Swim Spas - Are They Worth It?

[Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 15:56
Last edited 29/03/2019 - 23:09 by 1 other user

Edited: We've decided not to get the swim spa even at 60% off. Cheaper to befriend the neighbours with a pool :)

Cheers.

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Hello again :)

We've recently bought a house which was mid-renovation. The agreement was we will buy it as is and complete the reno ourselves.

However it would appear that there has been some miscommunication between the seller and his builder and that they've put in an order for a swim spa which is getting delivered after we're moving in.

This is what the spa will most likely look like.

It has been suggested that we could have the gas-heated swimming spa +installation for $10k, which seems like a good deal.

The only problem is we don't particularly need nor want a swimming spa. We're also planning to sell within the next 3-5 years. Will a swimming spa add value to the place?

Thoughts?

Thanks

• 

  SnoozeAndLose on 10/03/2019 - 16:02

  +1

  Thing abput the on going cost and the frequent of use.

  I used to have a swim spa whch cost $2-$3 a day for electricity just for it to sitting theren

  Plus chemical and maintainance.

  I dont think it is a nice to have feature when buying a house so it wont add much on top of your selling price.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 16:15

    Thank you. Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for your swimming spa? Was it a vortex?

    • 

      SnoozeAndLose on 10/03/2019 - 16:30

      +1

      Yes it was paid about $8k.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 17:38

        This one is worth $25k and I'm getting it for $10k installed. I don't need it but the ozbargainer in me is hesitating..

        • 

          SnoozeAndLose on 10/03/2019 - 17:55

          +1

          @[Deactivated]: For the size let say it need $3 gas per day to keep heating it x 3 x 365(assuming you sell right after 3 year).

          $2190 is tha gas charge

          Plus $20 chemical per month
          Plus $200 for general maintaince per year.

          Around $4.5k just to maintain it.

          If you need to use it, it will be more gas and chamical.

          • 

            fantombloo on 10/03/2019 - 18:10

            +2

            @SnoozeAndLose: You don't need to heat if you're happy to use it at ambient temps, or keep the heat right down.

            You can also heat on demand - Eg keep unheated for swimming throughout week, turn the heat on Friday morning for a warm spa on Friday and Saturday night, then turn heat off till next week.

            • 

              SnoozeAndLose on 10/03/2019 - 18:43

              @fantombloo: Will bacteria grow or more chemical that need to put?

              • 

                fantombloo on 10/03/2019 - 18:49

                @SnoozeAndLose: I'm not a microbiologist but expect cooler water will slow down bacterial growth.

                I have a spa (not swim spa, but still largish - about 1.5x2.5m) and go through about $20 of chlorine per year.

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  Halo375 on 10/03/2019 - 16:15

  +1

  No it won’t add value and may actually turn away some families wanting to avoid a hazard. Do you have to take the spa, can you get out of it?

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 16:17

    No I don't have to take it.

    • 

      serpserpserp on 10/03/2019 - 21:05

      -3

      Then why did you do this thread? You could have googled the answer.

      • 

        Tech5 on 11/03/2019 - 02:03

        +2

        If noone asks the question, how would google find the answer?

  • 

    dust on 11/03/2019 - 03:00

    +2

    Agree that it would turn away families who don't need a spa and don't want to pay to maintain it.

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  conservative on 10/03/2019 - 17:51

  Swim Spas are for old farts and small children who cant' swim and just want to sit in bubbles.

  My parents have one and the only time they use it is when they're sipping champagne with their friends in the swim spa.

  • 

    HardlyCharly on 10/03/2019 - 17:58

    -3

    Uh, no. They're for people who want to swim at home, duh. You can't swim laps in an average pool, and going to a public pool each day is incredibly inconvenient and time consuming. I get that you don't want to feel like your parents are dumbasses, but you can't project what they do on everyone else.

    • 

      conservative on 10/03/2019 - 17:59

      Uh, no. They're for people who want to swim at home, duh.

      if you can call that swimming. lol

      They're for people who want to swim at home, duh.

      You mean move a few metres left and right.

      • 

        [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 18:01

        This is the one we're talking about :
        https://youtu.be/ngT2jefIM-w

        • 

          conservative on 10/03/2019 - 18:02

          +1

          @[Deactivated]: Trust me mate. DOn't do it. IT's just like a treadmill.
          You use it for the first few months then realise you can just go outside. The spa collects dust, or in this case, leaves. Another thing to consider it sometimes feels like there is someone swimming in front of you. If you've ever experienced that, it feels like you're getting hosed in he face and hard to look straight. Sometimes I look straight out of habit to see where i am going.

          It's hard to enjoy like a normal pool, but then again I have a pool that just sits there untouched. I pay to go swimming at the local pool which is not cheap even though I can do it at home.

          • 

            serpserpserp on 10/03/2019 - 21:09

            @conservative: Pretty sure people that buy treadmills don't just wake up one morning and remember they can go outside.

            But what does happen is that a lot of people buy them thinking they'll "get into running" by having it, but never really had any interest anyway. Then they don't maintain it, then when they want to use it, blows up or injure themselves on it due to tread slippage/sticking etc. Then they let it sit in their house as an expensive clothes hanger then try and get rid of it 5 years later for nearly the same price they paid for it because in their mind it is "brand new" cause they barely used it!

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  HardlyCharly on 10/03/2019 - 17:55

  Unless you're actually going to use it regularly for fitness/swimming, then no. Regardless of if you're selling in a few years, personal choices like this should be made based on if it's something you personally want. Would you try to stop your girlfriend from getting a short haircut just so that she's likely to be more conventionally attractive to the next guy? No. The same applies to things like cars and houses too, you can't live your life if you're shaping it around the lowest common denominator for the benefit of just a few extra bucks, that's just sad, and something a LOT of people here need to learn.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 18:12

    We live 400m from the beach and that's where we do most of our swimming. All of my kids are strong swimmers and love the water. We sometimes go to the local swimming pool which is 20-25 mins drive in peak traffic which is a pain.
    A swim spa could be the perfect solution when neither the Mrs nor I can be bothered driving and getting stuck in traffic.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 18:30

      So no, it won't get much use. Maybe a couple of times a week if that.

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  djones145 on 10/03/2019 - 21:04

  +2

  I think a swimming spa is the least of ur worries about impacting property values
  just worry about recession, falling interest rates, royal commission, and tightening lending requirements

  • 

    serpserpserp on 10/03/2019 - 21:11

    falling interest rates

    Yeah, because historically in Australia, falling interest rates have always had a negative impact on house prices over the medium term…

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 21:37

    The place is almost paid off. If we can't sell it for a fair price when we're ready to move on , we'll just rent it out.

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  Seraphin7 on 10/03/2019 - 22:06

  Will it add value? Depends if the house is near an area where they're about to remove a railway crossing.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 10/03/2019 - 23:07

    No it's not :) But it's near the beach and most of my neighbours have pools.