# Swimming Pool



## tonemar (Nov 9, 2010)

Getting very close to a purchase and retirement in Spain.

Tonight here in the UK where I am, 1.7c with the wind more like -4 and snowing!!

Looking a properties, some we like come with a swimming pool.
The attraction is obvious, but like all things there must be a downside (call me cynical!)
Question, what is the downside, and what would be a approximate running cost.

As always grateful for any advice
T


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Hmm depends on what type and size of pool. Salt or sand? Heated, covered, etc...


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## tonemar (Nov 9, 2010)

Yes thanks for the reply, basically don't really know, trying to find out the pros and cons.
T


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

tonemar said:


> Question, what is the downside, and what would be a approximate running cost.


That's the downside - the running cost.

Cost to fill it, cost to clean it, cost to maintain it.

No idea of what those costs might be.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

The running cost is a downside because most people dont realise that you dont need to leave the filter pump on all day

Our pool filters for one hour or at the most two hours a night. I know people that leave them on all day, and thats quite a cost. Chlorine tabs are a couple every two weeks in summer, next to none in the winter. Floculente once in a while and anti algae treatment twice a year

The biggest cost for me is this year, and only because I decided to empty it for cleaning and making good joints, Thats going to be a €200 + hit to fill it again


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

agree with Stavinsky pool pump on for about 4 hrs a day during the summer 1-2 hr during the winter multi tablets vary greatly in price for example carrefour around 30 euro for a tub the same in our local village store 18 euro use about 2 5 kg tub a a year, acid 3 euro a 5 ltr bottle 2 a year the occasional floculente tablet again depends where you buy the local shop 5 euros for a years supply. main thing is time and energy during the summer need cleaning at least once a week during the winter unless you winterise around every 6 weeks. The benefits swimming from may to mid September in your own pool priceless !! cant beat a midnight swim under the stars with a glass of wine


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

I think the major expense is a) having one built b) energy awareness (pump frequency?) c) water exchange when necessary

We've not got a pool (rural land) but a dipping pool. Our major expense is water and energy to pump from the well, although due to plans to enlarge we still haven't got around to buying a pump, so we have to change the water much more often than others... Deffo shop locally though.. .


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Cost is negligible compared to benefits if you do as previous posters suggest. It helps to learn about 'pool technology'.
I had a lot of very useful advice from posters here, one kind soul - was it you, Steve? - even offered to come and have a look the next time they were in Spain.
This advice has probably saved me a lot of expense and worry.
Our pool is the icing on the cake for us. 
Unlike community pools, we can swim at any time we please, can swim naked if we feel like it and the moon is full....
It's pleasant just to sit around with friends on summer evenings or to dine al fresco.
Go for it!!


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Stravinsky said:


> The running cost is a downside because most people dont realise that you dont need to leave the filter pump on all day
> 
> Our pool filters for one hour or at the most two hours a night. I know people that leave them on all day, and thats quite a cost. Chlorine tabs are a couple every two weeks in summer, next to none in the winter. Floculente once in a while and anti algae treatment twice a year
> 
> The biggest cost for me is this year, and only because I decided to empty it for cleaning and making good joints, Thats going to be a €200 + hit to fill it again


You must have a very big pool, or your water is very expensive then, or you have to have tankers. I have an 8 x 4 pool, and I estimate it costs me just under €50 to fill it up from my supply.

With regard to filtering, I think a couple of hours are fine in the spring/winter months, but it should be more in the summer as the temperature rises. Whilst you pool will look clean after a couple of hours there could still be bacteria in the water. You should aim to filter the whole pool once a day, once the temperature goes over 25C. This will depend upon your filter and pump size. My pump will filter at 11cm3 an hour, but the filter will only do 8cm3 an hour, so about 6 - 8 hours in the summer, and some of this time should be during the day during the hottest period. I estimate it costs about €200 for the filtration. Chemicals are about €75


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

CapnBilly said:


> You must have a very big pool, or your water is very expensive then, or you have to have tankers. I have an 8 x 4 pool, and I estimate it costs me just under €50 to fill it up from my supply.
> 
> With regard to filtering, I think a couple of hours are fine in the spring/winter months, but it should be more in the summer as the temperature rises. Whilst you pool will look clean after a couple of hours there could still be bacteria in the water. You should aim to filter the whole pool once a day, once the temperature goes over 25C. This will depend upon your filter and pump size. My pump will filter at 11cm3 an hour, but the filter will only do 8cm3 an hour, so about 6 - 8 hours in the summer, and some of this time should be during the day during the hottest period. I estimate it costs about €200 for the filtration. Chemicals are about €75



