SWIMMING POOLS: MAKING A SPLASH IN THE BACKYARD

Residential swimming pools, if properly constructed and situated, can be a big source of enjoyment and exercise.

But before deciding to build a pool in your backyard, Jack Byrd, president of Tri-State Swimming Pools Inc. of Cape Girardeau, suggests homeowners decide what they want a pool for and consider its usage in later years when the children leave home. Other factors to consider are how the pool fits into the neighborhood and blends with the home and the various city and professional codes.

Byrd said anticipated future usage often is a deciding factor in whether someone puts in an above-ground or in-ground swimming pool, as well as how the pool complements the home and neighborhood.

"The above-ground pools are always more popular, if nothing else because of the lower cost," said Byrd. "They can range from a few hundred dollars on to something rather elaborate with decks that could run $5,000 to $6,000. There are some very nice looking above-ground pools."

When he talks to potential customers, Byrd tries to find out how much mom and dad like the water.

"If mom and dad don't like water, maybe they ought to look into an above-ground pool that is less costly and can be removed someday," Byrd said. "It does not take a lot of money to put in a pool above ground. Some people can't have anything else due to space or costs, or the children just want a pool.

"If you are looking down the road at eight, 10 or 12 years, you don't want to go to the expense of an in-ground pool, and then decide after the kids are gone that you don't want it."

Byrd said pools are being considered for enjoyment and fitness concerns of adults rather than just a source of pleasure for children.

"We are seeing a lot of people doing more remodeling and wanting relaxation in their own yard," he said. "There is nothing better for exercise or therapy. A pool is more than just a luxury. The big thing is exercise. From all indications of health organizations, nothing is better for you than swimming or just walking in a pool."

The interest in swimming for fitness often has an impact on the shape of the pool. Byrd said he sees more interest in long, narrow pools that are more designed for exercise.

"From my experience, I would say it is 50-50 between having pools bought for children and adults buying it because they like the water to relax in and exercise," said Byrd.

With three teenage sons who love swimming, it was only natural two years ago when Dan and Sheryl Dunavan began looking for a larger house that the home have a pool.

"We really wanted a house with a pool," said Sheryl Dunavan, who admits the boys were an excuse to get a pool but hardly the only reason. "I told everyone the boys need a place to bring their friends, but that was only an excuse; I really wanted it for myself. I enjoy a pool for exercise and relaxation."

Dunavan and a friend walk nearly every day for exercise, and with the purchase of a house with a pool now have replaced walking with swimming in the summer. She swims for fitness at least 30 to 40 minutes each day.

Finding a home with a pool was not real easy, Dunavan recalled. "We saw a lot of lovely houses with lousy pools or lousy houses with lovely pools," said Dunavan.

Roger Arnzen, director of mapping and appraisal for the Cape Girardeau County assessor's office, said there are 485 residential in-ground pools in Cape Girardeau. In-ground pools are figured as a property improvement for assessment purposes while above-ground pools are not.

Arnzen said whether a pool keeps its value depends on where it is and the neighborhood around it.

"We value pools at what they cost to put in but then depreciate them heavily," said Arnzen. "We give them a 10-year life and apply a depreciation, then level it off at about 30 percent," he said.

From his experience, in most cases when a house sells the cost of the pool cannot be captured at the time of sale. Generally the higher the value of a house the more likely the pool is to hold its value. But in some cases a pool can hurt the value of a home.

"You don't necessarily recapture the value of a pool when you sell a house," said Arnzen. "If you have a $200,000 pool it adds value to a house. If you have an $80,000 house, they don't. We find that middle-range-price houses do not get the value back on their pools.

Arnzen said there appears to be a strong demand for pools, especially in homes costing $150,000 and more. Byrd agreed and said the home's neighborhood makes a big difference in pool values.

"It all depends on location and the price of the house to start with," said Byrd. "If you are in an area that lends itself to pools, it holds value; but, if you go into an area where the average house is selling for $50,000 and you put in a $20,000 pool, you are not going to get $70,000 for the house."

In-ground pools can be constructed in five to 10 days, depending on the amount of hand-work that needs to be done. The average in-ground pool in this area costs $14,000 to $20,000, though Byrd said there are exceptions.

For this area, concrete pools are not the best because the soil shifts, he said. Most in-ground pools built here have vinyl or stainless steel liners.

Byrd said well-built in-ground pools last for years while above-ground pools have a life of 10 to 25 years depending on construction, materials and installation.

Byrd said a number of reputable pool builders exist in the area, but he suggested potential pool builders check out the contractor and see some of the pools they have built.

The size of a pool is determined by how many people will use it, what it will be used for, and whether it will have a diving tank. Most of Tri-State's pools are diving pools. Code requires they be at least 8 1/2-feet deep around the diving area.

All pool builders in the area follow the National Swimming Pool and Spa Code, a safety code for liability reasons. Byrd said efforts to upgrade the code to improve safety are ongoing.

Besides the safety code, pool construction is also dictated some by city and county requirements and homeowners' insurance company requirements that insist on fencing around pools.

The city of Cape Girardeau has an ordinance stating that the pool and deck area around it cannot exceed 33 percent of the size of a backyard.

Byrd suggested the best time to build a pool is in the fall because it allows plenty of time for landscaping before spring. But people build pools any time of the year, he said.

Pools require ongoing maintenance, but Byrd said it does not have to be time consuming if the pool is properly built and kept in good condition.

"With pools today, especially in ground, there are so many things we can do such as automatic chemical and cleaning systems," Byrd said. "There is a test kit for the water you have to use, and we even have power covers that can be put over a pool in 45 seconds."

Dunavan said upkeep of their pool has not been a problem, and benefits of the pool far outweigh the need for maintenance.

"The big thing you have to do is keep close watch and test the water regularly, she said. "It can go green overnight ... it is surprising how fast algae grows."

Because their pool is an irregular shape, Dunavan says a self-vacuum system can't be used; instead it must be vacuumed by hand, a task that takes an hour and a half each week. The automatic chlorine dispenser has to be checked often and the filter boxes and skimmer lines need to be kept clean.

The Dunavans' pool is concrete and Fiberglas, which means it has to be painted every few years. There is also some expense for periodic replacement of equipment.

Dunavan stressed the importance of a good pool cover. "If you don't have a good cover on it over the winter, you will get a good tadpole collection," said Dunavan. "We had about 10,000 last spring."