Summer is on the way and you’re tired of always sending the kids to Grandma’s to use her swimming pool. It’s about time you have a pool of your own. The only problem is there’s no money tree growing next to the site of your new pool. You need to approach this project economically so you don’t go off the deep end of your household budget.
A good starting point is to accept that you don’t need to do everything at once. And, don’t feel like you need the biggest and best of everything. You’re going to enjoy your pool for many, many years to come, so treat it like a long-term project. Here are four ways to dive into your own backyard pool project.
Size matters
Bigger is always better, right? Not necessarily, but bigger is always more expensive. Just because you have room for a gigantic pool doesn’t mean you need one. Think about how your pool is likely to be used – who will use it and how often – and plan accordingly. A modest sized pool may be all you need.
Add a patio or decking later
Of course, you want a beautiful new patio to go with your beautiful new pool, but maybe it’s not in the budget. Fortunately, a bare bones pool is just as swimmable as a pool with elaborate decking. Put the pool in this year and make the patio next year’s project.
Don’t buy a heater
Pool heaters and the money to operate them are one of the most expensive components of a pool. We’re not saying don’t buy a heater ever, just don’t buy one now. If you go a season or two without a heater, you may find that you really don’t need one at all. And if you do decide you want a heater, you’ll be in a much better position to evaluate your options based on your time without one.
Plan (and plumb) for the future
If you’re planning to add a slide, fountain or other water feature later, make sure you do the plumbing now. This will add to the initial cost of your pool, but it will save you thousands of dollars later when you’re ready to add those features.
Building a backyard pool is like any other large project. Break it up into achievable, affordable steps and you’ll improve your odds of success.
