A pool can be a relaxing place to spend time with family members on a hot summer day. Sometimes a pool is worth the investment and sometimes it isn’t.
How Much Will a Pool Cost?
Installing a pool can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. Routine maintenance can cost several hundred dollars per year if you do it yourself and much more if you hire professionals to handle it. You also have to factor in electricity to run a pump and heater.
A pool might be included in your “other structures” homeowners insurance coverage, but you should check with your insurance company about any additional costs. Since a pool is a potential danger to children, your insurer may require you to install a fence with a locked gate around it to prevent an accident. You may also have to increase your liability coverage.
When Is Installing a Pool a Good Investment?
An in-ground pool can add to your home’s value, but an above-ground pool most likely will not. If the area around an in-ground pool has a patio that is large enough to host a barbecue and has flowers and greenery, potential buyers could view it as an oasis.
If most of the houses in your neighborhood have pools and your home doesn’t, that can be a liability if you decide to sell your home in the future. Adding a pool can help you compete with other sellers in the area to attract a buyer.
In an area that has warm weather for the bulk of the year, many prospective buyers will have a pool on their wish list. Some might not even consider a house that doesn’t have one.
When Will a Pool Not Add to Your Home’s Value?
A pool may not be as important to buyers in parts of the country where it’s only warm enough to go swimming for a few months each year. In fact, some buyers think that a pool would be too much trouble to maintain and avoid buying a house that has one.
Adding a pool may not be a good idea if you have a small yard. A pool will either be too small to appeal to buyers or it will take up so much of the yard that there will not be enough room for kids and pets to play. In that case, a pool can drive away potential buyers with families. Some buyers, particularly those with young children, might also view a pool as a safety hazard.
Should You Install a Pool?
A pool may or may not increase your home’s value. It will depend to a large extent on your location. If a pool raises your home’s value, you will recoup some, but not all, of your investment. Resale value is one thing to consider if you’re thinking about installing a pool, but you should also think about how much your family would use it and how much time and money it would cost to maintain it.
