This is the weekend my husband opens up our pool for the summer. Usually the weather is much warmer by now, it has been a chilly spring.
When we built our house having a pool was part of the dream. The first year we lived here we had a pool budget. Money was put away to this section of the budget, monthly money was squirreled away for this item. After 18 months living here, we had saved up enough money for the pool, but it was the middle of summer. The price of the pools in summer is INSANELY HIGH!!! No way were we going to pay full price for a pool.
The first thing we did was have a landscaper come to the house and build the pool pad for us. We knew the size of the pool that we were wanting to have and had the pad built for that pool. The pad then sat empty for 9 months. On the plus side, the landscaper told us that was a great move because it would shift and adjust through the winter and happen without the pool on top, thus a better chance the pool stays in place.
The next step was to start pool shopping. It was July when we had saved up the amount needed and started speaking to pool companies in an hour radius of our home, and also an online company.
We were direct with the salespeople and told them we had our price in our mind (we knew a ball park number from all the research). We had salespeople take our names and email address and keep us posted if there was a sale.
We heard from each company at least once, and told it was the final price. We responded to all of them if they had any left at the end of the season, let us know and that we would be able to store the pool at our house.
One company emailed us 3 times, each time offering us a new price. The 4th time, the price we were offered was less than the price that we had in our minds! We jumped all over the offer.
To avoid delivery costs, we borrowed a truck from our friend. We gave him a Tim Horton's card and a full tank of gas and we were still ahead of the game.
We stored the pool at our house till the spring.
When Spring arrived we had 4 of our friends come over for a few hours and put the pool up with my husband. We then provided food and drinks and a massive thank you to each of them.
During the winter, my father had a pool and it was ruined during the winter. He no longer needed his pool deck, and offered us the wood. My husband and step-father took the wood apart, and rebuilt the pool deck at our house. Sweat equity is an amazing resource.
We have a friend that found the same pool as us on Kijij, that is also an option if you are patient.
My husband has been busy with creating an efficient heating source for the pool. This is the second summer of his system, and last year we noticed that it did in fact, lower our summer power bill. He has put the tubing on top of the shed roof, and hidden from view.
Now, for the weather to heat up, until then enjoy the long weekend.
It pays to be frugal.
