Tag: Pool Costs

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New Pool Construction News Pool Maintenance

The Best Time to Plan and Build Your Pool

We’re Always Up for a Pool!

We’re going to spoil this article right away by saying that Precision Pool and Spa plans and installs pools all year round. Even in Rochester, NY, we are building gunite pools 12 months out of the year. That being said, our outdoor pool construction is subject to weather and it slows down in February. If we were waiting around to build pools, we would tell you that there are more enjoyable times to build. As it stands, we have a current project list of pools we are constructing and can give you an estimate of when we can start on your pool based on when you commit to the project.

Pool Planning and InstallationThe Best Time to Start Planning

Planning a pool during winter and into early spring is a good idea – we’d say February at the latest – because weather brings us inside more to talk over options. Pools are large, time-consuming projects with lots of variables in play, and taking the time to make decisions before we get to the next phase will help to move the project along that much smoother.

Benefits Before the Thaw

  • When that first thaw kicks in, we are moving twice as fast. By the time the snow is gone completely we are fully engaged in the construction process. Planning during the cold months gives you enough time for everything to go smoothly so we can move quicker to make it happen.
  • You’ll get a better place in builders’ schedules during the spring, if we already had the project underway going into the cold season.
  • By planning during early winter we can make that pool happen the upcoming season.
  • Mud is worse than snow.

The Best Season for Installing Your Pool

Just for a reality check, depending on the scope of your project, the construction of your pool will probably take multiple seasons. If we have a wet spring, it makes it difficult to get heavy equipment in place to dig, so many times we will get started while the ground is frozen. If you ask us when our favorite time is to construct pools, we love working in the fall. Autumn conditions make it more enjoyable to do the labor involved with construction. The ground is dry and the air is cooler, making it easier for us to spray concrete all day without filling your pool with sweat.

Autumn Benefits:

  • Everything is better – digging, pouring, and curing.
  • Dry ground is predictable and allows us to move quicker.
  • Wearing a full suit and a mask while in the bottom of a pool, throwing gunite at 3,000 psi is exhausting and the season offers an ounce of relief.

Upstate NY Pool Planning?

If you want your pool to be ready for summer, talk to us the fall before and commit before winter hits. Let us have a solid design and plan ready before spring arrives.

Things to Do First

To help make your project go smoothly, there are some things you can do before you start planning your pool or spa in earnest.

  • We recommend putting serious budget and thought into landscaping and how you want to use your yard, not just the pool. We have worked with many landscaping companies around Rochester and ironically their schedule is more limited by weather than ours.
  • Think about the structures you want. Lighting, plants, steps, ramps, fences, and more all need to be planned for.
  • Collect things you do and do not like and save those images for our discussions. It helps us build a visual for your upcoming design.

Precision for Perfection

The right time to ask us questions about planning and installing a pool is always YESTERDAY. Waiting for an ideal season isn’t an actual thing because the one thing we can’t control is the weather. Knowing what decisions have to be put in motion, we can get to your project sooner, if you let us start planning yesterday.

Categories
New Pool Construction News Pool Maintenance

Maintenance: The Real Cost of a Swimming Pool?

What Does a Swimming Pool *Actually* Cost to Maintain? 

There are costs of maintaining a pool that are easy to forget or overlook. Here we cover some of the materials, time, and costs of maintaining a pool that you might have missed. Of course, your results will vary, but this will give you a general picture. As always, call us up and we’ll work up an accurate quote for you.   

A quick search online and you find estimates place the annual cost of owning a swimming pool at $3,000 to $5,000, some websites place it at anywhere between $4,000 to $12,000 a year, maybe more. The numbers are so inconsistent, we wanted to help define what goes into maintaining a pool annually. 

There are costs associated with opening a pool, closing a pool, insurance, cleaning, repairs, and then some things you can’t predict. If you stay regular with maintenance, it is relatively predicable in the scope of budget. Whether you do the work yourself or have a professional maintain your pool, its important to know where the costs come from. 

