KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER BEFORE ADDING SWIMMING POOL
Decide if it’s a worthy home investment and one of value before starting project
Besides being on my boat, one of my favourite summertime activities is having my kids and grandkids come over for a barbecue and pool party. Believe me, nothing beats being the grandpa with a pool in the summertime.
Have you been eyeing a pool for your home, picturing lots of parties and events? Or perhaps you’re looking to add some value to your home? Before you take the plunge, make sure you know what you’re getting into when it comes to your new pool. It may seem like a good idea, but at the end of the day, you might not get out of it what you expected.
DOES IT ADD VALUE?
A lot of homeowners think that adding a swimming pool is a smart investment that will increase the selling price of their home.
In some cases, your pool could actually scare away some costconscious buyers. Swimming pools come with a lot of costs that go beyond their installation.
Additional costs come from heating and lighting the pool area — and you may find that your electrical system needs to be upgraded to accommodate your pool.
Don’t forget the regular maintenance! When you factor in the added costs of chlorine, your pH testing kit, filters and more
— you start to see your money swim away. If you hire someone to handle your pool maintenance, that’s going to cost you, too. I’m not saying don’t build a pool — just be aware that it’s probably going to cost more than you anticipated in the long run.
Your swimming pool can provide a lot of personal value for you and your family.
But that value will come from the enjoyment you get through its use. If you’re planning on staying in your home for years to come, a pool can be a great investment. But if you’ve got a move on the horizon, use that money to fund projects that will increase the sale price instead.
A new roof, a finished basement, or even an upgraded HVAC system may be better places to spend that money.
KEEPING YOUR POOL CLEAN
Like I said, I love my pool, but it takes a lot of work to keep clean. Of course that’s all worth it when my grandkids come for a visit in the summer. If you’re handling your own maintenance, there’s a general schedule of events you should follow to keep it clean and working well.
You’ll need to skim your pool surface every couple of days. This is one of the simplest jobs to keep the pool clean. Any floating debris will eventually become saturated with water and sink, becoming harder to clean. Clean out those skimmer baskets once a week.
Vacuum your pool weekly to keep the water clean — and reduce the amount of chemicals needed to keep it running. Don’t forget to clean the pool walls and tile to keep the scum line at bay.
Test your pool water regularly (check around twice a week).
You want to be monitoring the water level, pH balance, chlorine levels and more. The water level shouldn’t ever dip below your skimmer.
You’ll naturally lose some of the water level through evaporation and splashing around.
But if you’re refilling the pool weekly, this could be an indication of a pool leak.
If the liner starts to leak, you’ll want a professional to come in and replace it as soon as possible.
This is a job that can take up to four weeks, so make a call to your pool guy sooner rather than later.
When water gets behind the liner, it will start to rust the pool wall — and that’s going to be way more costly in the long run than your liner replacement.
ARE YOU
POOL PARTY READY?
Is a new pool on the horizon this year? Before you plan a grand opening on the Canada Day long weekend, make sure your contractor has enough time to properly install your new pool.
Never plan renovations around specific dates (like holidays, weddings or long weekends) because delays can happen and postpone your project.
You don’t want to be firing up the grill for all your family and friends while there’s a giant hole in your backyard.
Wait for the project to be finished, and then invite everyone over to splash around.
Watch Mike Holmes in his series, Holmes Makes It Right, on HGTV. For more information, visit makeitright.ca.