Well, Ive been running my pool filter on 1-2 hours a night for about 3 years or so, after being advised that 6-7 hours is overkill. Water is checked fairly regularly, no deaths or illnesses yet!  Chkl
Having said that in general there are just two of us.
Well Im just going on what people have told me re the refill which was done from supply. Be interesting to see when I get the bill.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Stravinsky said:


> Well, Ive been running my pool filter on 1-2 hours a night for about 3 years or so, after being advised that 6-7 hours is overkill. Water is checked fairly regularly, no deaths or illnesses yet!  Chkl
> Having said that in general there are just two of us.
> Well Im just going on what people have told me re the refill which was done from supply. Be interesting to see when I get the bill.


6-7 hours is only in July/August. I used to do 2-3 hours (and it always looked clean) until I read an article about the cleanliness of the water. Its not quite as bad if there's only you using the pool, but the bacteria can come from all sort of things, not just people. Also, my wife has very sensitive skin, so I wanted to make sure the water was sparklingly clean.

In term of costs, an 8 x 4 is about 50cm3, and my water is 90cents cm3. 

I've just checked the power costs of the pump, and in fact its about €125 a year, even for 6-8 hours in the high summer.


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

*Piscina*



CapnBilly said:


> 6-7 hours is only in July/August. I used to do 2-3 hours (and it always looked clean) until I read an article about the cleanliness of the water. Its not quite as bad if there's only you using the pool, but the bacteria can come from all sort of things, not just people. Also, my wife has very sensitive skin, so I wanted to make sure the water was sparklingly clean.
> 
> In term of costs, an 8 x 4 is about 50cm3, and my water is 90cents cm3.
> 
> I've just checked the power costs of the pump, and in fact its about €125 a year, even for 6-8 hours in the high summer.


It's the installation that's the costliest then - running costs negligible compared to the positives of having a pool. I'd rather have a pool now than a roof....although clearly I change my mind in winter lol! Anybody got a sunken fibreglass pool? How do these shape up? Or the really big Intex pools? Or all you other expats loaded? Lol


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We had an inground pool in Prague with a sliding plastic cover big enough to sit or stand under and as the water could be heated you could swim all year round, if you so wished.
The first few months we were living in the house we were struck by the sheer novelty and swam daily. We moved in in December when there was deep snow and it snowed almost daily until March that year. To get to our pool we had to cross the garden wearing wellies, hat and scarf and swimming gear under a thick coat. We must have looked like lunatics to passing truck drivers and bus passengers who could see over our 2m high fence.

One day something went wrong with the pool heating and the water temperature soared to 34C.
This was quite pleasant although it was difficult to swim and we enjoyed our extended 'hot tub'.

Until we got the electricity bill.


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## neilmac (Sep 10, 2008)

We do not have a pool and would not want one. The trouble, cost and maintenance are to us just not worth the effort. Two euro buys us all day at our municipal pool or around 30 for the whole season. We get a chance to meet up with the neighbours and swim in a professionally maintained pool whilst gazing out at the mountains.

It's horses for courses as with everything but for us - not a requirement.


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

neilmac said:


> We do not have a pool and would not want one.


I agree.

I know people with pools and they moan about the costs of maintaining them all the time. I think the novelty of them wears off over time and the only thing you see is how much they cost to maintain.

However, if you've got plenty of money and cost isn't a problem and you like the idea of a morning dip in the pool, you pays your money and takes your choice.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

If your pump /filter will not turn over the whole pool capacity in 4 hours it isn't big enough.

Capacity of pool divided by capacity of pump/filter = hours run.

It is illegal to fill a pool using domestic potable supply
It is illegal to fill a pool using irrigation supply. ( but we all do ).
The only legal way is to fill with tankers.
Around here if your consumption increases by 25m3+in one period you get a letter to the effect of " don't do it again or you will be cut off" & they do.

I went for an above ground pool as I had one in the UK 30'x15'
Went for a 24' x 12' here to fit in an enclosed courtyard.
Benefits, no permissions ,no licences needed as classed as demountable, even if you build them in ! lol.
No increase in council tax .
Once site is level 3 people can install it in a day. Once you've done a few you can do it in a day on your own.
I just turn mine off in winter & come time when I want to start it up the water is 
A) still clear & B) sparkling like the 'finish' advert come the end of the day.

