Warning!! Long post ahead!!
Last fall we discussed getting together with my aunt and uncle and buying a pool. Not just a hard sided pool you'd find at Walmart, like from an actual pool company. Aloha Pools & Spas out of Cape Girardeau to be exact. After talking with them and figuring out all the details, the total financed price was over $25,000. Um... excuse me? No freaking thank you! Like this wasn't even for an inground pool, this was for a partial inground pool with no bells and whistles.
It didn't take long to come to terms with the fact that we didn't want to spend that much money.
LaVaughn, out of nowhere, started looking at pools this past spring and found a really nice looking above ground pool on Amazon that had amazing reviews. I was like, "Yeah, that's really nice, but a lot of money all at once." She agreed, but we both still really wanted it and talked about for days. As I'm sure most people know, if you wait around long enough Amazon will lower the price drastically - sometimes the same day.
After much deliberation we finally decided to go for it.
It took a while for delivery, but that was fine because it took me forever to find a landscaper to that didn't charge a ridiculous amount to come and level the ground. After we decided on the company, it took them close to a month before they were ever able to come out and actually level the property. This was just leveling, mind you, not putting down sand as well, which we ended up having to do later on. Those poor guys were here for over 7 hours trying to level our rocky ass yard. It was also upper 80s, so I felt horrible for them. They came in, ate a couple pizzas and then went back to work.
After they leveled the ground, we had them come back a couple weeks later and put quite a bit of sand down and level that as well. I think the pool sat in the box outside for close to 6 weeks or longer before we were actually able to put it up.
When the day came to set the pool up I was both terrified and excited. It says on the box (and instruction video) that you only need two people and like a little over an hour to complete the setup. Um, that's a damn lie. It was me, LaVaughn and my aunt and even though we go it together in just a few short hours, we still could've used an extra set of hands.
After we got the frame in and raised the pool up, we went around and put two pavers under each of the legs. This was a bitch! We were all so hot and exhausted, but the pavers were a must. This was recommended by numerous people and luckily pavers aren't too pricy at Menards - plus you get money back as well.
After everything was said and done we started the filling process. As I'm sure most people know, we live in the country and have a well. So we can't let the water go at full blast without burning the pump up, so you can imagine how long it took. I can't remember exactly, but I think it was roughly 12-14 days.
I ended up joining a pool forum to ask questions, which helped a lot in the end. Since our pool is pretty long, the sides started bowing in after a few days - this is common with Intex pools. I looked this issue up online and pretty much every single person that has this type of pool had the same issues. The only difference was that the sides on our pool looked SO much worse! Like it was terrifying and I wanted to cry. Thank God everything worked out and the sides pushed out in the end. Like not even joking, the pool was a couple inches from being full before the sides looked normal.
One of the elbow joints also got jammed halfway through and nothing we did would push it back in place. Well one day I was super agitated and starting being an ox and got the elbow moved back into place. And yes, I gave myself a little pat on the shoulder, lol.
I read in the beginning that the ladders that come with Intex pools are super flimsy and very narrow. I'm a big girl, so I knew that wasn't gonna work for me. I ended up ordering a Confer ladder from Amazon that had really good reviews. While it was MUCH sturdier and wider than the original ladder, I still panicked and couldn't make it to the top for over a week. I know, I'm terrible, but I have a really bad fear of heights. Luckily with LaVaughn and my aunt and uncle being in the pool it gave me the nudge that I needed and I was able to make it in the pool. It was absolutely peer pressure, lol.
I'm very thankful and feel very blessed that we were able to do this and actually have a pool to swim in for the majority of the summer. Buying and Intex pool saved us roughly 80% of the $25,000 that we would've had to spend, so for that I am grateful. However, there are a lot of hidden costs with owning a pool and getting everything set up.
Not only did we spend an arm and a leg for the pool, but the leveling and sand cost almost the same price. Then we had to have a new ladder because my big ass couldn't use the one that came with the pool. Then we had to buy a pool robot, those things are NOT cheap! Everyone said that they're a must unless you want to clean the pool from top to bottom every day to keep buildup off the vinyl. Not to mention all the leaves that would blow in. It was a punch to the gut, but worth it. Then you have to have chlorine tablets and a bobber. Chlorine tablets are freaking expensive!! The bobber wasn't cheap, it was like $15, but the tablets... sweet Jesus they're pricy. We also bought an Intex skimmer, but it was only like $25 and worth every penny - I love that thing!
Thankfully my uncle was able to build a small deck (which they payed for), so I had to buy deck stairs that were safe to use with our style pool. So. Much. Money! I remember being depressed about the amount of money we had to spend, but thankful at the same time because it was a blessing and we were lucky and thankful to be able to do it.
Okay, I think it's time for me to shut up and time to share some pictures of the process through the summer. Thanks for sticking around and hope you enjoy!
This was he leveled area. I think we had a 25'x40' area leveled.
They left little flags everywhere.
This was after they brought 10 tons of sand and leveled it.
The giant Intex pool box that we tore open.
This was the frame and legs of the pool laid out in the proper order.
This is the best shot I have of the pavers under the legs - they looked so nice here.
You can see the sides bowing already - this wasn't even that bad yet.
This was when the pool was 95% full, but the sides were still bowed in.
This shows it a little better , it was bad.
This side wasn't as bad, but still nasty looking.
This is the pool elbow that jammed. Thankfully I was able to fix it.
Coppertone 50 SPF because we're pasty AF. Those are also my earplugs that I used for my nose.
This is a decent view of the deck and stairs.
A little better view.
The water was SO gorgeous and clear! It makes me want to swim so badly.
This ball was a blast to play with.
We had some intense volleyball games.
This was a beautiful day for pool pics.
I zip-tied this Confer ladder to the Intex legs for added support.
It helped stabilize so much.
It wasn't the prettiest, but it was nice.
I took all these pics for my review on Amazon.
View of the pool from above on the deck.
A view from this side of the deck. We're hoping to add on next year. Fingers crossed!
These pool deck stairs are so nice. They're also by Confer.
The one night we went night swimming.
Night swimming is so much fun, but it was almost too chilly.
This picture is blurry AF, but it was such a nice night for swimming.
Hopefully we can get some pool lights and go night swimming some more next year.
Creeper view of the pool from my camera.