Common Swimming Pool Costs 

Every pool and its surroundings are different, but there are some consistent factors to consider when planning maintenance costs for a swimming pool. We’ve placed them into three categories: materials, expenses, and time.   

Pool Maintenance CostsMaterials for Maintaining a Pool 

There are lot of physical materials you’ll need to factor in to an estimate for a swimming pool. Some of these are: 

  • Pool covers are a sound investment to protect your pool from weather and outside contaminants, and to protect humans and wildlife from your pool. Every pool we maintain needs to have a safety cover and if properly maintained it will last you many years. 
  • A startup kit. We are bundling a pool net, vacuum brush, and test kit into this category because every pool we build comes with one of everything you need to get started.
  • Filters, whether sand filters, cartridge, or diatomaceous earth filters  
  • Electricity to run items like swimming pool pumps and heaters  
  • Chemicals like algae killers, chlorine and/or bromine, and stain or oil removers, which need to be added at proper intervals. Balance them right, and you won’t need to spend more to correct them. 
  • Liability insurance – it may not be a tangible item, but proper coverage is essential for swimming pool owners to have coverage on their home owners plan. 

Expenses of Maintaining a Pool 

Swimming pool cost varies according to the type of pool, what it’s used for, and frequency of use. Here are some things to take into account when calculating expenses for your swimming pool:   

  • Indoor pools versus outdoor pools: Indoor pools are much easier to maintain as they are not exposed to weather and outdoor debris or even the sun which reduces cleaning and chemicals. 
  • Pool size: Are you getting a small spa or hot tub, a “spool” hybrid, or an Olympic-sized swimming pool with deep end and diving boards?   
  • Pool design: A rectangular tiled pool will be less complex to clean and maintain than an irregularly-shaped lagoon with rocks and vegetation. Add on features like fountains or waterfalls and it changes what we need to maintain.     
  • Quality of your pool technicians: You might pay less for a low-paid, minimally-experienced pool technician, but you can’t be sure they fully understand the construction materials, chemistry, plumbing, and electricity needed to keep your pool clean, beautiful, and above all, safe.   

Time for Pool Maintenance 

Some elements of pool maintenance can be done in minutes, some take time. Some need to be done frequently, some every few months, and some pool maintenance tasks only need to happen once a year. Many you can do yourself; but some need a professional. These are some types of pool maintenance work to include in a time estimate: 

  • Opening & Closing – Annually the pool needs to be opened and prepped for winter properly. 
  • Draining the pool – If you maintain your pool, you might not need to drain it completely for years. Never leave a pool drained in our climate over the winter. If something happens and maintenance work does need to happen, draining the pool takes up a lot of time. 
  • Check the chemicals. This is the shortest most valuable time spent with your pool. Testing the pool chemistry on a regular basis will keep you pool balanced and your wallet happy. 
  • Backwashes are still a thing with sand filters. Taking the time to properly maintain the filter is a weekly task you don’t want to miss. 
  • Cleaning the pool’s surface regularly will keep you from needing to fix stains with harsher chemicals later.
  • Skimming the pool to remove surface debris, which should be done at least weekly. If you are surrounded by trees, this turns into your daily routine. 

Adding It All Up 

We are a full-service pool construction, installation, and maintenance company. Contact us today for a quote specially tailored for your pool. We’ll help you build a maintenance plan for your swimming pool maintenance needs and budget.   

When choosing a company for your swimming pool maintenance, look for a business with a track record of good reviews. Look for people who take pride in their work, who don’t cut corners, and who notice and correct small issues before they can grow.     

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New Pool Construction News Pool Maintenance

Common Mistakes in Pool Design

Top Mistakes in Pool Design

Pool Design: Jumping Right In

Designing your pool doesn’t need to be a complicated task. You might have an idea of what you want it to look like, but how do you get there? We want you to have a clean, beautiful pool that you can enjoy safely for many years, not one that’ll put you in a place of debt and disappointment. We get to design and guide both homeowners and businesses through the process of matching the pool design to their lifestyle every day.

Backstroke or Butterfly?