I normally filter 1 to 1,1/2 hrs early morning & same evening & possibly 1hr around midday.
The more it is used the less cleaning needed .
Here , pools need cleaning 3 or 4 times a day !! In reality most people ( Those with plenty of money ) who want it spotless all the time can only do it by using an auto-pool cleaner that runs all the time.
Yes I used to drive myself made & then gave up & now I only clean it when I get in , which is normally late afternoon. If I don't get in it still needs cleaning.

It probably adds 20-25€ to the monthly electric but I don't normally have it on long. Tub of chlorine that's about it . Might occasionally have to buy floculant or ph increaser/reducer but as I used to but them in large amounts it doesn't come around often.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> If your pump /filter will not turn over the whole pool capacity in 4 hours it isn't big enough.
> 
> Capacity of pool divided by capacity of pump/filter = hours run.
> 
> ...


not here it isn't - it clearly depends where you live


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hi

One word of caution; a salt water pool makes the chlorine from the salt when the pump is on. Therefore you HAVE to run the pool for 6 to 8 hours in the height of the summer. 

An expensive hole in the ground, or an absolute essential? All depends on what your view of life is. Therefore hire a property with a pool before buying 

Davexf


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

Our pool is 10 x 5m (1.3m to 2.3m deep). I reckon chlorine and other chemicals (if required) cost way less than 1E a week from November to April about 2E a week the rest of the year. I use agua fuerte (hydrochloric acid) instead of the pH reducing chemical as it is a fair bit cheaper. 

I quite enjoy cleaning the pool so do this myself as and when required - not often in winter.

Our skimmers come on and off on a timer - more in the summer months. I manually turn them on all the time on days when many people are in. We built ours 12 years ago and it has never been emptied yet as there has been no need - if we had to then the water would be free but would pay for the pump electricity for the well.
Some may think of them as an expensive luxury but I could not be without it - even if it is only used from April to November these days. The water is still only 13C at the moment so some way to go yet.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> not here it isn't - it clearly depends where you live


No it isn't specifically illegal in most areas. What catches everyone out is that the water company regulations normally state what the water can be used for & are worded in such a way as to make anything other than domestic use in a house illegal. Possibly for community pools there are different rules as they'd charge commercial rates.

Slightly off topic but we have irrigation water here , obviously for crops etc. I've always wondered why,when we have had fires locally , they've always struggled with putting them out ? 
Considering we have metered supplies in pipework sizes up to 4" & that maintain a constant pressure of 6bar (90psi), it has always struck me as funny.
Until I read an article with a photograph of a councillor & firemen looking wistfully at a supply point . It turns out that they cannot use it without first gaining the permission of the Community de Regantes, or the CHM !! You can't make it up.


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

If you don't want to be bothered with all the hassle, but still want a pool and can afford it, get someone to do it for you. Very often where there are a few houses around all with pools, someone comes round and does them all. I'm not sure how much they charge, but if you want a pool but it sounds like it's a hassle doing all the maintenance then get someone in!

It's only like having a nice garden and getting a gardener in, albeit more expensive!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> No it isn't specifically illegal in most areas. What catches everyone out is that the water company regulations normally state what the water can be used for & are worded in such a way as to make anything other than domestic use in a house illegal. Possibly for community pools there are different rules as they'd charge commercial rates.
> 
> Slightly off topic but we have irrigation water here , obviously for crops etc. I've always wondered why,when we have had fires locally , they've always struggled with putting them out ?
> Considering we have metered supplies in pipework sizes up to 4" & that maintain a constant pressure of 6bar (90psi), it has always struck me as funny.
> Until I read an article with a photograph of a councillor & firemen looking wistfully at a supply point . It turns out that they cannot use it without first gaining the permission of the Community de Regantes, or the CHM !! You can't make it up.


ah well - we 'make' water here & sell it to other regions 

there was a bit of an argument on a FB group recently - a local 'expert pool guy' was saying that you have to get a tanker to fill your pool - I & a few others pointed out to him that he was wrong - turned out that he didn't even know we have a desalination plant here..........

turned out he'd only been here a few months ....................

he's gone ever so quiet since then......


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

A question I was asked recently was can I drain the water from the pool & leave it empty for a couple of months to carry out repairs.
I said that I guess it would depend on just how the hole in the ground/pool was constructed to know if it was strong enough to hold the walls in check etc.

Thoughts ?.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

playamonte said:


> A question I was asked recently was can I drain the water from the pool & leave it empty for a couple of months to carry out repairs.
> I said that I guess it would depend on just how the hole in the ground/pool was constructed to know if it was strong enough to hold the walls in check etc.
> 
> Thoughts ?.



