Swimming Pools

[237SJ]

I`m having a preliminary look at properties and I like one that has a swimming pool. I love swimming and would love to have a pool to jump into when the weather`s hot but are they a load of hassle and expense) to upkeep?

[pusskin]

We have very few hot days in England. Hardly worth the hassle surely

[wolf63]

If I had money I would get an indoor one. I can't swim but I'm not going to win the lottery either.

[tamborine]

Not too much if indoors/covered. Depending on size & use chlorine tablets added monthly (no need to change water). Solar panels save on heating costs; we boost oil in winter. Vac cleanse sand in pool from filter weekly.

Welshy here is the builder/maintenance & I pay bills. £250 oil lasts 12-18mts but less now with solar panels. Somewhere on AB I did put up a photo about 1y ago.

[237SJ]

It`s an outdoor one. Covered would be lovely but they don`t seem to go in for those in the SW very much. Looks like it`s doable but not that ideal then.

[Sycamore3House]

My parents had an outdoor one when they had holiday flats in Cornwall. It was really sheltered from the wind by screening conifers around the edge of the pooland was used from April to October each year and covered at night and had solar panels to help with the heating. When it got too cold to use it was left full and uncovered until the following year and took about a week to two weeks (depending on the attention it could get) to get it back clean and safe again.

[tamborine]

Ours is covered by greenhouse with solar panels on metal frames beside.

http://www.greenhousesdirect.co.uk/Greenhouses/Rhino/Premium%208ft/8x20/?gclid=CInJifWDzsUCFQXLtAodWysAtA

[tamborine]

Weve removed flag & 'spaghetti' lights ;) Its a jacuzzi & pool.

http://i57.tinypic.com/2r3hunc.jpg

[mallyh]

mine doesn't cost a lot in up keep i just blow it up when hot and pull the plug when cold lol x

[tamborine]

They save a lot of going abroad for hols, especially during school hols when prices are almost prohibitive for a family.

[237SJ]

Some of these estate agents can be very inventive with their photos. It doesn`t look like a pool that is big enough to swim lengths in. Water rates in the SW are prohibitive as well. Oh well. http://www.tuprop.co.uk/property.php?id=R987

[wolf63]

I can see a little pussy cat who would love that garden.

[237SJ]

As long as she doesn`t fall in the pool, wolf.

[wolf63]

Frankie (pictured) used to birdwatch from a high shelf in the bathroom. Alas he fell down the loo and/or into the bath a few times.

Up here in Scotland an outside pool would be of no use. But if you are that far south it might make sense.

Good luck

[atalanta]

Had one once. It cost more to heat the pool in the summer than to heat the house in the winter. And we didn't get the water very warm, either. Cleaning it was a nuisance. One winter, next door's dog got in the pool, fell under the ice and drowned. All the neighbours' children used to turn up on sunny days in their bathing costumes saying their parents were out so we had to let them stay and swim. Trouble was, they couldn't swim and had to keep getting rescued. Much Much more bother than it was worth.