When you start planning a pool, there are a lot of things to consider and a lot of boxes to check. Some of the questions we ask are:

  • Do you want to swim laps, splash around, or catch the rays on a float? Swimming for fitness versus play greatly affects the size, shape, and depth of your pool.
  • Do you have children? Safety is our top priority, and we take extra precautions to keep little ones safe while we design a pool appropriate for their use and a pool that grows with them for years to come.
  • What kind of space are we working with? A wide-open, flat yard offers more freedom than a smaller space with trees that will drop debris where hills give us unique design ideas for waterfalls and more.

These are only a few of the factors that we keep in mind. Sometimes knowing what not to do gives us a better idea of what to do. Let’s cover some of the more common mistakes and how to avoid them in pool design.

Sloppy Budgeting

You might think that you’re taking everything into consideration when budgeting to build a pool, but it’s worth engaging a professional to take a look at your project. A well-planned pool can add a lot of value to your property and a lot of enjoyment to your leisure time, but not being thorough with your budget can turn that pretty lagoon into a giant money pit. We suggest:

  • Budget for maintenance. We can help you find the right sanitation system and put the right tools in place to keep your pool pristine in a manageable way.
  • Experience = value. While we can tell you that mistakes cost money and try to give you a guide on how to avoid them, an experienced eye on the project will spot mistakes we can’t cover in any guide.
  • Budget for value. Consult with professionals like your financial advisor and real estate agent to get an idea of how much a pool or spa could affect your financial outlook. Pools can make a property harder to sell, so if you are planning on selling your property, a pool could be a liability.

Design Overdose

Pool design impacts more than just use. Choosing the wrong design can make your pool impossible to maintain as well as increasing cost. It’s easy to go overboard on making your pool beautiful, as there are all kinds of attractive options, like waterfalls, fountains, decorative stonework, tanning ledges, and more. We’ll help you come up with the perfect combination to make your pool or spa look great while staying within budget.

Think about what you’re actually going to use. We bring a very realistic approach to pool design and having a deep end to a pool that nobody really uses any more, can move that financial dial by thousands. Are you planning to socialize poolside? Maybe a free-edge design that facilitates movement would be better than a long rectangle. Do you want your pool to be the defining feature of that space or would you rather have it compliment your surroundings?

Whether you like it sleek and minimal or are set on a adventure paradise, making smart design decisions from the beginning will make you much happier with the end result.

The Danger Zone

Not accounting for local zoning laws is a mistake that is sure to sink your pool before ground is broken. Treat it like you would another home construction project and get your building permit in order. New York building permits must account for environmental factors like the water table and where the sewer lines are. Every New York pool built or altered after December 2006 must include equipment like a state-approved alarm and a secure barrier around the pool to prevent entry, with inspections conducted multiple times throughout construction.

Precision Pool and Spa is well-versed in New York zoning laws for swimming pools and will help you make sure that everything is approved and complies with local regulations.

Swim with the Big Fish

We love seeing our clients’ dreams for their ultimate pool or spa come true, and to make that happen in the most efficient way possible, it helps for us to be involved from the beginning. That way, we can guide design the process as well as the pool to streamline your project from start to finish.

Dave always says, “It’s always about finding the right VALUE to the project.”

Talking with a professional in the early stages of planning your pool or spa reduces mistakes that will drain your budget, waste your time, and slow progress. We want to avoid all of that. Whether we are designing a backyard spool or hotel lodge retreat we design the pool to match your needs and make sure to get the right value out of the project.

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News Pool Maintenance

Salt Water Pools are Chlorine Pools

We build salt water pools. Before we start every salt water project, we start by educating you as to why we don’t build more. 

A salt water pool sounds so natural, like the ocean. And healthier than chlorine, right? The truth is that a salt water pool is a chlorine pool. The part that keeps your pool clean is chlorine, but instead of going to the source and using chlorine, a salt water pool extracts the chlorine from the salt using electrolysis. 

Read more on Salt Water Chlorination 


How do Salt Water Pools Work?

A salt water pool uses a salt chlorine generator to convert the salt water into chlorine, which then becomes your pool’s sanitizing agent. The salt chlorine generator is attached to the pool’s filtration system, catching the flow of salt water as it flows through. 

