Posted: 12/7/2025 3:47:07 AM EDT
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Been planning a new house for years - finally started building it. Plans worked out for an area in the basement (basement in Texas, not really a normal thing, but build site really pushed that direction-cheap extra sq ft) that should make a decent home gym - but wife said, what no pool? I don't have much attraction to a unused hole in the ground that I have to maintain. But I used to enjoy swimming laps - and now that I am significantly older, am thinking it could be a good low impact aerobic exercise. So maybe a lap pool, or a sports pool (if it is long enough to swim laps in). So what does the hive think? Is a pool a decent addition to a home gym? |
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If you have the space, money, and like swimming, I'd say absolutely. That said, I personally wouldn't do it if I didn't have at least the full 50m if my goal was exercise. I just find getting into a rhythm below that kind of tough, even in 25m pools. To each their own though. |
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Will agree that most home pools are too short for laps. I don't think I have ever swam laps in a full Olympic. I have gotten decent workouts in 1/2 Olympics though. A lot of residential pools top out at 40' which just does not seem enough to bother, kick off and 3 strokes maybe?. That said, swimming on a treadmill seems even more boring that running on one. Was thinking on getting an estimate on a 75' lap pool or sports pool. FWIW, the basement is large enough for the better part of a 2k sq foot home gym (with a decent ceiling height) - it just worked out that way do to the site's slope (which is a 9' slope from the front of the carport to the back if the porch). Honestly don't even know if the site makes the pool possible. The ground will either need to be raised (and have a serious retaining wall), or you will not see the pool from the house's 1st floor. |
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Just depends on how much cash you have and want to spend for your 'fitness' activity of choice. I was going to put a pool in my yard. I'd love to have one. But its hard to justify. Especially when most cities have gyms that have pools for under $100 a month. Even if you had to spend $200-300 per month for a gym that has a pool. You'd be coming out massively ahead. In my opinion there are only two ways to get a ROI on a pool. 1. You have small kids and will be living in a house where yall can swim as a family for years. 2. You are going to be throwing pool parties and your goal is getting a bunch of girls in bikini's to hang around. But be realistic with yourself. Chances are in 5 years you're spending $200-300 a month to operate that pool and use it once or twice a month if at all. 10ish years ago when I first started looking into a pool 50-60K for a 'small' back yard pleasure pool was the norm. I haven't priced them recently but I'd assume 90-100K would be the going price for the average pool now. But if you have the space, and the money. A pool is nice to have. 
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Originally Posted By d13s3l: could always just do one of those swim spa hot tub combos My parents have one of those. They are pricey, but they are awesome if you really want to swim...and swim...and swim. They aren't like a pool where you can splash around and have parties in. You either sit...or swim 
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I love swimming, but a pool is going to be $100K + and to make it one geared towards laps, which to me is 25M, that’s probably more than the average backyard pool cost. I have a Y membership for the family and its like $75-100 a month. I use their pool while my daughter does swim practice some nights. A backyard pool is 1000 months worth of membership fee at the current rate in relation to a $100k assumed cost. I love pools but not enough to even consider paying for one in PA. TX maybe more worth it but still a no for me. |