Well, mine was empty before we moved here and I emptied it again a couple of weeks ago. I did decide I wasnt going to leave it empty for too long


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Gus- Lopez - I'm intrigued by the above ground pool, as I said in my post we have a small concrete alhibi (dipping pool) which we would like to extend and put in a pump. All our Spanish neighbours have the Intex type of large pool and these have survived so far for about 4years, so are robust and affordable. How do these shape up to your above ground pools, regarding running cost and initial purchase? I'm intrigued! Also have to agree about water and fires - ludicrous!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Mine is manufactured by these people , spanish, & is also what I had in the UK.

http://www.gre.es/en/content/221/company.aspx

Touch wood, mine has been in now 10 years without needing anything done to the actual pool.
The only thing I had to do was change the metal top surrounds that had gradually eroded from the chlorine fumes from the underside & the plastic joining sections as they had degraded in the sun. 
The original cost was 1700€ for a 7,5m x 3.75 m ( 24' x 12' ) they are a fair bit cheaper now. That's far cheaper than they sell in the UK.
Mine is piped in upvc that is now underground & the pump, filter , etc is outside the pool area .

What you have is quite common around here & many are quite large 12m x 6m x 3m in depth is quite a common size & was used for irrigation water storage . I have two friends who have them & both had already been converted to swimming pools. 

The other problem around here anyway, I don't know about other areas , is that a license for an in ground ( proper ) pool is just listed as water storage , 'embalse'. Can't remember exactly the spanish term but it is just a license to allow you to have an open water storage tank that can also be used as a pool. 
An application & granting of a license means that you have to agree & abide by the regulations that state that in the event of fires the helicopters can automatically take water from all & any of the nearest available licensed storage facilities.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

CapnBilly said:


> In term of costs, an 8 x 4 is about 50cm3, and my water is 90cents cm3.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> I'm assuming you mean m3 because otherwise you have a very small pool!!! If someone complains their pool is costing a lot to run then they simply aren't doing it properly. Having arrived in Spain over 2 years ago with no knowledge of pools at all I now look after mine and two neighbours pools. It is not expensive at all. Overwintering is easy if you use one of the containers filled with slow release chimicals. They cost about €18 and last around 5 months.


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

*Pool expert*

Email prompt about a reply from /SNIP/? Unable to locate this? Help please?


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Nonnamags said:


> Email prompt about a reply from /SNIP/? Unable to locate this? Help please?


D0ont understand what you mean, sorry


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> ah well - we 'make' water here & sell it to other regions
> 
> there was a bit of an argument on a FB group recently - a local 'expert pool guy' was saying that you have to get a tanker to fill your pool - I & a few others pointed out to him that he was wrong - turned out that he didn't even know we have a desalination plant here..........
> 
> ...


We have them here as well. Lot's of new ones that the wonderful Cristina ??? ( can't remember her last name), had built. 
Bad news is they are all 'mothballed' as no one wants the water & it is too dear anyway.  What an utter waste of money & all because they didn't want to go with the previous parties pipeline from the North ! The pipe for which had already been paid for !  Politicians, They really shouldn't be allowed to be in charge.


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## Nonnamags (Jan 10, 2013)

Stravinsky said:


> D0ont understand what you mean, sorry


Hiya - sorry I received an mail to say that "*********" had replied to my swimming pool query thread. . . However there isn't actually a reply on the forum -


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Nonnamags said:


> Hiya - sorry I received an mail to say that "*********" had replied to my swimming pool query thread. . . However there isn't actually a reply on the forum -


we're waiting for him to apply for a change of username - his current one is against forum rules

if/when he complies his posts will be reinstated


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> we're waiting for him to apply for a change of username - his current one is against forum rules
> 
> if/when he complies his posts will be reinstated


just in case he doesn't - this was his reply 



> _You should be OK. Leaving a pool made with a liner can be a problem but most Spanish pools are made with concrete walls and floor. Maybe if the ground water level was exceptionally high due to rain... _


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

When will people start using their unheated pools? What is the minimum temperature people will bear? Ours is at 18c (65c) at the moment.


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## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

jimenato said:


> When will people start using their unheated pools? What is the minimum temperature people will bear? Ours is at 18c (65c) at the moment.


Ours is 20C now and that is warm enough for me :bathbaby:. My wife, however, will not venture in before it is 25C.
When we moved here first about 14 years ago, I would be in the pool when it was barely 15C :snowman: - must be becoming a bit more "Spanish" these days & a lot older :crutch:.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Ive been in ours this week at 22 degrees, but I dont stay there long. About 25 = 26 degrees and it begins to feel a bit more comfortable


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