My dad told me to never buy a house with a pool, and I did it anyway

For years my dad, who fixed pools for a living, said they were just money pits and constant work. He'd say, 'You'll spend your Saturdays cleaning, not swimming.' When my wife and I found our place in Chandler, the backyard pool was a big selling point for her, and I figured we could handle it. The first year was fine, but then the pump went out, costing us over $800 to replace. Last summer, we had an algae bloom that took two full weekends and about $150 in chemicals to clear. Now I'm starting to see his point about the hidden costs and time. Has anyone else gone against specific advice like this and ended up agreeing with it later?

4 comments

4 Comments

spencer_park263mo ago

My uncle in Mesa gave me the same warning about pools. That algae bloom story sounds exactly like the headaches he described. Sometimes experience really is the best teacher, even when it proves your dad right.

jennifer8333mo ago

But how many people actually get sick from it?

david_jones383mo agoTop Commenter

Our first house in Tempe had a small pool. I thought it was a luxury, a total win. Three years in, the filter cracked after a freeze. That repair bill was a real wake up call. I finally get why my old man called them a second job. The fun part just gets buried under all the work and cost.

the_ruby29d ago

Wait, $800 for a pump? That's insane. I thought those things were like $200 max. @david_jones38 your filter crack story is giving me chills, how bad was that bill? My buddy in Surprise just dropped over a grand on a new motor and I can't believe what these parts cost now.