A backyard pool is the American fantasy, but the true cost is a lot higher than simply building it. The installation is only the start. Once the water trickles in, so do daily chores, higher utility bills, fixes, replacements, insurance, safety fees etc.

It’s best to put it this way – if a pool costs you $50,000 to install, you’re left with an additional $50,000 for the extras, and the upkeep of the system. Most owners learn about this years later, after the costs have slowly accrued quietly. Here’s what ownership of a pool typically looks like when you factor in everything, not just construction.

The additional costs beyond construction

The majority of people budget according to the builder’s budget. It usually covers the shell, basic plumbing, pump, and filter; nearly everything else is additional. Common add-ons that raise the costs include:

• Required safety fencing with a self closing, self latching gate
• Hardscape decking around the pool
• Lighting, electrical work, and outlets
• Changes to landscaping, drainage and irrigation
• Basic accessories as well as furniture

Fencing alone can add up to thousands, depending on material and yard size. Attractive landscaping and a moderate deck can add several thousands more.

Long term owners will tell you the same thing:it always costs more than you think it would. And when the pool gets completed, annual spending continues. You need to clean it up, treat the water, run the equipment, top it off with water, repair what breaks, and keep safety features in shape.

Over 10 years, these recurring costs can rival or even exceed the initial build price.

Routine maintenance is hard

A pool is a kind of permanent maintenance project, which is all the time. During swim season, you should have work coming in weekly to keep the water clean and safe to swim in. Typical tasks include:

• Skimming leaves and debris
• Vacuuming the floor and brushing the walls
• Emptying skimmer and pump baskets
• Backwashing or rinsing the filter
• Testing and adjusting pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer

Water, if chemistry is off, can irritate eyes and skin, grow algae, and corrode surfaces and equipment. Neglect tends to end in green water and costly repair.

All of which you could do yourself, but it takes lots of time and supplies. Many owners work several hours a week during peak season, and an extra few hundred dollars a year on chemicals and tools.

Chemicals cost anywhere from $300 to $800 annually, for example. If you pay for a service instead, convenience isn’t free.

Weekly professional maintenance: $100 – $350 per visit (a significant number of areas averaging $230 a week during the season). Lighter service plans can go for $80 – $150 a month.

Over a year, basic maintenance falls between $1,000 to $1,800 and that is excluding repairs and utilities. And if you skip on your duties, it will cost more down the line with high dollar repair fees almost certain to come.

Large bills incoming

Pool equipment uses a metric ton of electricity.

The circulation pump has to operate several hours daily to filter the water, and often – much longer in hot months. If you add in lights, an automatic cleaner and most notably, a heater, your rack up significant electricity usage. A well maintained, functional, pool contributes $250 to $1500 to your electric bill.

Some find that their bill for summer is nearly twice as much as it used to be. Gas heaters can contribute $100 a month or more to gas bills while they are running. Water consumption also rises significantly. Pools lose water through evaporation, splashing, and filter backwashing, and filling up the pool would cost between $50 and a couple hundred dollars worth of water in a year depending on local rates and the size of the pool. And when you have a leak, you could be spending thousands before you have identified the source of the problem and got it fixed.

One more recurring cost is insurance. This is a reason why almost all owners increase homeowners insurance, as a pool is thought of as an attractive nuisance and high liability risk. Pool liability insurance typically costs from about $15 to $25 each month or more. A pool warranty, that covers against unexpected breakdowns due to wear and tear, could run as a $25-50/m add-on, in addition to the basic plan costs of $50/m.

In many places, building codes mandate a secure fence around swimming pools at least 4 feet high with child resistant gates. When the pool’s being built, if your yard isn’t already appropriately fenced, you need to add one. You might pay around $17/foot for a simple chain link fence. Decorative metal styles can reach $40 or more a foot. Those fences must also be maintained along with any alarms or safety covers you install.

Wear and tear

Even a spotless pool is a complex system that ages and fails over time. Some are tiny, some are massive and not much is actually known. Common repairs include:

• Leaks in the plumbing system, in the fittings or the shell
• Pump or motor failures
• Cracked or failing filters
• Vinyl liner tears and plaster cracks
• Troubles with heaters, lights, and chlorinators

Spotting and repairing a small leak might cost a few hundred dollars. An actual structural leak in a concrete pool can be tens of thousands. In the worst cases, professionals may actually advise filling the pool rather than repairing it. A pump that suddenly fails might cost several hundred dollars to fix or more than $1,000 to replace. Filters that break, or wear out, also cost hundreds of dollars. Repairing a damaged vinyl liner may start from patch kits at a cost in the neighborhood of a few hundred dollars or several thousand dollars if the liner must be replaced.

A surface of leaking or severely cracked concrete can need professional structural work in the thousands. Plumbing and underground leaks frequently require specialized leak detection, followed by digging then by pipe replacement which may easily drive you into the $300 to $700 range or above. Pool lights, heaters, automation systems and cleaners all have their breakdown thresholds as well as costs. The important thing is though, even with good care, there are going to be surprises over the life of the pool.

A sensible owner saves money as a repair fund every year because, at any time, a broken pump, heater, or leak can present a four figure bill. Invest the money over time to buy new equipment. In addition to repairs, replacing large parts of equipment on schedule should be anticipated. And this is akin to preparing for timing belts and transmissions on a car. Typical lifetimes and cost:

• Pumps and motors: Will last around 8 to 12 years. Replacing a pump could cost around $1,000 or more, plus installation especially for modern variable speed units.
• Heaters: Gas heaters last roughly 7 to 12 years; heat pumps can last 10 to 20. Replacements normally cost $1,500 to $4,000, plus labor.
• SALT SYSTEMS: Salt cells typically last between 3 and 7 years and are typically between $700 and $1,100 to replace. Control boards typically will fail and they often cost hundreds.
• Filters and Media: Tanks might have the ability to last years, but the cartridges, grids, and sand need to be replaced occasionally. Cartridges may stay for a few seasons before you purchase new ones ($50 to $200 each, with several per filter).
• Automatic pool cleaners often require significant repair or replacement after about five years and cost $500 to $1,500.
• Solar covers seldom last more than three to five seasons and generally run $100 to $300 to replace.
• Underwater lights will require new bulbs or LED modules eventually; generally you pay an electrician to do that safely.

If you buy a pool today, it’s fair to believe that you will probably replace at least one pump or heater and have renewed multiple smaller ones in about 10 years.

The gelcoat on fiberglass shells can be nice for a while, but a 15 to 20 year or so fading, chalking or blistering can result in refinishing. Fiberglass special resurfacing can be between $7,000 to $15,000.

Should you build a pool, then?

The point is not to argue that nobody should ever own a pool. For certain families, a pool is a space for daily exercise, family time, and real happiness, and they are comfortable with the price.

Take the following into consideration when estimating the true costs

• Develop a long term budget that incorporates construction plus yearly maintenance, utilities, insurance, repairs, machinery and big ticket items a new pump, say, or resurfacing in around a decade.
• Be realistic about how often you will swim and for how many months a year. The return on that investment is nearly fully personal enjoyment, not resale value.
• If you want that brief, summer escape (as is often the case), consider substitutes. Community pools, swim clubs, a smaller above ground pool or a hot tub might provide the itch with much less ongoing commitment.

And remember, having a pool is a permanent responsibility. At the end of the day, you are the one who fixes it and pays if something breaks.