]

I'll add 2 cents. Hiring the clean up (stone removal) and back-fill out is smart at this stage. Yes, you could do it. But why risk injury or a week of recovery. Hopefully, CL can find a taker of the pool as is. I wouldn't be worried about the liability - that's what insurance is for. If it really concerns you have the recipient sign a waiver before starting the work. Include there is no $ transacting, and no warranty either.

When it comes time to backfill, make sure they compact the soil very well, or it will settle and leave a depression in the yard that will hold water and not look very nice.

Good luck!

 

[rayinpenn]

I thought you all deserved an up date... finished and seeded yesterday light rain (perfect) today...
Problem what the pool once hid now must be cleaned up..
Adds to my project list but it will keep me busy...

 

[pb4uski]

Well done! What was the cost all in?