Should you have a deep end in an inground pool?

Question

We are debating on an inground pool. I think we should have all one level at 5' but my wife thinks that we should have a deep end. We have 3 boys...ages 17, 4 and 2. Due to the ages of the little ones is why I say one level and so we can play games in the pool which we can not do w/ a deep end. She says in the long run when the kids get older they will wish we had a deep end. Any body out there that has an inground pool....please provide your thoughts. Do you have regrets about a deep end? If so, why. If you don't have a deep end, do you wish you did? Thanks for any input!!!

Answer 1

yup, You can always give your little ones life jackets and swim lessons, my niece got swim lessons when she was 2.

I have an inground pool with a diving board and my now 3 year old niece loves it!

Answer 2

My parents have an inground pool with a pretty deep, deep end. They have a diving board.

Growing up, my grandparent's pool had a deep end. It was fine. We all learned how to swim and always swam with adult supervision.

We take my stepkids to my parents' house so they can swim in the pool. They seem to know their limitations but we also watch them. It hasn't been a problem.

I think it's better to have a pool with a deep end rather than one that is all level. If you do that then you might as well do an above ground.

edit: I love to swim and I find it easier to swim in deeper water.

Answer 3

I have an in-ground pool. The deep end is a little over 5 feet. The shallow end is 3 feet. Only going 5 feet on the deep end extended the shallow end by almost 4 feet. The decline between the two is gradual.

Some people will disagree, but our rational was simple:  We know to many people who have been injured on slides and diving boards (very familiar with the medical field). You can be the safest in the world. All it takes is one wrong slip on the board or bad landing on the water...and SNAP goes the neck.

Beside, have you ever tried to play pool vollyball and be forced to tread water in the deep end? Unless your a Navy Seal, treading water and playing pool vollyball is impossible.

Driving boards dictate the deepness.  Lose the board and gain the usable space.

Answer 4

I wish our pool had a ledge to sit on.  We would enjoy our pool if we could sit in the water, like they have the the spa's on the newer pools.  We use both sides equally.

Answer 5

id def. have a deep end. just get floaties/bouys to mark off the sections.

besides, the boys will want to learn how to swim if they dont already, and will want to be able to jump in!

Answer 6

i definatley recomend having a deep end just so when your kids get older they can dive in and stuff withour worrying about cracking their heads off the bottom i would suggest geting a shallow end that's 4ft deep  and a deep end that's about 8 ft deep. thats what my uncle did and it gives you the best of both worlds. in that the kids can play in the shallow bit whilst they're still young but you, your older kid and his friends can still enjoy the deep end.

Answer 7

uhh yeah why would you have a inground pool that only is shallow? you should try for 7 feet, esp if you have three boys

Answer 8

have a deep in with at least ten feet deep so then you can have a diving board

Answer 9

yupppp!!! then you can get a diving board!!!AHHH fuunn

Answer 10

I have an inground pool in my backyard and it goes from 3-5 feet.You should have a shallow end just because two of your kids are young and they still want to go in without floaties.You can also have a deep end and a shallow end so they can swim in the deep in for when they are older.

Answer 11

I've never been in a pool without a deep end. It doesn't have to be all that deep 6ft is more than enough. Every house we have ever lived in has had a pool. as we grew older we never spend any time in the shallow end. You can't do much there.

You should get a pool cover. The ones we get here are strong enough so you can walk on them. Our local laws force us to have pool covers. They also save on your chemical use and heating costs.

Hope this helps.

Location South Africa

Answer 12

Yea you should have a deep end you could get a rope for where the the slope down to the deep end starts...

Answer 13

if you want all one depth than you should opt for a less expensive above ground pool however ingroud pools are much mroe beneficial in the long run. With a deep end your young children will eventually learn to be stronger swimmers than if they could stand everywhere. As a swim coach i highly suggest the deep end for both your older son and your younger children. They will like it more with a deep end. Trust me.

Answer 14

yer

Answer 15

Ok a pool without a deep end is like a yard without grass seriously what is the point? You can play so many games in a pool with a deep area that you cannot play without it and you can still play all the others! Next I was diving to 15-20 ft deep by the time I was 3 and practically qualified as a lifeguard by the time I was 5 let your kids have fun and don't baby them they will appreciate it more in the long run, I do understand why you want to keep it shallow but it is not like they are 5 ft tall yet so the whole pool would be a deep end! Just do the right thing and make sure you have a descent deep end no shallower than 8 ft preferably deeper if I was putting one in my yard it would go to 25ft deep (for safe diving, another good reason you want it deeper than 5 ft)

Answer 16

Yes. Your younger kids are going to grow up sooner than you think and then it's always fun to dive and do flips into a deeper pool. Plus, you can teach your kids to swim in the deeper end.

