Buying a home is an exciting time for anyone. There are countless things you can do to personalize your space, and when the time is right upgrades and renovations can completely transform your home.

One of the best additions you can buy for your house is a backyard pool. While refreshing and tons of fun, pools are a big responsibility and take a lot of preparation.

Here are a few things you should consider before buying a pool:

Space

First, you should think about the space in your backyard and how much will be left after you install your pool, either above or in ground.

What areas will you have to level to accommodate a new pool? Will you have enough space to still sit outside when the weather’s nice? Will there be enough room for your pets to run around outside? Remember to plan carefully so you don’t end up with any nasty surprises after the installation. You want your pool installation to run as smoothly as possible.

Waste

After you’ve planned where your pool’s going to go, you need to think about where you’re going to put all the excess waste. Digging up a huge area in your backyard will create tons of extra dirt, rocks, and plants that you won’t be able to simply scatter around the yard.

Also, with the installation of a new pool you’ll have many ordered parts that come with plastic, padding, and cardboard.

Renting a dumpster will make the disposal easier for you. The time and energy you’ll save from not having to make multiple trips to the dump will make it an investment well worthwhile.

Hidden Costs

Finally, a pool is not only a huge responsibility, but it’s also an expensive investment. After the initial costs of buying a pool, you still have to keep up with chemical treatment costs, pump replacement costs, covers, and pool toys, to name a few.

Since a pool is a bit of a safety hazard, your insurance payments will likely increase a bit. Also, you may need a work permit to dig up your backyard, and that could be one more unexpected fee.

But after you’ve covered all your bases, having a pool in your own backyard is one of the greatest luxuries you can have. Prepare yourself for tons of memories and days of sunshine, smiles, and swimming!