With the weather being so warm lately, all I want to do is just float in a cool pool on a sunny day without a care in the world. But then I remember: I don’t have a pool and the dream subsides. However, the demand for outdoor, inground pools is growing, and many homeowners are considering adding pools to their backyard, but they don’t know where to start.
Image from MAKING DREAMS Realty
An inground pool in Wisconsin can be very different from other states, so you need to pay close attention to the specific laws and requirements the state has.
-Setback requirements: these are unique to your city or county in Wisconsin, so make sure to check before you build your pool too close to your home or your septic!
-Fencing and pool covers: Wisconsin requires all inground pools to have some sort of fence around it that is at least 4 feet tall to meet requirements. Wisconsin also has special laws requiring pool covers for safety reasons. You may be able to forgo the cover if your fence meets the adequate requirements, but having a cover isn’t a bad idea if you want to keep your pool safe and clean.
Image from MAKING DREAMS Realty
As for the types of outdoor inground pools you can build, there are vinyl liner inground pools, fiberglass inground pools, and concrete inground pools.
-Vinyl liner pools are most popular in the northeast and feature steel wall and cement wall pools. They can be manufactured into any shape of style, but they also can eventually corrode or oxidize. This pool works best in a climate with soil that holds water.
-Fiberglass pools are quickest to install, and they are delivered previously built and shaped. They also have low long-term maintenance costs; however, a drawback is that they don’t allow for much customization in size and shape.
-Concrete pools can be any shape or size based on how much you are prepared to pay for it. Since there are almost no limitations, these pools may be pricier than other kinds. In addition, there are many unique ways to finish the pool, like with plaster, quartz, pebble, and glass beads.
According to Seasonal World, the pricing of these pool types are very different too.
“Vinyl liners are usually the most economical of all the different types of pools. Quality fiberglass pools typically fall in the middle. Concrete (gunite/shotcrete) because of the material costs as well as the amount of labor, is generally the most expensive of the three. This is contingent on the individual market which varies by area of the country and what is referenced above is based on the Northeast pool market.”
Pool Pros Wisconsin estimates the cost of a vinyl liner pool to be from $35,000-$65,000, the cost of a fiberglass pool to be $50,000-$100,000, and the cost of a concrete pool to be $45,000-$95,000, and up, depending on customizations.