There’s nothing quite like a relaxing dip in the pool during a hot summer. Believe it or not, there are over 10.7 million swimming pools in the United States, making it one of the most popular household amenities nationwide.
If you’re considering installing a pool at home, it’s hard to choose between all of the different swimming pool ideas out there. Let’s talk compare an above-ground vs inground pool to see which is right for your home!
Above-Ground Pool Benefits
Before we compare the two, let’s note their individual advantages. Here are some of the key advantages of building or purchasing an above-ground pool in your yard.
Cost-Effective
Purchasing and maintaining an above-ground pool is quite affordable for most households. The materials are quite limited, there are fewer labor costs involved, and you can still swim the same way you would otherwise. Your children won’t notice the difference!
Easy Installation
Installing a pool on your own can help you save even more money. Let’s be honest, no matter how skilled you are, you aren’t installing inground swimming pools yourself.
Above-ground pools don’t require heavy equipment, surveying, or any major disruptions to your property. You only need a flat surface and two or three people to get the job done once you have the materials. The majority is just sheet metal that you connect to posts and a liner, which is easy to DIY.
Less Space Required
Especially during the construction process, above-ground pools typically require less space to build. There are fewer materials, a smaller digging space, and you won’t need to build a large fence to keep animals out. A gate on your deck will suffice.
Safety
Every year, 4,000 children are killed by unintentional drowning in the U.S. Especially if you have children, pets, or surrounding wildlife, above-ground pools carry a much lower risk. Not only are they more shallow, but there’s much less of a chance of falling into the pool accidentally.
Inground Pool Benefits
Now that you know some of the advantages of above-ground pools, let’s contrast them. Here are some of the key advantages of inground pools!
Increasing Home Value
An inground pool will increase the value of your home by up to 7%. On a $400,000 house, that’s a $28,000 difference.
Inground pools are also a sought-after feature for homebuyers, so having one can help you sell your home faster and give you more leverage when negotiating a price.
Better Aesthetic
It’s no secret that inground pools are much better looking than above-ground pools. It’s also a lot easier to build a nice aesthetic around them, as everything is at the ground level.
Moreover, you can also build a custom pool to meet your aesthetic. Whether it’s modern, rustic, natural, or whatever you want, there are ways to customize your inground pool.
Overall, it’s much easier to customize an inground pool and its surrounding patio area than with above-ground pools, which have limited shapes. Check out some of our custom pools and see for yourself!
More Affordable Amenities
A patio is much cheaper to build than a deck on average. Building a large enough space around your pool to accompany a pool party is much easier to do if the pool is in the ground.
More Swimming Space
While many inground pools are smaller than above-ground pools, the only limits to size for inground pools are your budget and available space. If you have the space available, you can build as big of an inground pool as you want.
Also, this applies in every direction. You can have a much deeper swimming area when you go below the ground than above it.
Above-Ground vs Inground Pool
Now that you know some of the key benefits of these two types of pools, let’s compare and contrast to see which is right for you.
Overall, an inground pool is certainly better for a return on your investment, overall aesthetics, and as a status symbol for your home. Inground pools are the gold standard of swimming pools.
However, does a Rolex tell the time better than a watch you bought from Walmart? No, it doesn’t. The same logic applies here, as you can still swim in an above-ground pool the same way you would in an in-ground pool.
While you may not get the depth or the same size as an in-ground pool, you can still provide ample swimming space for your family. It’s also safer, easier to maintain, and much more affordable to install.
Also, you won’t have to worry about breaking any pipes or lines when installing above-ground pools. The time to build them is much lower, the materials are much easier to use, and you won’t need to add too much around it if you already have a deck.
Even so, we aren’t trying to sway you one way or another. If you have it in your budget, both pools can make an excellent addition to any home.
Choose What’s Right For You
Now that we’ve settled the score between an above-ground vs inground pool, you can make an informed decision as to which is right for your home. There is no right answer for every home. Just remember that either way, you can make memories with your loved ones during the summer months for the rest of your life!
Stay up to date with our latest homeowner tips, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or for help finding the right pool for your needs!