The salt water enters one side of the generator, which sends a low-voltage current to create a reaction that converts the salt into chlorine. For the science nerds out there, chlorine then mixes with water and produces hypochlorous acid, which actually does the cleaning. It’s easier to give chlorine all the credit. 


Why we aren’t fans

People in Rochester “get it” because they watch what salt does to, well everything. It erodes metal, attacks concrete and now when you add an electrical charge in the water it becomes a corrosive mess of keeping your pool nice. Try watering your lawn with salt water, and you don’t have a lawn, so we need to consider your surrounding landscaping as sacrificial in the design process. 

What’s different, can I choose later?

You need all different equipment to run a chlorine pool. Everything metal has to be coated or made of stainless to help slow down the corrosion process due to exposure. The chlorine generator is going to last you a few years and then you need to start replacing it, every few years. Most of them are only warrantied for 2 years, knowing they are going to corrode.

So why do people want salt pools?

We almost forgot, we were here to tell you how wonderful your new pool will be. 

Salt water pools are so “In” right now. It’s trendy and we saw it on Pinterest, which is how you found this. We hate to say it but it’s true. The same reason that people try trendy diets, because it’s the cool thing to do. 

There are actual positives of owning a salt water pool. Annually, you have less investment to keep them balanced. Salt is cheaper than chlorine and the system balances itself out rather nicely. It’s like buying ingredients to make your own bread to cut down on your annual cost of bread. 

I’m allergic to Chlorine

News flash: everybody is allergic to chlorine. In concentrated forms it is very caustic and we take it very seriously. Perhaps you jumped in a public pool after they shocked it and had a reaction or perhaps you are super sensitive to chlorine. Let us know. A properly balanced pool doesn’t smell like chlorine, or make your eyes burn. 

Considering all expenses, using a salt chlorine generator in your pool costs about the same as traditional chlorine. With that said, as the salt water system itself is more complex than that of a traditional pool, it will require more maintenance, even for something that may be considered a minor problem.

Categories
News Pool Maintenance

Why You Need a New Pool Pump

It might be time for a new pool pump. Most people wait until their pool pump dies before they look for a replacement, but it might be the one thing that saves you money if you do it sooner than later. This might go against everything you have been raised on, but..Replacing your single speed pump with a variable speed pump gives your pool a quieter, more efficient circulation system that ultimately will save you money.


How can a pump that costs more, save money?

The difference in pumps is exactly how it sounds: a single-speed pump operates at one speed no matter what type of work it is performing, while a variable-speed pump can be adjusted to achieve the ideal filtration flow rate with the least amount of energy consumption. Basically, variable speed pumps work efficiently and effectively, while single-speed pumps run constantly at maximum flow rate, consuming HIGH energy often around the clock, and a majority of the time providing too much circulation than the pool filtration system actually needs. Yes, there is waste, even in pool pump energy. 

According to a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a pool pump can be the second largest energy user — and most often is the largest energy user — in the home. Switching to a variable speed pump, however, can reduce pool pump energy use by 50 to 75 percent (or even more depending on your usage factors). In addition to saving energy, variable speed pumps are noticeably quieter, require less maintenance, last longer, and, through slower water filtration rates, allow for better and more effective filtration of the pool water.

There are other benefits to changing pumps, beyond just energy savings. The slower circulation rates also put less strain on the filters, plumbing, and other parts of the system, which reduces the chance of leaks, repairs, or premature plumbing component replacement.

Overall, upgrading your pool pump to a variable speed model will protect your pool better, enhance your swimming enjoyment, and save you money in the long run. Variable speed pumps do cost more than single speed, but the energy savings achieved by the upgrade typically pay for the higher cost within the first year. 

How do I know?

Check you pump model and power ratings. Our friends at Pentair have devised a pump calculator which will determine how much more efficient your system can run with the new variable speed pumps.

Pool Pump Calculator

Pentair has this very effective pool pump calculator that helps you visualize the difference based on the pump and the size of your pool.

Residential Calculator