New Swimming Pool

[Nearly Retired (I am now)]

 

I've visited this site for over a year now and here's the first posting.

We bought our holiday house in the Charente Maritime last October and are about to take the plunge and have a 10m x 5m in-ground pool installed. We've never had a pool before and know little about all the pros and cons. The two quotes we have to date are both around €30 000 including a 2m wide paved terrace all around.

 

If anyone has experience of pool installation and maintenance then all your views would be very much appreciated.

Questions: What treatment system? How do you maintain it when you you only visit every 6 weeks or so? Does the pump system still run in winter? Is one pump/pipe at one end enough for a pool this size to keep it crystal clear and clean? All pools in this size seem to need a liner, but the frame can be steel, aluminium or concrete - is any one preferable? How much does one cost to run?

 

I could go on all day with questions but maybe a few "experts" can help with questions we've not even thought about.

 

Thanking you in anticipation and what a great informative site.

 

 

[Mikey]

Try contacting hendo from this site. he knows his stuff and as Ive found from experience is very very helpfull.

[Eslier]

WATER TREATMENT:

You've mentioned that you would like "crystal clear water" and the best system for achieving the clearest water is a Diatemous Earth Filter. They take a bit more looking after than a simple sand filter but the water quality is fantastic.

POOL MAINTENANCE:

In my experience, to keep a pool at its best it will need some loving care and attention every day during the swimming season. I really don't know how people manage who just get someone to call in once a week. A week of neglect, especially in hot weather, is enough for the pool to become minging. If you aren't going to be there all the time then be prepared to pay someone to call in at least every two or three days.

RUNNING THE PUMP:

You can run the pump all year around if you wish which will mean you don't need to "hivernage" your pool but this would probably not be cost effective. With a pool you will probably want to make sure you are on TEMPO electricity to enjoy the half price "blue days" from April to October. In this case you certainly wouldn't want to be running your pump on the "red days" in the winter !

NUMBER OF SKIMMERS:

One sounds a bit feeble for that size of pool but it has more to do with the volume of water than anything so if your pool is only 1m deep all the way through then it might be ok. We have a 75 cubic metre pool which is 11m x 5m and have two skimmers plus a base outlet.

FRAME:

Concrete is what you want.

RUNNING COST:

This will depend a lot on the outside temperature in the summer and to what temperature you want to heat it. A "heat pump" using Tempo electricity will almost certainly be the cheapest option unless you are going down the solar route. For electriciy, chemicals etc. you probably need to allow around 500/600€ ish per season - plus of course the cost of your pool maintenance man or woman.

Hope that is helpful. Happy swimming.

[Poolguy]

Hello Happy Retired People

(Thanks for the thumbs up Mickey)

Certainly I will help you as much as I can, certainly I'm in the same department so it shouldn't be difficult.

It sounds to me like you have dome a lot (some) research already and if you have a number of quotes you are aware of some of the systems on offer. I could understand if you have arrived at planet 'confusion' in the solar system 'indecision' after reading some of the claims made by manufacturers and installers.

I like to keep things as simple as possible - by simple I mean easy. Is anything in the pool business easy? Well it can be but you do have to make some definite choices.

You have asked some rather open ended questions and the answers and subsequent debate could go on for a time here as they have done in the past (see previous threads).

However, one question that can be 'nailed' quite quickly is the 'look after the pool when I'm not here' question. I have to say the answer is an automatic pool controller (chlorine/ph) along with a robotic vac and a good security cover. With this combination, long periods of unattendence, winterising, summerising, intensive use, hot weather, cold weather, none of these matter at all as the system is smart enough to cope, and more accurate and reliable than any maintenance man/woman.

If I can help you with specific question feel free to email or PM, I am here to help and if you want me to call out, then I will and have done for other members.

Andrew