The process can take as little as a couple of months, depending on the design and weather. But work can't start without a design and a plan.
"Most people don't realize ... that the thing you do most of the time with your swimming pool is look at it. So, you want it to be attractive," Spero said.
Some families devote fall to reaching pool design and planning decisions, while others want excavation under way and work on the major systems begun. Substantial construction can be done in cool weather, but the concrete shell for a pool can't go in when the air and ground temperatures drop to freezing. Either way, autumn starters are likely to be first into the pool, oftentimes before Memorial Day.
When Stephanie and Robert Struble, parents of five children, decided to add a pool to their Fulton yard, they had Maryland Pools break ground in fall 2006. The early start enabled the Strubles to open their pool the next April, when people who were deciding on a pool in the spring were starting to plan or dealing with rain delays.
"I have known people who were trying to get their pools open and it dragged out into June or July," Stephanie Struble said.
The Strubles opted for an irregular-shaped pool with a rock waterfall in its hot tub and a lounging shelf at the pool entry. Now, instead of driving 20 minutes to a pool club, the family can jump directly into the fun much of the year, she said.
"It was really for the kids, but it has totally changed the way we live. We spend so much more time outside now," Struble said.
But not everyone wants to join in the pool party. Real estate agents say homeowners who add an in-ground pool should neither expect to recoup even half the investment when selling nor view it as a magnet for buyers.
A concrete pool usually starts in the low $30,000 range (fiberglass and vinyl can cost less). Landscaping, hardscaping, gazebos, fireplaces, tiki bars and outdoor kitchens add to the price, making pools a significant investment.
"It should be strictly for their use and enjoyment. It does not add onto the resale unless somebody enjoys it as well," said Cathy Werner, president of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors and a broker with ReMax American Dream in Baltimore.
Half of potential buyers won't consider a house with a pool, she said.
"It can be a detriment if it is taking up a lot of space on a small lot," said Carol Schmidt, president of Chase, Fitzgerald & Co. in Cross Keys.
