Looking at getting a below ground pool installed in the next couple of months, wondering if anyone has been able to negotiate down from the advertised or 'special' prices that the big companies offer? If so what kind of discount were you able to get.
From what I can tell, several of the big companies seem to use the same Fibreglass Shell's so wondering if they can be played against each other for a better price.
I am demolishing the existing house and re-building, its a large block (>10,000sqm) so access wont be a problem but maybe i should have a discussion with the builder to make sure we allow for power/sewerage etc
Yeah the electrics and plumbing were maybe an extra $4k for me. A heap of work digging channels for them and getting electricity from the very front of the house to the back.
Also wish I’d planned ahead for a little shed for the pumps and controllers – would have been an invaluable early decision to keep them out of the elements and visually hidden.
I found the quoting part frustrating as there are companies that make the shells and companies that do the install (and some do both). We got 3 quotes but the company we liked the most said they simply couldn’t deal with and supply the shell from the company that had the shell size we wanted so in the end our options were limited
I negotiated about $1,000 of the orig quoted price.
I wonder if it would be cheaper if you purchased your pool in winter. Ask your friends, family or colleagues who have pools & ask that question.
Probably unlikely - most construction companies would be pushing to complete these jobs before the warmer months when people can actually use them.
Don't get fibreglass. Yuck
Why?
Limited shapes, pretty much only gelcoat finish inside, has to be craned in. Lower resale value.
Limited shapes
True but if the shape is the one you need who cares. Depth was the most annoying variable for me the smaller sizes are often too shallow.
pretty much only gelcoat finish inside
But I like the smooth finish, soft on feet and young bodies, easy to clean, and prevents giving algae blooms a place to get started like tiles and grout
has to be craned in.
If you don't have good access I agree the extra cost of a big crane on it's own means you might as well consider concrete. I had ok side access so they wheeled it down the driveway on its side. A mini crane to drop it into the hole is a standard inclusion
Lower resale value.
If you design the entire backyard and pool area well and finish it with quality tiles/fence/landscaping there's no reason to think it would have any lower resale value than concrete. Since fibreglass is cheaper than concrete, there can be a tendency of some people to go cheap on every element of the install which can indeed result in a tacky looking final product.
How do you access an underground pool?
Just try your luck saying you have a quote for same sized pool for $3k cheaper and can they match it. It’s nearly impossible to compare 2 pool quotes exactly with all the subtle variables and “free” inclusions and upgrades.
Like any building project it's the extras and you need to factor in that will blow your budget. In order to get their base quote price you’ll need the following:
Excellent site access so that you can drive in heavy machinery to excavate the hole and then drive in a truck with a pool on it (add on costs for crane to lift over house and or conveyor belt system to get the dirt out). Bad access can add $3-10k to the price
Place for the pool pump and control units within the allowed distance from the pool.
Power supply with enough space/capacity on your switch board to run pump/heating/lights on a new dedicated circuit (add on costs for running power to pump, digging channel, possible circuit board upgrade)
Sewerage access point located nearby the pool/pump (add on plumber costs for digging channel and laying sewerage)
Plus landcaping and fence…think of a number and double your first guess for anything nice.
Probably best if you coordinate these extras yourself if possible to save money and to keep control of what’s going on but obviously more convenient if you leave it to the pool company to coordinate (but that’s where they make their money back that you negotiated out of them at the very start)