To pool or not to pool

[ambientgoat]

What's wrong with our beaches, they're great for kids being shallow and fairly rip free. Then us big kids only need to be in the van for an hour to ride some waves.
I vote shed with pool table and couches in one corner.

[Gaddy]

Do it for sure! When we were looking for our new house a pool was a must!!! We have 5 kids at home and as Jennie said we like the fact that we know where all ours are.. Got a cabana with a big comfy lounge in it and I love sittin up there reading the paper or car mags while the kids are swimming. Also have an outdoor spa too so it's a perfect combo!
As for cleaning, we also have a "Julia" and the pool shop checks our ph etc for free and let's us know what is needed, and I only do a manual vac about twice a month in summer..

[HK1837]

You know Blocker, if you design the pool right you might be able to use part of it as a pit. Drive the car over and work under it in the pool! Just use a floating chair as a tool and beer/spirits can rest. Use compressed air tools though.

[thatotherguy]

I agree with rod and jen but it all depends on your lifestyle if you are never home then its a waste of money we have always had a pool but we do shiftwork so we are home every day after lunch . If you do go ahead with it then budget for solar heating and a pergola too

[TwoTees]

Blocker,
Your boys are around the same as age as my 3 boys. We are currently going down the pool path. For me I would never have bothered but it is all about the kids. People always reflect on the great memories of when they were kids growing up and doing stuff like swimming in the back yard pool and doing stupid stuff with your mates. Alot of kids of today will have fond memories of sitting inside playing computer games. I dont know about your kids but we have a battle keeping them off the PC's and xboxs when we are home so a pool can only be a good thing. I hope!
Plus it could mean we will spend more time at home on weekends and holidays so I might get some more time in the shed.

[L31 Sandman]

I am with GTS! We put an inground pool in 9 years ago, it is a salt chlorinated type and solar heated which allows usage a bit longer, eg november thru to April. It has a creepy crawly thingy going around the bottom and I spend about 10min a week tending to the pool and about once a month I put 1/2 an hour into just going over everything all in one go.
My kids are now 10, 12 and 14 and the pool has been hammered from day 1, the hot nights are great too. The bank manager at the time said the pool might add 1/2 it's costed value to the value of your house but the memories you will have with family and friends will be fantastic. running the pumps is a bit costly and there is no way around it.
I am glad I got one and if I move I will get another one.

[1BadVan]

Hmm have to agree really great memories, yes they are work sometimes, but all of that dissapears when you see a heap of kids in the pool having a good time and doing an activity that is very healthy. We made ours a feature of the backyard landscaped it etc so even when you are not swimming you can see the nice deep blue colour of the pool and the green of the plants. Sometimes the cook and I just sit on the edge me with a beer and her with a wine and we just dangle our feet in it. Some hot summer nights after working in the shed there is nothing better than jumping in the pool before tea washes bog dust off real well. In the moring is also nice before work. I don't know about other pool owners but we use the air con a lot less because of the pool. I think the most depressing thing about a pool is that unless you religiously put the pool blanket on the hose virtually lives in the pool due to evaporation. I think you definetly have to be the right kind of person for a pool they are not for everyone like Fords I suppose.

Cheers Dave

[jennie285]

Blocker,

Plus it could mean we will spend more time at home on weekends and holidays so I might get some more time in the shed.

You blokes always go along with us for your ulterior motives

[Sandman_77]

argh the pool days like these you goota have one, been raining all week so loads of fresh water in there, working away in shed hanging onto grinder and cutting metal, sweating my back side off, lunch time rain is slight but im coverd in shite, so stip of the singlet socks and boots and dive in arghhhhhhhh

It was fresh very fresh and very chilly but lovely, cleaned off did a few laps and stretched the back got out had lunch a fresh again for take two, this arvo repeat the lunch dip ready for dinner this time dark so was able to go .........

Anyway love the pool i forgot its great for the back and yes i swim before work in summer great to stretch back and feel fresh ready for work

[thatotherguy]

IMG_1977.jpg
ok i was wrong this is why you dont buy a pool, saturday we went on a charity cruise and then went to the drags,sunday we went to monaro day so after all that you would think i would be inspired to go into my shed and start working but this is what happened instead