Pool ownership rises in Springfield area

by Paul Schreiber

SBJ Contributing Writer

Owning a residential swimming pool is increasing in popularity in the Ozarks. A range of choices and prices for above-ground and in-ground models gives prospective buyers a wide variety from which to pick.

There are about 2,500 pools in a roughly 20-mile radius of Springfield, said Doug Fender, manager of Indian Summer Pool and Spa.

He said that from his research, he estimates nearly 1,600 of those pools are in Springfield and Greene County.

One reason more people are buying pools is price.

"Twenty-five years ago, the only people that could afford them were wealthy people," said Jeff Schlenener, president of Buster Crabbe Pools Inc. "Now middle-class people can afford a swimming pool. It's just another payment."

Other reasons that pool ownership has become more popular are their utility and value factors.

A home pool affords opportunities for exercise, provides quality family time, and increases the overall resale value of the property, according to Fender.

In-ground pool prices "usually range from about $18,000 to about $29,000," according to Ed Faxon, manager of Springfield Pool & Spa. He added that above-ground pools "range from about $3,500 to about $6,500."

While these prices represent an average range for this market, both lower and higher priced pools are available depending on size, construction materials and features.

An in-ground pool ordinarily includes the pool itself, a concrete walkway around it, pumps, filters, walk-in steps, lights, diving board and all maintenance equipment, including nets, brushes, vacuum heads and hoses, according to Schlenener.

Actual excavation for in-ground pool construction can sometimes be impeded by the region's characteristic limestone geology.

"We have a problem with solid rock," said Doug Randall, president of Doug's Pool & Spas. Dismantling and removing it typically involves the use of a jack hammer and a back hoe. In certain instances, it may require blasting.

"We hit rock in about 10 (percent) to 20 percent of the pools we dig," Fender said. "It isn't as easy as putting in a pool in Iowa, where you've got flat ground and seven feet of dirt," he added.

Fender gave estimates for excavating rock that range from $300 to $5,000, depending on the difficulty of excavation and the amount of material to be moved during the job.

Today's private in-ground pool is most frequently constructed of a durable vinyl liner, custom sized and form fitted into a steel-wall structure within the excavated area, Schlenener said.

The liner sets on a cement floor and is fastened to the top of the steel walls all around. This forms the floor and sides of the swimming pool.

They're usually good for about 10 to 15 years, he added.

Above-ground pools "offer a less expensive alternative, if somebody is ... right on top of rock, to have some form of pool," Fender said.

These pools come with accessories like maintenance equipment and entry steps but do have diving boards since their depth is insufficient for safe diving.

An elevated platform or decking for pool-side activity around above-ground pools is not included in the price. Walkways do not come as a standard part of an above-ground pool, Faxon said.

Local pool companies offer different levels of maintenance service to their customers.

These tasks have been simplified, however, through the introduction of automatic cleaners and chlorinators, Schlenener said.

Fender elaborated on the sophistication of pool-service technology. "We can control all the functions of the pools and spas with computers," he said. "The automatic pool cleaners take about 95 percent of the pool cleaning out of the job. That is really a significant portion of the work," he added.

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