Above ground pool....Hard to put together?

Question

Hi,

I would like to buy an above ground pool for my children. I have seen some good deals on both new and used pools. Has anyone every put together a used pool? Was it difficult?

Would I be better off buying a new pool?

thanks

Answer 1

For what it is worth...

     I just paid to have a pool installed.  It was nerve wracking.  It did not go well.  It is not that hard, I could do it now, but it requires a few little tricks to make it go smoothly.  One of them is not to leave the top off of the pump when filling over night.   It just requires some exact measuring, screeding sand level, and compacting it, and erecting the pool.  Do a search of answers, and you will find that the most common problem is the sides continually falling in.  To find a solution, research my previous answers.

Answer 2

They're not hard to put up, but, requires alot of work. First off, you cannot install a used liner,so, unless the pool is sold with a new liner,plan on scraping the one that comes with it and buying a new one. About $300. Next the location of the pool must be stripped of the sod, leveled, and  about 6 inches of clean sand installed,free of any stones. this sand is carefully raked from the out side edge to center forming a bowl shape with a drop of about 4 inches from the edge to the center on a 24ft dia pool. The pool frame landings around the out side edge should be carefully leveled.You can only do this by using a transit. You must be acurate with the transit within 1/10th inch. Not something a DIY guy can't do, buy requires some effort and some planning.

Answer 3

In my experience, a used pool is never a good deal. Most that I have come across no longer have the correct pump type, or have had the pump re-wired incorrectly. The only time I would suggest purchasing a used pool is if your kids are older and it is a "storable" pool that you will only want for a year or two; even then, you must be careful about how the pump wiring is done.

The cord on a pump for a storable pool must be at least 25' long, and the pump must have a tag on it that says "For use with Storable Pools Only - Do Not use with Permanently Installed Pools....". Most Storable Pool Pumps are double insulated, but they still must be connected to a GFCI protected receptacle, and you cannot use an extension cord with them.

As an Electrical Inspector, I require the same information for the installation of a new pool as I do for a used pool. This includes the Owner's Manual, a copy of the Installation Instructions for the pool, pump, heater, lighting, and ladder (if included). The pump must be listed to UL Standard 1081, it does not have to be UL listed, any third party testing lab is all right, as long as it is listed to US Standards (this means a pump with only a CSA mark is not acceptable). A lot of owner's do not keep all of this material, therefore, you do not have it to use for your Permit Application. Water & electricity mix poorly. That is why you should go through the process of applying for a Permit, AND completing all inspections before using the pool. Small mistakes can cost a life.

A listed pump for a Permanently Installed Pool will have a minimum of a #12 AWG 3-wire cord, no longer than 3 feet, and with a twist-lock cord connector molded onto the end. A pump lacking any of these items is not listed, and therefore, cannot be proven to be safe.

Should you purchase a pool, new or used, have the pump installed by a qualified, licensed electrician. Make certain that they have experience with pool installations, and do not pay them in full until the pool has passed a Final Inspection.

It's hard, but you MUST keep the kids out of the pool until it has passed the Final Inspection.

Answer 4

my friend actually got hers done along with a new deck. it workds fantastically, she aso had a slide which made it more fun, i am pretty sure it didnt take long for the builders to put the pool in.