I've always loved a pool but they are very expensive. When I was researching buying a pool I could not find any one who could tell me how much it was going to cost to put the pool in and do all the landscaping as well. I asked people I knew with pools but they felt I was prying into there financial affairs when all I was trying to work out was how much I was up for in total. If your thinking of putting one in you can basically double the price of the quote from the pool shop to install the pool. Most pool places would only install it up to the capping(the one row of pavers around the edge of the pool) they don't include all the landscaping and concreting, paving, electricians, shade sails and the garden. These extras basically doubles the cost. The concreting and the pavers being the most expensive part then the shade sails. But the end result is worth not cutting corners. The benefits of a pool when you have kids is worth the expense. Firstly you spend more time in the pool and having quality family time and less time in front of the television. Secondly the exercise that a pool provides is terrific. My oldest daughter has lost weight just from playing around in the pool and whenever I get in I do laps. Mind you I am no Grant Hackett by the time I have swum three laps I'm stuffed. But three laps is better then no laps. And my lacking of ability is purely because I am not the best swimmer in the world. Both my daughters can swim better then me. The other advice I have for prospective pool buyers is get a salt water self maintaining pool. Our pool is so easy to maintain our pool equipment makes it's own chlorine and we have a baracoda for vacuuming the pool. We are not a slave to the cleaning of the pool so it's terrific. Another thing. Make sure your kids can swim before you put the pool in. Amy my 7 year old was a non swimmer and scared to put her face under the water when we decided we were going to put a pool in. So I started her on swimming lessons. She's been going for a year now and can freestyle (proper strokes) the length of an olympic size pool, can dolphin swim, and backstroke and can dive down under the water and pick up weights off the bottom. Once she got over the inital fear of water on her face, she learnt very quickly. At her swimming lessons even babies under 12 months are learning to swim to the edge and not be afraid of the water. So when you decide to put a pool in if your child can't swim very well or not at all get those swimming lessons started. You won't regret it. It's worth every cent to know that your children can play in or around the pool safely. I still supervise my children either from the lounge room window or sitting in the pool area reading a book and watching them with the other eye. But I can take my eyes off them without having a fear that they will drown. I am also very careful when there friends come over that they can swim well and if they can't they are never left without full supervision. 