Answer 17

I dont not have an inground pool but i love swimming and going to my uncles pool. My uncles pool is inground starts from 3ft and goes all the way to 8ft... My uncle has a 4 year old daughter and a 2 year old boy they do both go in the pool only when we are in the pool (we as in me and my cousins because we know how to swim) as for the 2 year old his feet cannot even reach the floor so his parents go in the pool to or one of us carrys him.

keeping it on level 5 is a bad idea because as soon as your kids get older they are going to learn how to swim and if their feet can touch the floor in your own pool its no fun.  Yes i know you want to make the pool safe for your kids but making it with a deep end will be fun .. they can jump in the deep and have fun but if they grow up and jump in shallow there probably going to damage their feet or hurt it. I myself would never get a pool with no deep end because it is fun when your feet dont touch the ground in the pool I personally never leave the deep end when im in my uncles pool. Your kids are going to grow up learning how to swim one day. And if you make the pool shallow then they wont be able to swim and have fun in their own pool :)

Answer 18

You should definately have a deep end.  My family has an inground pool that goes from about 4 feet to 8 feet.  We've never had a problem with the little one's in the pool and we've still played games.  

It's never to early to learn to swim and the younger the easier it will be.  I've seen 4  year old's jumping off the diving  board in 12 feet deep water.

Have Fun!!!!

Answer 19

yupp

Answer 20

You should have both deep and shallow.  It will be a long time before the 2 year old can have fun in a 5-foot pool.  He could enjoy the shallow end a lot sooner so you'll get more years of use.

Answer 21

Well....if you have one level at 5' unless everyone is about 7' tall, you're not going to be able to pay any games.  I'm about 5'3 and I can't play games in 5' of water.  I only can bob around on my tippy toes.

As for the ages, if your concerned about safety, remember a person can drown in less than 6 inches of water. So in regards to that concern, it wouldn't matter if the water is 5' deep or 8' deep.

I think as the boys get older, they'll enjoy a deep end.

I also  highly recommend getting one of those tanning ledges.  It's a ledge on one end of the pool that's about 6 to 12 inches below the surface so you can lay on it, chill out and keep cool.  Your wife would love it!

Answer 22

Without a doubt. If you're investing the money to get an inground pool then you HAVE to get a deep end otherwise whats the point. Although I would recommend a safety fence around it or a gate just to be sure. Because of the 4 and 2 year old it's not the depth that matters. Kids that age can drown in a kiddie pool or LESS! Saftey is always an issue no matter what kind of pool or how deep. Be safe no matter what you decide. Plus your 17 year old is going to be bored out of his mind lol and you and your wife for that matter lol.

Answer 23

Two years ago my spouse and I had this vary debate. I wanted a deep end and he thought we'd get more family/quality time out of a 5 footer. In hind sight, we both now wish we had a deep end, and so do my nieces and nephews (2-19 years old). Seriously, if you are going to pay the expenses associated with a 5' in-ground pool... please go the extra mile and include a deep end.

My brother has an in-ground with a deep end and I find his pool so much more enjoyable, even though ours is bigger, because there is so much more you can do in there! Neither cannon balls nor diving is an issue, water aerobics is more fun (not scraping toes on the bottom), and when our  families get together- everyone would rather go to my brother's house because of the deep end- especially the kids and teenagers. After thinking about that- I can see the advantage of having a deep end. If your children's friends would rather hang out at your home when they get older- at least you will know they aren't out and about doing who knows what with friends you haven't met.

My oldest nephew is now a lifeguard in North Carolina. He became a great swimmer at an early age because his activity in the deep end wasn't limited. Personally, I just think a deep end adds so much more to any pool. I wish I could turn back time and get the pool I always wanted. Good luck with your decision.

Answer 24

I think you should have a long shallow end. and have you deep end med-small.

you could put a net in between the ends.

:)

hope i helped.

Answer 25

it depends on what you want to use the pool for, if you like diving, then yes get a deepend. But if you just like swimming lengths don't bother.Dont'forget the deeper you go the higher the price! Hope this helps!

Answer 26

well for the 4 and 2 year olds they can't stand or swim in the 5 foot part either. you should get one area of 3 feet of water and then it can go down deeper until 7 feet or so.