Summer is here - which means swimming pool season is here. If as of today, you STILL don’t have a swimming pool in your backyard, its not too late to have one by the end of the season, even in the next few weeks. The average installation for a gunite concrete swimming pool is six weeks, but some simpler designs (like roman, rectangular, or Grecian) can sometimes be installed in as little as two weeks.

If you are looking for a new in-ground swimming pool, consider the layout of your backyard and your budget. If your budget is less then ten thousand dollars, then an in-ground swimming pool is probably not right for you. If you can afford it, an in-ground swimming pool is the best investment you can make in your backyard. It adds dimension to your backyard and can add to the natural beauty of your backyard. In-ground pools are much easier to landscape around and make the design look natural. However, if you have a septic system in your backyard, an in ground pool may not work for you - no matter what your budget.

The typical price for inground swimming pools start at 20 thousand dollars and can go up to over 30 thousand dollars. Gunite concrete swimming pools are the best choice for pools in any area. They are long lasting, easy to maintain, and they last longer than any vinyl or fiberglass swimming pools. Also, guinite pools come in any size or shape as they are all custom built.

When deciding on the design of your new pool, consider its function. Will your pool be used for exercise? Will your pool be used for leisure? Is your pool mainly for children? Make sure you answer all of these question and bring them up to your swimming pool contractor during your initial appointment.  

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A place to cool off on hot summer days. A place for your family to gather. An - swimming pool can be the perfect addition to a home. But, a person selling a home may have a tough time selling the property if the swimming pool is more of a liability then a paradise.

Real estate experts believe that adding a swimming pool to a home can make it harder to sell in places where swimming is not a year round activity. Pools can also make homes harder to sell factoring in the age, condition, and required maintenance of the swimming pool. Swimming pools are usually considered assets to homes in California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. And, above ground swimming pools are even tougher selling points and contribute little if any value to a home - they may even be a liability and subtract value from homes.

In order for a swimming pool to add to the resell value of your home, it must be built properly. Swimming pools do not have to be a deal breaker for people looking to add value to their home, they can actually increase the asking price of a home in states where swimming is not a year round activity such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.

If you are looking to sell your home and you have an in-ground swimming pool, make sure the in-ground pool is clean and free of debris such as twigs, leaves, worms (yuck) and anything else that would make the pool look murky. You should also perform any cosmetic repairs to the swimming pool before you put it on the market such as tile repair, coping repair, and decking repair. Also, for families with small children where safety is a concern, an in-ground swimming pool should always be fenced in, with a self locking gate, and (if possible) an alarm on the fence.

If real estate agents are selling homes with pools, they should KNOW the pool they are selling. Ask the homeowners about the age of the pool, the maintenance involved, who was the swimming pool contractor, is the pool still under warranty, etc. The more knowledgeable you are about the swimming pool, the more confident the buyer will feel when making the purchase. Swimming pools come with the stigma of ‘amazing power consumption’ and ‘hours of maintenance’. The more prospective buyers understand every aspect of the swimming pool, the more it will become a selling point vs. a liability.

With the advent of the popular television show “Flip That House”, we all understand the benefits of ’staging’. For those readers unfamiliar with staging it is basically making the home look liveable and beautiful. The same staging concept should be used on your swimming pool. Set up deck chairs, tables, add landscaping around the pool, etc. For pools that require major maintenance, don’t be afraid to spend money to refurbish the pools. New aggregate plaster coatings, building a pool house as an accent, adding new tile, etc.

And, we hate to say it, some people don’t want swimming pools. Before the homeowner of the realtor makes the decision, gauge the buyers and see if they are turned off by the swimming pool or the home. If the consensus is the pool, look into removal. Above ground pools can be sold on local classified boards such as craigslist. In-ground pools require more time for removal as construction equipment needs to get to your backyard, pool must be torn out, hole back filled, land regraded, and new grass or sod planted.

We believe swimming pools are a great accent to any home!

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Just last night (Monday June 2, 2008) a toddler died in a swimming pool just outside of Fresno California. Here are the details:

1. The child died minutes after he was pulled from the pool.
2. No one is sure exactly how long he was in the swimming pool
3. The child of the mother and the child’s grandfather were both at home when the incident occurred.

We believe every swimming pool death in this country can be prevented. In this case, the owners did not have a fence around their pool. While some boroughs and counties require pool owners to have a fence around their pools, others do not. Fresno California is located in an area where it is not mandatory for in-ground swimming pools to be protected by fences. When our pool contractors visit a home to “sell” a swimming pool, we discuss pool safety as much as we discuss design.

Many accidents, like this one, could have been prevented with more initial planning. Even the most responsible parents are not able to keep an eye on their children 24/7. For instance, look at public swimming pools where lifeguards are paid to watch pools - accidents still happen. With a little preventative planning such as a pool fence, automatic covers, and even readily accessible flotation devices, all pool builders can do their part to reduce unnecessary accidents like this one in this country.

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Welcome to the Poseidon Swimming Pool contractor information blog. Through these blog entries, we will try to inform the reader about swimming pools. We will introduce new building tips, tips about maintaining your inground pool, and news from the swimming pool industry. Check back often for all of the information you will ever need about pools!

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