Homeowners are always looking for economical ways to make improvements to their property. If you’re planning to enclose your pool area, you may be considering checking out pool enclosure kits at your local home improvement store. You could even shop online and have it delivered. The cost is certain to be lower than any estimates you’ve received and there are many styles from which to choose.
Before you break out the debit card, though, we’ve got a few things for you to consider. If cost was your main decision maker—you may want to think things over again.
Are you truly saving money?
Sure, the initial price tag is going to be lower than having a contractor purchase—or supply if using a pool enclosure company—materials. And, there isn’t going to be an added cost for labor. One that comes out of your pocket anyway.
Have you thought about how much time it’s going to take you to assemble your kit though? It sounds like a great idea to do it yourself, but if you have an active family, you’ve got obligations to meet. What if you spend a chunk of money and the kit suffers the fate of other pool enclosure kits and sits in its packaging while you stay busy keeping up with life?
Even if you get right on the assembly, how valuable is your time? It wouldn’t hurt to calculate time versus money to see where you stand.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to invest in any new tools. If you don’t have everything on hand to complete the job, you’ll need to go shopping.
Lastly, where a professionally installed pool enclosure will increase your home’s value to some degree, poorly constructed pool enclosure kits could have the opposite effect.
What’s your skill level?
There’s nothing like the satisfaction you feel when it’s time to mark a notch on the old tool belt. Still, you need to honestly decide whether or not putting up a pool enclosure is in your skill set. If you doubt your ability to mesh your enclosure seamlessly with your home, you may want to have someone else do the job.
Are pool enclosure kits durable?
We’re smack in the midst of hurricane season right now. That’s a pretty good reminder of how ferocious the storms can become around here. Couple the storms with the sweltering sun and humid conditions and you quickly understand the need to use durable materials to construct your pool enclosure. Ready-made building kits are known to contain lower-quality materials which means your enclosure probably won’t have longevity.
Pre-fab kits leave a little to be desired aesthetics-wise too. This might be a good time to mention that some pool enclosure companies, like ours, for instance, can customize the enclosure screens for their customers using digital imagery. The images are produced using dyes that are treated to help them stand up to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.
The results are nothing short of amazing. It will completely transform your pool area and you’ll feel as if you’re stepping into your own private get-away—and it’s right in your backyard!
What happens if you get in over your head?
Well, hopefully, nothing so catastrophic will have happened as to cost you the entire price of your kit. Still, if you need to call in an expert to straighten things out and finish the job, it’s going to add to your final expense. And, if some of the materials proved to be less than top performance, there may be—yep—more shopping in your future.
And, if are unable to complete the job because you’ve injured yourself, calling in a professional may well be the least of your worries. In fact, the final cost of things when all is said and done could be very sobering indeed.
Is the pre-fab kit the best idea?
After considering all of the above, what’s your take now? Do you still think grabbing one of those pool enclosure kits is the best option? You’ll be spending a lot of time in your new enclosure. If it’s done right, you’ll gain many advantages.
They are:
- A greater sense of privacy—We’ll let that speak for itself.
- Some degree of UV protection—We’ll take all the shade we can get!
- Bugs disappear—Seriously!
- A cleaner pool—Storm debris in the water is a thing of the past.
- An element of safety—Kids and pets can’t get to the pool unless you allow it.
May we weigh in with an opinion?
Overall, having a professionally installed pool enclosure might be the way to go. Before you buy a kit, take the time to get a few estimates. Most companies will be glad to come out and give you a free estimate. Moreover, the work is guaranteed.
And, you’re free to enjoy your downtime with your family.