Most homeowners end up at this stage in the purchase consideration for a pool. Should I just save some money and install an above-ground pool? I mean, it’s far cheaper and if I decide I don’t want it in the future I can resell it, right? Well, not necessarily. There are a bunch of associated risks with above-ground pools both financially and legally.

Above Ground Pools Skirt the Law

According to state law, if a pool has over 24 inches of water, it needs to be entirely enclosed by a barrier. A property fence does not count. Such laws are mandated by Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, which was designed to prevent the accidental drowning of children. Most above-ground pools do not include the cost of this, so it’s something to be aware of when shopping. You may face considerable fines if the city finds your pool. Additionally, they pose a tremendous safety risk to children and pets alike, as they usually require a ladder to get out, unlike an in-ground pool that has steps leading out.

Doesn’t increase property value

The main benefit to an in-ground pool (aside from how much nicer they are) is that it will exponentially increase your property value over time. Most pool builders view your upcoming project as an investment into your future home sale value. According to the experts, a swimming pool can increase the value of your home by about 7%. For a $220,000 home, that works out to around $15,000. So, you probably won’t recoup the entire price of installing the pool, but you can make back a significant portion.

An above-ground pool can potentially hurt your property value. It will kill all of the grass underneath of it, and the prospecting homeowners may factor in the cost of reseeding the grass and removing the above-ground pool into the cost of purchasing the property.

Harder to maintain

Because of the materials and structure of an above-ground pool, they are much harder to keep clean and at an acceptable chlorine level. They do not have a pump and filter system, they are not easy to skim or brush manually (due to the height), and they don’t have any automatic chlorination systems. This can lead to an algae ridden pool that needs lots of manual attention and trips to your local pool supply store

Tremendous Liability Risk

As you can see in the above video, when an above ground pool fails, you’re looking at a mini tidal wave of water. Not only can this excess of water kill a lot of your grass and plants, it can weaken property fence foundations, or spill into your neighbors property. Depending on your relationship with your neighbor, this could go over poorly and result in a civil lawsuit.