Above ground pool: resin vs steel vs aluminum

[Doppel]

I'm going full redneck and going to buy an above ground pool.

I'm choosing between a Aqua Leader "Generation" pool with a "finished steel wall" and "resin structured frame" vs a slightly more expensive Vogue Simbio pool with an aluminum wall and "resin/steel frame". I know aluminum doesn't rust. It eventually oxidizes but probably much slower than a steel wall would rust. However, i see online that some steel pools now are galvanized, so rust matters even less than before. I couldn't tell if this aqua one had galvanized or not, and whether it is now industry standard or not.

I said resin vs. steel vs aluminum, but I suspect that all pools have a metal liner and it is one of those two metals, and all the ones I've seen appear to have resin components as well, right?

Also, these pools have King Technology's Leap Frog pool system that claims to allow chlorine levels at .5 ppm (half the EPA requirement, supposedly). Are these decent? I couldn't find any good reviews on them and would like to hope that the reduction of chlorine is not afforded by giving me some other nasty chemical instead...

 

[lxskllr]

I don't know much about pools, but generally steel is a bad choice around water. Galvanization only delays corrosion. It'll eventually rust. Aluminum dents easier than steel though...

 

[herm0016]

links to pools? usually the liner is like a giant rubber tarp. I would think the aluminum one would be the way to go for the outside structure.

 

[Doppel]

links to pools? usually the liner is like a giant rubber tarp. I would think the aluminum one would be the way to go for the outside structure.

Generation is the aqua leader one, but no mention of anything special for its steel http://www.aqualeader.com/swf/index.html

 

[wischeez]

 

[Doppel]

I'll take this as a vote for steel.

 

[wischeez]

:thumbsup:

 

[SirStev0]

man up and go in ground.

 

[Bubbaleone]

This PDF: Vogue Simbio, shows a detailed view of the the steel wall construction. Given the strength of corrugated steel, and that pool mfgs. have had decades to sort out the corrosion problem, I'd definitely go with steel. Zincguard™ 275 hot-dipped galvanizing with an epoxy resin coating is used by all the quality pool mfgs.

 

[ElFenix]

now that is full on redneck. only thing that could make that more redneck is using a spray on bedliner to prevent rusting

 

[Doppel]

man up and go in ground.

If you give me the extra $20k I absolutely will do this!

 

[BladeVenom]

man up and go in ground.

Consider how many people get sick of taking care of a pool after a year or two. An above ground pool is easier to get rid of.

 

[DigDog]

man up and go ground.

it's an investment; the huge cost is due to the filtration equipment and pump, more than the actual digging and concrete. but it will make your house be worth more by the very amount you spend on the pool. a pool on a property is a "sells immediately" ticket, i'd consider saving and going grand.

 

[lxskllr]

man up and go ground.

it's an investment; the huge cost is due to the filtration equipment and pump, more than the actual digging and concrete. but it will make your house be worth more by the very amount you spend on the pool. a pool on a property is a "sells immediately" ticket, i'd consider saving and going grand.

A pool would be enough for me to reject a house. If I had to have the house bad enough, I'd have to figure in filling the hole, and drop the price accordingly.

 

[Doppel]

man up and go ground.

it's an investment; the huge cost is due to the filtration equipment and pump, more than the actual digging and concrete. but it will make your house be worth more by the very amount you spend on the pool. a pool on a property is a "sells immediately" ticket, i'd consider saving and going grand.

By the time I save up for in ground I'll be dead of old age, it simply isn't happening. I have the cash for an above ground, not in and even if I was handed $25k right now I really wouldn't spend that much on a pool The good thing is my neighbor apparently is trashier than I thought. When I count the number of pools here about 25% of houses have them and 85% are above ground, so I should fit right in. That said, I do open the same offer to you as above, if you give me $20k I'll get the in ground and post pics!

A pool would be enough for me to reject a house. If I had to have the house bad enough, I'd have to figure in filling the hole, and drop the price accordingly.

People say pools hurt the value of a house. I think that's only true in some cases. For you--in fact for most--they don't want a pool, so it would make the house unattractive, but for those who do want a pool certainly it being there would be a bonus. I can't say I'll want to own a pool forever and in a decade might want to remove it and seed over anyway...

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

A pool would be enough for me to reject a house. If I had to have the house bad enough, I'd have to figure in filling the hole, and drop the price accordingly.

This. While it'd be fun it's not worth the time/money spent for the little I'd use it. I don't even see my neighbors use their in ground pool. Yet no telling what it's costing them to run.

 

[sjwaste]

Pools in most markets hurt a home's marketability. It doesn't "reduce" your value necessarily, but it does cause a large number of people to never even see or consider it because they don't want a pool. It's a showstopper for some, so you're then just selling to people that are open to pools. From there, it might be worth more to people that REALLY want one, but to most it's worth the same as a comparable house without it because most can take or leave the pool.

