This post comes after the start of a summer that seems to involve pools, pools and more pools!

Well, actually just two pools but it sure feels like more. I primarily work with home owners who are looking to sell their homes fast and unfortunately properties with pools that are not maintained can be a real liability. The sad part is a pool can be a great value add and while it does limit your pool (no pun intended!) of potential buyers those that do want one are often more willing to overlook other minor issues in exchange for the privilege.

Unfortunately, once a pool becomes neglected it can be a tough road back. Today I am going to go over some practical options once a pool gets close to the point of no return. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of options but here is a little real-world experience that might help get you through a crummy situation.

REPAIR IT

This could be the best option if you are looking to sell the home and the cost is not prohibitive. There are a lot of factors but the truth is most pools can be brought back for a reasonable cost and if you are willing to put in a little “sweat equity” most of the prep and cleaning will be pretty easy, if messy. Obviously, only you can determine what you are comfortable with and I definitely recommend leaving the technical or dangerous stuff to the experts. Here is a great resource we used when repairing a pool  last year .

The bonus to having a pool repaired prior to sale is that in most markets you should see a decent increase in the overall property value. Where I work it’s about $5,000 to $7,000 but check with a local agent and see what fits your market.

That said, if you are planning on using the home as a rental I would caution you to weigh the long term costs, liabilities and headaches a pool might cause. Who will maintain it? What effect will it have on your insurance? Personally, after weighing the options I decided to have a moderately damaged pool broken (more info below) and filled to limit any issues down the line. The increase in rent just wasn’t enough to justify the cost.

BREAK & FILL

If a pool can’t be repaired (or you just don’t want to) then the only other (reasonably cost effective) way to move forward is to have the pool broken and then filled. For this I would recommend getting a professional, although I have seen a few brave souls go at it themselves with varying levels of success.

First, holes are punched throughout the pool, “breaking it” so that the pool doesn’t hold water underground. A pool is basically a concrete boat so this also keeps the pool from popping out of the ground when it rains, which is rare but can happen.

After being broken the concrete surrounding the pool is excavated and typically dumped back in to the pool to partially fill it. Then it is fully filled and graded with topsoil so that it looks like there was never a pool there. Hello, yard!

DON’T JUST “FILL IT IN”

I have seen people just fill in a pool with a variety of things without first breaking the pool. Although it might work depending on your climate there is a good chance you will have problems down the line. An unbroken pool can have drainage issues and become a swamp in wet weather. Also, concrete that is left under topsoil can hold heat and prevent proper moisture retention, killing any grass or plants above. Trust me, I’ve seen that first hand and it can be a very frustrating and costly problem.

FINAL NOTES

While a pool can be an awesome addition to your home it needs a ton of attention and I always caution friends and family when they tell me they are thinking of buying a home with one. If you have to take care of a troublesome pool I hope the options above give you some ideas and help you turn a bad situation around.