SFGate

creeser Did you ever make a decision on in ground or standard?

csmoorhead No. Still trying to get plans. Early in process. Heard in ground a bit mor but the larger pre-fans all have the built in seats that we hate

creeser So you were thinking, on the in grounds, almost like you see off of swimming pools sometimes? If you hate the seats in the prefabs, I think the in ground would be nice just because you can get more creative with it. Just did a search on houzz of hot tubs and there are some gorgeous ones. Have you looked?

csmoorhead Yeah, we have found some beautiful ones. Great ideas. I think the built-in ones give more freedom. Prob stronger jets. Extra cost may limit us though.

Vivian Rase You only mentioned a hot tub, but what about a very small salt water pool? I recently stayed in a bed and breakfast that had one and it was the best pool I've ever been in. After soaking in it for a few hours my skin felt like a babies. It was a very small pool, about chest deep with a fountain flowing into it and seating on the sides with jets. I'm including a picture. After spending time in it I knew that if I ever had another pool it would be exactly like this. I can't tell you how amazing the salt water is for your skin.

Dytecture You absolutely get what you pay for! An in-ground hot tub looks more upscale and may be a selling feature for potential buyers.

creeser Vivian, my daughter and her hubby put in a small salt water pool and it is fantastic. Not as pretty as the one you posted, but they are working on it a bit at a time.
csmoorhead, new builds are exhausting. We finished ours and moved in this past August. Just my opinion, but if the in ground is the best and is what you want, it might be worth waiting on than wasting money on an above ground that you would never be really happy using.

creeser Dy, love that one you posted!

csmoorhead Agree. May design the landscaping to plan for it then approach it next year. We are just starting the process. First set of plans for the house coming tomorrow. Very excited. Just put lot under contract. On that salt pool...so the salt acts in place of the chlorine? Corrosion issues? Maintenance of salt levels? Any ideas of where to investigate this?

creeser I 'spoke' with a landscaper on houzz recently about how to get started on a blank canvas and she told me to get a 5 year plan. Then find a starting point and work from there to achieve the 5 year plan. Made sense to break such an overwhelming project down into manageable chunks.
As for the salt water pools, yes, the salt works in place of the chlorine and is so much healthier for your skin. The pumps and such used are designed for salt water pools and therefore are resistance to the corrosion from salt. My kids just buy a big bag of salt from Lowe's at the beginning of summer and it lasts them all summer. I found this. It gives you a small amount of info:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2034707_convert-saltwater-pool.html

csmoorhead Just did a quick search too. Lots of info. Seems that the cost may be minimally increased if starting from scratch and not converting. Very intriguing. Thanks for the idea.

ASVInteriors Hi, I have a salt water pool. Love it but the maintenance is a real headache - and corrosion!!! Yuk!

Do research it because the pros weigh as much as the cons. I seem to remember when we did ours that salt water in a spa is not viable because it breaks down to quickly (mumbo jumbo to me). Talk to a pool contractor and then ask to speak to someone who has had a salt water spa for some time.

creeser It is. The pool my kids bought was an in ground that belonged to a friend. He was trying to sell his house after his wife passed away and one of the negative comments he kept getting was the pool was too small. So he decided to dig it up and get rid of it. Sold it to my kids for very little. This might be something to investigate. Contact pool suppliers or look on Craig's List for people that may be getting rid of one or (if a supplier) maybe a demo model they want to sell.

creeser ASV, good tips!

Vivian Rase @asv...very interesting. what exactly corrodes? the pool surface? If so, does it have to be resurfaced more often than a regular pool? I thought the mainenance was equal to or easier than chlorine.

Here is a link to the b&b if you'd like to contact them and see more pictures. http://www.portdhiver.com/
Also, consider the health benefits of salt water. It has many healing applications. I hope I'm not confusing you...personally, I just found it superb. Here's a better photo

ASVInteriors it is not the pool itself, but all the pipework and machinery and filtration systems which are comprised of metal bits that corrode. Remember that salt water and metal is never a good friend so anything you can have done in PVC or plastic is a better choice. We specifically used specialized metals for the the project, but it is only as good as its weakest link - and in our case, the screw bits that were used to affix lights to the pool basin started a rusting process... even though the screws were also classified rust-proof. So just be prepared for lots of tolerance and patience but OH I love that salt water!!! :-(

Ironwood Builders Look into Roberts Hot tubs out of Richmond, CA. They build cope red tanks for above ground...Japanese ofuros and soakers too.

Ironwood Builders Dang auto correct! Coopered tanks!