None of the above applies in certain markets. I know from some family in Phoenix that a house without a pool is harder to sell.

 

[herm0016]

Pools in most markets hurt a home's marketability. It doesn't "reduce" your value necessarily, but it does cause a large number of people to never even see or consider it because they don't want a pool. It's a showstopper for some, so you're then just selling to people that are open to pools. From there, it might be worth more to people that REALLY want one, but to most it's worth the same as a comparable house without it because most can take or leave the pool.

None of the above applies in certain markets. I know from some family in Phoenix that a house without a pool is harder to sell.

thats what good about an above ground. just drain and take down, a little grass seed and you are done!

 

[Charlie98]

Also, these pools have King Technology's Leap Frog pool system that claims to allow chlorine levels at .5 ppm (half the EPA requirement, supposedly). Are these decent? I couldn't find any good reviews on them and would like to hope that the reduction of chlorine is not afforded by giving me some other nasty chemical instead...

All the Leap Frog system is, is a mineral cartridge that helps control algae and bacteria, thereby lessening your dependence on chlorine. Cute name, not very mainstream. Nature2 is the leader in this department and it's what I recommend.

Question, and I have to ask... you are not going with a 'salt' system are you?

How many gallons are we talking, here?

As far as construction... either or, the liner is what makes the difference (besides the roubustness of construction.)

Just for the record... I'm a pool guy... and I DON'T have a money pit... er, pool.

 

[DigDog]

twenty grand for a pool?? it used to be half as much :/

 

[Doppel]

All the Leap Frog system is, is a mineral cartridge that helps control algae and bacteria, thereby lessening your dependence on chlorine. Cute name, not very mainstream. Nature2 is the leader in this department and it's what I recommend.

Question, and I have to ask... you are not going with a 'salt' system are you?

How many gallons are we talking, here?

As far as construction... either or, the liner is what makes the difference (besides the roubustness of construction.)

Just for the record... I'm a pool guy... and I DON'T have a money pit... er, pool.

24' above ground, so whatever that amount of water is, with a 5' deep center. The leap frog is just what he happens to be giving us...

At least for now, will not be going with salt. I've swum in a salt pool at a gym before and thought it was awesome, but there is some upfront cost, so for now not bothering.

 

[bignateyk]

Pools in most markets hurt a home's marketability. It doesn't "reduce" your value necessarily, but it does cause a large number of people to never even see or consider it because they don't want a pool. It's a showstopper for some, so you're then just selling to people that are open to pools. From there, it might be worth more to people that REALLY want one, but to most it's worth the same as a comparable house without it because most can take or leave the pool.

None of the above applies in certain markets. I know from some family in Phoenix that a house without a pool is harder to sell.

This ^^

There are some southern markets where having a pool would be a selling point, but pretty much anywhere above the mason dixon line having a pool can make a house harder to sell.

My Aunt had a sweet in-ground pool at her place, and the buyer made them fill it in as part of the agreement.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Consider how many people get sick of taking care of a pool after a year or two. An above ground pool is easier to get rid of.

I have a shithead neighbor who bragged about filling in their beautiful in-ground pool with concrete because it was "too much work." I thought to myself "Why did you idiots buy the house then? Good luck with resale value!" I should've known I was in trouble when he introduced himself and told me that and then told me how the previous owner of my house was "fanatical" about his lawn because he mowed once per week!

 

[Charlie98]

24' above ground, so whatever that amount of water is, with a 5' deep center. The leap frog is just what he happens to be giving us...

At least for now, will not be going with salt. I've swum in a salt pool at a gym before and thought it was awesome, but there is some upfront cost, so for now not bothering.

My concern is replacement components. You have to replace the mineral cartridge every 6 months or so.

Salt has a wow factor and, yes, it looks and feels a little different than a straight up chlorine pool, but I would say 'No' to salt in the most strongest terms. Up-front costs are only part of it, there is maintenance (and, please, don't believe the line about it being 'care-free' or 'maintenance free...' there is more scheduled maintenance to a salt system than chlorine) and the constant addition of muriatic acid to beat down the high pH generated by system itself. And, don't forget... salt water at any level is corrosive... not a good idea for either metal or aluminum. If I had a pool... it would be straight chlorine.

That dimension translates to about 17000gal... pretty big! Is this going to be semi-permanent, or are you taking it down every year?

 

[ThePresence]

This ^^

There are some southern markets where having a pool would be a selling point, but pretty much anywhere above the mason dixon line having a pool can make a house harder to sell.

My Aunt had a sweet in-ground pool at her place, and the buyer made them fill it in as part of the agreement.

I recently bought a house with a pool in NJ. We wanted a pool very much and it was a huge positive for us.