1Once you decide you want something, like the convenience and luxury of having your own swimming pool, there are few things that can hold you back. Many of these things prove to be myths or misconceptions once you pull back the curtain and learn the truth.
This is exactly what we’re going to do for the 10 most common myths that often hold back hopeful pool owners from pulling the trigger and starting their pool project. Let’s take a look at the truths behind the matter and put to rest all the myths that might be holding you back from starting the process of building your dream pool today. Take a look!
Myth #1: Gunite is way more expensive than other types of pools.
Truth: Not necessarily. A variety of factors will impact the cost of any type of swimming pool including: size, job site access and topography, design, features, materials, and excavation requirements. The unique design flexibility, material durability and longevity that gunite pool projects provide can often offer the most “bang for your buck”.
Myth #2: Building a pool is a long and drawn out process.
Truth: Like any construction project, building a custom gunite pool follows a certain process. However, this process can and often does flow smoothly. Customers can have a large impact on the building process by making clear and efficient decisions on pool design and material finishes in the planning stages of the project. Furthermore, working with a professional pool company with experienced project managers will keep your pool project moving forward seamlessly.
Myth #3: A pool will cause my utility bills to skyrocket.
Truth: It’s true that a pool, especially one that is heated, will indeed increase your electric, water and possibly gas consumption. But smart and efficient use of your pool will not cause your utility bills to “skyrocket” more than what is to be expected. Variable speed pumps, proper hydraulics and pipe sizing, and installing the most efficient heating systems possible are a few of the options we can walk you through to maximize your pool fun and minimize the utility bills.
Myth #4: Learning how to maintain the pH levels of a gunite pool will be hard.
Truth: Like most things in life, there is a learning curve, but once you know what you’re doing it becomes easier. The same is true of managing a gunite pool (or any other type of pool for that matter)! Our pool professionals will teach you how to test the pool water chemistry and make the necessary adjustments. It only takes a few minutes per week to maintain good water quality and a balanced pH in your pool. And if you’d rather hand this off to a professional, we can do that too!
Myth #5: All the decisions involved will stress me out.
Truth: When working with a professional and experienced pool company, many of the major decisions will be made easy because we guide you through every step of the process and provide sound recommendations. It’s our responsibility to offer you the best pool design to meet your wants and needs.
Myth #6: It will feel like a second job communicating with all of these contractors.
Truth: Again, this is a core responsibility of your pool company to be the project manager and make sure everyone is effectively communicating with one another. It’s our job to manage all the moving pieces (see Myth #2) and to keep all parties informed of what’s going on and what the next steps in the project are. We will work hard to ensure that the entire process, from designing your dream pool, continuing on through construction, and splashing in with the first cannonball is an enjoyable one!
Myth #7: Maintaining a pool is hard work.
Truth: It’s fair to expect that there will be certain responsibilities that come with owning a swimming pool, but these do not need to require excessive amounts of your time. Simple and manageable maintenance tasks, like cleaning out your filters and checking your pool’s chemical levels, will only take a few minutes of your time throughout the week. This, compared to the hours you’ll enjoy swimming in your pool each week, is a reasonable trade off.
Myth #8: Maintaining a pool is expensive.
Truth: Every pool we build is sanitized by a salt/chlorine generator. Saltwater pools require only a few bags of salt throughout the season, which are far less expensive than buying chlorine “shock.” Our goal is to put the least amount of chemicals in the pool as possible, which in turn reduces maintenance costs. While there are other costs associated with maintaining a pool, like investing in a quality pool cover to winterize your pool, these are long-lasting investments that are not required annually.
Myth #9: It’s cheaper/more convenient to use a community pool or country club.
Truth: Building your own swimming pool is an investment. While it may seem more convenient or less expensive to continue to use a community pool or a country club, consider the long-term costs and requirements. You will thoroughly enjoy the convenience of walking out your back door to your own, private swimming pool. You are also likely to use it a lot more! Additionally, the cost of other pool memberships quickly add up over the years. You’ll never pay a membership to use your own pool.
Myth #10: Opening and closing a swimming pool each season will be stressful.
Truth: It’s so important to properly prepare your swimming pool for the seasons, whether this is opening it for summer, or closing it for winter. The good news is a professional pool company can make this stress-free for you. Trusting a reputable service company to open and close your pool takes the stress out of this task and may also reinforce warranties provided by your pool builder and pool filter equipment manufacturers.
If you spent this summer dreaming about having your own swimming pool, what’s holding you back? Now that you know most of the common hesitations are myths or misconceptions, let’s start making your pool owning dreams a reality!