Hi all,
The neighbours are complaining our background swimming pool is too dirty (which is fair as we didn't want to spend $1k/yr to maintain it). We never use the pool, so would like to get rid of it, or at least somehow cover it properly. I've been told that to rid of it and cover it up will cost $10k, which seems like so much money.
Wondering is there any smart ways of doing this to save money? Any method is fine, as long as the neighbours will be happy and not complain anymore.
Many thanks
I can imagine algae/rotting leaves = smell, stagnant water = mosquitoes, if it is visible from their property = eyesore, etc…
stagnant water = mosquitoes
That'd suck so much.
Build a higher fence so your neighbours can't see it. They will be happy and not complain anymore.
I don't know if it is legal or possible, but construction companies and earthwork movers are always looking for places to dump soil and rubble from their work. In some cases they will pay you for the privilege. Just be sure to specify "CLEAN FILL ONLY", that way you end up with mostly soil and clay, otherwise it will be full of rocks, broken brick and concrete, smashed toilet bowls, dead animals etc. Then you can grow grass over the top of it.
If the pool isn't full of water, it will catch all the rain and turn into one all by itself, you'll be lucky if it can handle the weight. You'd still have to chlorinate the pool water and clean it prior to "sealing" it, otherwise you'll still have the stagnant/rotting vegetation problem trapped underneath.
you can just buy one of those pool covers. it's like a piece of strong plastic / tarp that sits over it until summer.
or turn it into an illegal skate park and charge the local kids $2 to use it after signing a waiver
which is fair as we didn't want to spend $1k/yr to maintain it
Holy mackerel….I'll do it for $520/yr
Is it concrete or fibreglass?
The neighbours are complaining our background swimming pool is too dirty
Why do they care?
(which is fair as we didn't want to spend $1k/yr to maintain it).
It doesn't cost 1K a year….
If the neighbours have kids and want to use it perhaps you can work out a deal where they pay for some of the supplies in return for use of the pool in summer.
As others have said, drain it and buy a pool cover or similar to stop it getting dirty. If you ever decide to sell you will have to clean it and it will add value to your house if you have the pool still useable.
Just drain the bloody thing, put some foam in it and cover it with a plastic cover so no one falls to their death.
Or, just drain the bloody thing, and fill it with those plastic kiddy plastic balls.
Until it rains and all those plastic kiddy balls float away and you're back to square one.
Use it for some aquaculture. Maybe you can earn a decent income from it?
When my friend moved into his place the swimming pool had been converted into a pond with koi fish…
How much did that cost him? (how much did he spend on the fish?)
I always thought koi were incredibly expensive, like upwards of a grand per fish, but a simple Gumtree search tells me otherwise :S
Sorry waterlogged turnip, although I was suggesting it as an idea, I meant the fish were already there from the previous tenant!! This was probably over ten years ago though, and they decided to convert it back into a swimming pool :(
Only place I know to get koi from in NSW is in the Bringelly area, you can look up koi farm bringelly, never been there myself, though I still recommend the place only because I've heard of its existence lol…
I don't know actually, if that was the case then people would take them from the Chinese Gardens in the city O_o
Ah sorry, I misread your post.. overlooked the "had been converted" part and jumped to the conclusion he converted it himself. Soz! :)
I noticed you live in Sydney, you can find them cheap in Sydney market flemington (In Sundays).
Great suggestion. Even filling it with goldfish will do. I have some in a backyard pond for my fountain. They can grow into monsters and eat any mosquito larvae lying on the top of the water and algae. Add a few oxygenating pond plants and you will have yourself a low maintenance fish pond. The only thing I would recommend adding is a UV water filter which cycles and sterilizes the water so it doesn't build up sludge and chemical concentrations, and helps keep it clear. Why you could even add salmon and do a bit of backyard fishing if the urge hits you :) . The neighbours will probably complain of fish gut smells then.
Depends on where you are. Your pool may as well attracts snakes that I can imagine giving you more fun.
Then you have an excuse…….TO GET A MONGOOSE :p
people make ponds out of their pools. I have seen barra sized goldfish in ex pool ponds.
or fill it in, put sand as the top layer and put a playground on it.
better than goldfish sized barra i guess.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141017-four-secrets-goldfis…
Goldfish are descended from carp and at one point were the most popular eating fish in China
Export quality Aquaculture in your own backyard :-)
Check with your local council as they may have some suggestions.
Drain the water and you have instant skate bowl.
See if the neighbours prefer that.
was just about to type that, lucky I decided to read all comments this time.
Unlike Baysew…
or turn it into an illegal skate park and charge the local kids $2 to use it after signing a waiver
Thanks all, I will do some research on the pool covers, as many of you have suggested. I just hope that can prevent all the rain coming in, and can last a long time
Cling wrap if you want to go the budget route.
Your neighbour is being a little short-sighted. Drop a print-out of a map of Canberra showing which portions were hit by the last major fire, an anonymous reference to any page/article explaining how far embers travel from a bush-fire [ Hint - a shit of a lot further than most city dwellers imagine], and a copy of the Guardian page showing the news about the current blaze, and the story referencing the early start to the season in August last year.
Then ask them if they want to buy shares in your emergency water tank….
Why has no one asked - is it an above ground/below ground, and is it concrete/fibreglass? Fibreglass pools can be removed for free as they can be on-sold by the pool removalists. Concrete pool can be filled with clean fill as suggested above then turned into a garden bed or whatever.
BigTed did, but never got a reply. It would help to know if it is a 20' above ground or an olympic-sized concrete in-ground pool. For $1000 p.a. maintenance, I'm assuming in-ground.
they remove the fibreglass pool and fill the hole in all for free?
I heard that to get rid of a pool you need to pay a fee for applying to the council.
In most cases having a pool at home is a stupid thing. People rarely use them but have to spend efforts to maintain them. Particularly for those houses surrounded by trees especially gum trees, they are asking for trouble. You can never do real lap swimming in an average house pool. Why not just pay several bucks for proper public swimming centre? If you just want to soak in water for cool and fun, your bath can be an alternative, otherwise go to beach. Unfortunately so many Aussies blindly fond of pools, they think a house with a pool is "higher class", just like the old Greeks setting a pillar in their poor sheds then imagining they lived in a palace.
Usually pool pumps creating annoying noise, even worse are the vaccumes. And these nuisance constantly disturb the neighbours, though most of neighbours would keep quiet as they don't want to start spats and ruin the relationship. Some say pools help with bush fire. Mind you that probably more people get drowned than killed by bush fire.
I like swimming, but I hate home pools.
I plan to pay several bucks to add several pillars in and around my pool in time for summer, and float around eating dolmades and tzatziki whilst sipping on ouzo.
Old greeks aint got nuthin on me!
damn… always wanted a pool at home, and a thread pops up of someone trying to get rid of theirs :(
mate of mine just has it empty and drained, probably wouldnt want to be covering it up if its all dirty and insects/leaves everywhere inside
I'll take it. Thanks.
Yes it's concrete and below ground, also it's not a very big pool, just a small sized home pool
Could you post a picture of your pool? I think this will help.
Just drain the pool. That's what I do and I just siphon the water out when it starts to fill up with a hose to the drain easy :) Cost 0$
How long does it take a hose to drain a pool?
I think watching paint dry would be 100x faster.
It takes a few days when full (maybe a week)… but you don't really have to watch it. Chuck the hose in, siphon it out and walk away. Repeat once a month (if it rains)…
drain it, add a ladder and put a roof on it and you have a man cave.
Really? In what way does it affect them?