To have or not to have??

[lilly]

Hi all

I would like a swimming pool in our soon to be "new" property, but hubby thinks it might be a tad expensive!! And maybe should wait a year or two before adding one...any thoughts on this and how much we can expect to pay for one.

[Simon]

Depends what you want it for and where you are.

We made it a condition of purchase that we had permission from the Marie to build a pool, but we are in the Var region and with daytime temperatures in the 30C's in summer it was a necessity.  In addition, we wanted to rent out the property and a pool adds about 100% to the rental.

Total costs (but it is built into a slope and required extensive digging into solid rock) were about £20K.  Worth every penny.

Rgds

  

[londoneye]

Simon is quite right - it really depends on what you are going to do with it,a nd where you are.

We have a pool, 4 x 9 roughly, and I think total cost, including terracing is going to be around £15,000 (but then again it was a kit pool and OH is a bit on the handy side, and is doing everything himself).

I was recently in a local M Bricolage and there was a really really nice out of ground pool surrounded by nice wooden decking which was reduced to 2000 euros.   For what is was, frankly the price was unbeleivable.  Of course you couldn't swim in it ( a child could have) but it really was quite large and looked very nice.     You would still have the cost of chemicals of course.

If I was in a different area, and in slightly different circumstances., I would have frankly gone for one like it, rather than spent the money we have spent.   But then again we are only a couple of km from a nice swimming lake.    If you are really a swimmer (which I am) then very few home pools are going to satisfy your craving for a good swim, so you might as well get a nice cooling off pool and go swim properly down the lake.    And if you are anyway not such a good swimmer and don't really intend to swim, or to rent out your property then why pay the money when you can get a lovely cooling off pool for so much less?     You could consider a nice big jacuzzi as an alternative if you are not in a very hot place ?

If you intend to rent out your property on other hand, then I would say yes, definitely get a pool.

[Jo Jo]

Hi,

We have just finished a newbuild in dept24 and from the start new we wanted a pool.  We have two young children who love swimming  and although we are not far from the river, we knew that a pool would be invaluable.  It has cost about 15K pounds to install  a double bubble shaped 9 x 6 ish size with a security cover and solar panel heating (this worked great throughout our visit in August and of course means no extra running costs that an electric heater pump would bring.)  The upkeep is quite costly as we are not resident and have to pay maintenance company to carryout weekly checks, but even taking this cost into consideration I think it was the best decision we made.  When we took possession of the house at the beginning of August, the kids could happily play in the pool whilst we got on with the million and one jobs to be done.

Good luck

Jo

[lilly]

Thanks everyone for your input.. the pool is for our own use as we will be living permanently in France, we will be in the Charante region, only 20 mins from Limoge airport.  I have seen the pools with the permanent covers (semi circle shape) that can slide over in the summer and also means you can use all year round. I am not a confident swimmer so would not swim in a lake, but a pool would be great.

We were thinking that it would cost us roughly £20,000.00. so will have to budget for it. Will take on board what everyone has said.

[ChezShells]

Passed through Rochechouart (Charente) recently and seen one of the big fibreglass looking pools, a good sized one with 12,995 euros on it (or there abouts), i'd have one

Once you have one you wouldn't do without it, nothing like getting into your own pool [:D]

[londoneye]

Hmmmm yes, ChezShells you are probably right, perhaps I am a little surly at the moment about the whole pool scenario, because the weather here has been so rubbish (sorry original poster, you are not that far from us either ....) this summer that we have only actually been in our new pool twice since we commissioned it nearly two months ago.      

I am sure next summer will be great and I will feel totally different about the whole thing !!

[retread]

Hi , Like Jo Jo we have also just finished a new build in the North of Dordogneshire and after a couple of warm summer holidays here decided that a pool was a must have. Neither of us are serious swimmers so an 8X4 pool with a set of roman steps was ordered and has now been installed ready for the winter. plenty of water to keep us refreshed, at 1 metre to 1.7 metres deep ok for us and the grandkids and the occasional keep fitters will be supplied with a length of bungee to stop them running out of pool length.

 The total cost of pool, terrassement, pumps, sterilisor and safety cover was €19500 ready to swim, I am providing my own plage as a quote for c€5500 for 40m2 of slabs etc was considered as far too expensive and because the zone surrounding the pool was made up ground from the build, the pool is on a solid rock base, I believe that at least a year or so must go by while the ground settles before the final landscaping can be completed and this arrangement will allow the soil to settle against the walls rather than the builders method of a reinforced concrete ledge under which the soil would have continued to settle leaving a void.

[La Vette]

We have one, love it, love it, love it, couldnt live without it.  I like to swim every (most) day(s) for the exercise and manage from early april to late october without any heating here in region 24.  When I get in I have to pinch myself to believe it.