Talk me out of filling in my inground pool

[Suger Mag]

Gah... last year I did not get it operational (pump and weather). Now feeling a little overwhelmed as there so much work ahead of me for this year to get it operational... really tempted to fill it in and say 'Sayonara'. Would love a conversion into a pond, water flow is not an issue, as due to a very productive well, we have a lot of water and it has an overflow into the nearby creek. Being in Massachusetts we do not get a lot of swimming days but when we do it is nice to have. I am just having a hard time justifying the expense for how little we use it. (electricity to run the pump is about 400 more a month) At this point I feel like I am really just holding out for grandkids someday

Anyone got any of those 'Green Pools" Thoughts both good and bad?

Anyone fill in their pool and feel free?

Anyone fill in their pool and regret it?

 

[barkley]

i would run ALL the numbers-

electricity
maintainance
homeowner's insurance
property taxes (you might give a call to your assessors office and find out how much of your value is related to it-and how much it could decrease your bill to eliminate it).

i would have to balance if i planned to sell in the reasonable future and if i lived in an area where a pool brings/adds value to resale vs. brings none/decreases value.


p.s. for a pond keep in mind for a man made pond that some kind of filtration system is ideal to keep it from becoming less than desireable (by smell and appearance) and also you might want to explore what kind of chemicals you can and CANNOT use to abate mosquitos and other annoying pond critters.

 

[kdonnel]

My wife has wanted a pool most of her life.

I think she would cry if I mentioned you potentially filling in your pool.

But I understand. I think pools are like boats. They get a lot of usage the first year or two and then for many just start to feel like a burden.

 

[easyas123]

hmmm....well there is a lot to be said for what would make YOU happy in this moment. If it was fixed up and filled with water would you enjoy it or would you think to yourself "uh, I should use the pool since I spent the $$ & time" and it would become a chore to enjoy it? Would you enjoy the pond more?
Also - is it a newer pool or older? If you were to put your house on the market in the next year would it bring value or would it be something a potential buyer would have to deal with - be it fill it in, fix or replace entirely?
I wouldn't do it for possible future grandkids.
As I type this I'm looking at the zoning certificate application I just submitted to my local planning & zoning for a pool in my back yard we are building this summer so I'm at the beginning of my pool after thinking about it for several years.
I say do what brings you enjoyment and happiness. Would that be fixing up and enjoying a pool or would that be not having the hassle of fixing it up and dealing with all that goes into the maintenance of a pool?

 

[_19disnA]

Friends have a pool and it seems rather expensive to maintain along with the daily/added work. Cost of chemicals/heating and general equipment upkeep. Seems every year or two they need pricey service on the pump/heater/filtration system as something isn't working/broken or needs repair. Need to clean the surface daily from bugs/leaves/etc. Have to ask how often you & your family use it to see if it really worth all that extra time/$$$ for upkeep. In the northern part of the country, the effective season for pools is Memorial Day thru Labor Day. Keeping the water heated can get really expensive as well. Know some others who got rid of their inground pool once their children had grown and moved out. Just no longer worth it to them.

I also wouldn't use the potential of grandchildren some number of years into the future as a main reason to keep it.

 

[Suger Mag]

it is a 50+ year old pool. Definitely have gotten our money's worth, It can be a lot of fun, and a lot of dread, When you are simply enjoying a pool it is fabulous, but when you are the caretaker of a pool it is often less about enjoyment and more about what is wrong now....

Not heated, sand filter with Baqucil chemical system. It has had lining replaced a couple of times over those 50 years.... but it will need some work in the coming years.. new liner etc. I will give it a go this summer and see if I can get it back up. It is been my family home (no plans to sell, my kids will get the Casa). I kept it going for my mother as she enjoyed it so, but now it is really sitting there.

 

[BrianL]

I hear ya - mine has been a disaster and I didn't get it open last year either. It used to be fun to have, but these days I'm hardly ever in it. I have wanted to fill it at times, but also it is a nice to have. I also have an old-style vinyl liner type (the big rectangle with a 10 foot deep end). The liner isn't that old, but I need to repari some of the plumbing around the pump. I always say one of these days, but something else always comes up too. I may have a guy come look at it this year.

 

[Nayan]

Mine is coming out. We don't really use it, it's older and needs A LOT of help (it's one that does not have a liner) and it's just an eyesore now. I can't wait until it's gone.

If you are deciding to fill it in instead of removing it fully, check your insurance. Some companies will still consider you having a pool even if it's been knocked in and covered with dirt/grass instead of being exhumed (all traces gone).

 

[Dan Murphy]

Like a boat. Best days are the first day, and then the day it is gone.

 

[Pooh2]

We have a family member who filled in their pool last summer and are thrilled too not deal with the work and expense this summer. Our season is so short and it took up most of their yard so they are now planning on gardening in that area.

We looked at getting a pool when our kids were young but ended up getting a pool pass to a local pool and a state park season pass instead. Much cheaper and more relaxing!

 

[Magical2017]

We had a fiberglass pool when I was growing up. It was work but we lived in CA and were able to use it for much of the year. When our kids were little, we talked about getting an inground pool. We have an enormous backyard. DH was opposed, and we ended up becoming members at a local pool, instead. In hindsight, I am glad we went with the membership. I don't want to deal with anything extra right now.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Detailing the associative costs is an excellent idea but so is figuring out if the pool increases the value of your property. I’d check comparables before filling in the pool.

 

[easyas123]

Are we the only ones who use our boat(s)????????

 

[princesscinderella]

If you lived in Fl or somewhere you can use a pool year round I would say keep it. Living up north and only using it 4-5 months of the year added that its 50+ years old I'd fill it in and put in a fire pit instead which can be enjoyed year round.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We have an above-ground pool, and I do occasionally fantasize about getting rid of it. But right now, we're still using it enough to justify it.

All I can say, is make a pro and con list with everyone in the house, and go with the gut consensus.

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you lived in Fl or somewhere you can use a pool year round I would say keep it. Living up north and only using it 4-5 months of the year added that its 50+ years old I'd fill it in and put in a fire pit instead which can be enjoyed year round.

I'd actually go further and remove it fully before filling it in. 50+ year old pool is a money pit waiting to happen and if I was a buyer in the NE, I'd never buy a home with a pool or remnants of a pool (I'd want the whole thing gone).

 

[HeatherC]

Would it cost a lot to convert to salt water? Reason I am asking is we also live in MA but have an above ground salt water. It is very easy to take care of. When we open it, we vacuum it out, start the filter and dump in about 7-8 bags of pool salt. That makes the chlorine and keeps it going all summer. If we have a party or heavy use days I may throw some shock in. But we don’t spend anyother money on chemicals really. When we go on vacation I also throw a capful or two of algaecide in just in case the filter stopped working while we were away.

 

[Micca]

Are we the only ones who use our boat(s)????????

Mine took up too much space in the pool

 

[Suger Mag]

I hear ya - mine has been a disaster and I didn't get it open last year either. It used to be fun to have, but these days I'm hardly ever in it. I have wanted to fill it at times, but also it is a nice to have. I also have an old-style vinyl liner type (the big rectangle with a 10 foot deep end). The liner isn't that old, but I need to repari some of the plumbing around the pump. I always say one of these days, but something else always comes up too. I may have a guy come look at it this year.

that is my style too

 

[RedAngie]

I had an inground pool in LA. We used it a lot the first two years then the novelty wore off and it became more of a burden and wasn’t used very much.

No more pools for me. I wouldn’t consider buying a house with one.