Why You Need To Do Your Homework

Many pool buyers will tell you the horror stories about their projects. Much of the reason for this is because they did not take the time to educate themselves before going down this road. Typically, a swimming pool is an emotional purchase rather than a rational one. After all, do you really need a pool or do you really want one? And no, rationalizing why you need one does not count. Before you start ordering brochures and calling sales people to come to your house, it is very important that you know what you are getting into. Spending a little time researching will save you valuable time from banging your head against the wall later.

What do you know about pools? Little, anything, have you had one before? It is important that you realize what they are, how they are built and what you are about to do to your backyard.

First, contrary to what any pool sales person tells you, pools are a lot of work and a lot of money. Not just from the building phase but down the road. Although pools have come along way on the technology and efficiency paths, they still have not found a way to take care of themselves. Knowing what your expenses will be up front saves you from the surprise down the road.

Expenses associated with operation can vary greatly. Where you live is a big factor in this. If you live in a climate that experiences weather issues (like winter) you may have to close the pool. Where if you live in South Florida, you will leave your pool open all year. The set up on the pool can contribute to the expense as well and those costs can fluctuate down the road. For example, at the time of install, your propane heater was the best option because propane was cheap in comparison to other options. That's great until next year when the price of a gallon of propane goes through the roof. The features and options on your pool can be good options in one climate and not so hot options in another. Usage of the pool is also a factor.

There are plenty of sites, publications and lots of pictures out there. That is a good place to start to try find out what looks appealing to you. Remember though, most of the builders put the cream of the crop on their sites and in their brochures. After all, do you think they want to show you an average, bottom of the line pool or one that they are currently having a disaster with? Or do they want to show that beautiful award winning one that is featured in magazines. Look at the ads you see for pool companies and this is evident. They pay big money for those ads. That's all well and good but you should concentrate on what you want, can afford and is practical for you.

Doing your homework prior to starting the sales process is vital. You should be the one dictating what you want, not the one having a commissioned sales person tell you what you need. Unfortunately, many buyers find themselves at the mercy of not knowing anything about a pool and allowing someone to tell them what they think is best for them. It's like buying a TV because it is the biggest and best, not what you went to the store intending to buy. You get it home and realize that it doesn't fit in your entertainment center, it needs hundreds of dollars of cables to operate properly and your DVD player isn't compatible with it. This scenario holds very true in regards to swimming pools. The pool builders know this. Experienced, good ones will explain all of this to you. Others will conveniently leave out vital information that you need. It is imperative that you realize now that it is you vs. them.

Neighbors, family and friends are good sources of information in doing your homework. Who did they use for their projects? How did it go? What would they have done differently? What problems did they have or are having now? There are many different features for a pool and these people can provide you with valuable insight into what worked and what didn't for them.