A pool, but at what price?

In the past a luxury product. Acquiring a pool has become much more accessible and there are now one million pool owners in France.  The question of price does however remain a deciding factor before making a purchase. Remember that your budget will be determined by your initial choices: type of pool chosen, equipment, pool surround features ... You should know that price variations are considerable depending on the type of pool basin: concrete, fibreglass, panels, etc... More generally, the prices of in-ground and above-ground pools can vary dramaticaly.

Here is some guidance from Hayward to help you take the leap straight into the deep end!

What are some typical construction prices for a pool?

The lowest prices (except for above-ground pools) are around € 10,000 for a pool in kit form, in an all-inclusive package with a fibreglass shell or semi-inground in wood, including a pool basin, a filtration system and steps or a ladder. You should note that this price does not take into account the optional equipment: alarm, shelter, solar blanket or rolling covers.

The average investment made by owners is around € 15,000 to € 20,000 without counting the security system (alarm, barrier, cover or shelter) that must be added. There is no upper limit to the expenditure if you plan to have a custom-made construction such as an infinity, overflow or stainless steel pool. This type of construction, which is more expensive, is still a speciality for a few buyers. (Take a look at our article on which type of pool to choose, found here).

Maintenance costs for a pool

Both construction of a pool and its daily use have a cost.

The first aspect to consider is the electricity consumption. A study by Ademe (French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management), reveals that the average consumption of a pool is 1862 kW per year, which represents around € 240. This is in fact relatively little. To prevent your bill increasing exponentially, choose your equipment carefully and intelligently. Start by assessing the pump, the top energy consumer. We advise you to choose a variable speed pump which will save you 40 % on your electricity bill. Hayward proposes the Tristar VSTD, Super Pump VSTD or Max Flo XL VSTD models. Since they are not in constant use, the heat pump and lighting only represent a small part of your consumption, but you should be wary all the same.

For cleaning, prioritize an electric cleaner such as the TigerShark over a model that requires a compressor. This is more expensive to use and install (find our article about electric cleaners here). Insist on quality chemicals by choosing those that are recognized by professionals. Lastly, be wary of special offers, sales or stock clearance offers that are too good to be true!

Last point to consider: the water of course! This is the main constituent of your pool. The average cost of filling an 80 m3 pool is around € 120. Resorting to untreated well water, believing that you will make savings, is therefore of no benefit. On the contrary, you may well end up spending considerable amounts of money on anti-algae and other treatment products!