Hello, I purchased a 21x41 doughboy palm shore pool with the expandable liner for deep end and In wall steps. I ordered in august of last year and am just waiting for it to come in. The pool itself was very expensive compared to what some of you have paid (22k) so I feel like I already am being ripped off. Now I’m trying to find an installer in north Jersey. So far only one person was willing to do it and they wanted $11k just for the install not including water, electric, permits, or excavation. Obviously this is terrible. I have the necessary equipment to dig the hole and install but am low on time. I was hoping to find someone to install for 6k or less (they dig the hole, pull permits, install pool, and fill with water that I pay for) I have no issue doing electric. Am I out of my mind? I’ll take any input. Is it easy enough to do myself? I am very handy and have owned both a landscaping and contracting company. I’d love to hear precious DIY stories to increase my confidence haha. Thanks.
Doughboy 21x41 with install
- Thread starter Player92my3
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 15,974
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
That does seem high even though doughboys are expensive. That is a large pool.
I thought usually doughboy dealers install what they sell? I had an issue with finding an independent installer in my area so i chose to buy a pool at a local dealer that also installed (on ground installation was included but I had to pay for them to dig out as mine is buried in a hill- it was about $500 extra) vs buying one separately.
Is it too late to cancel & shop around? Have you called inground installers as that is basically what you are doing? 11k seems steep for install. My entire 33’ round pool including dig cost $5k when I purchased it in 2018.
I thought usually doughboy dealers install what they sell? I had an issue with finding an independent installer in my area so i chose to buy a pool at a local dealer that also installed (on ground installation was included but I had to pay for them to dig out as mine is buried in a hill- it was about $500 extra) vs buying one separately.
Is it too late to cancel & shop around? Have you called inground installers as that is basically what you are doing? 11k seems steep for install. My entire 33’ round pool including dig cost $5k when I purchased it in 2018.
The closest dealer to me (in New York) was $5-10k more overall for the same pool. I went to a dealer in Pennsylvania which was slightly further away in order to get the best price on the pool itself. Last year was crazy for doughboy and they only allowed two weeks of ordering for the entire year of 2021 (this is what my dealer told me. I called them every month until I could order) I was able to get my order in during that time and am still waiting on the pool to come in. It’s been 5 months. They aren’t even sure if we would get it this season (2022). I guess Covid and the vinyl shortage has made everything difficult. The PA dealer can’t install in NJ and no other dealers will install pools they didn’t sell. I called over a dozen places and every installer local that’s listed on google. Only two answered and were interested. One said they would come up with a price and never got back to me. The other was the 11k number.
This is my fav thread for what you are doing. I like to say that OP, @nobueno is lying through his teeth as it is very, VERY bueno. I also think you have a massive advantage over the regular 'hey i bought a pool' crowd, given your background.
www.troublefreepool.com
21x41 above ground with deep end owner build thread
Pool prices in our area are unreal (starting at 100k for in ground) so we decided on an above ground. The only above ground installer in our area wanted $28k to install a 21x41 Doughboy, so here we are, doing it ourselves. Pool kit with expandable liner - $5,428 Pentair Clean & Clear 150SF...
www.troublefreepool.com
- Jun 1, 2018
- 15,974
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
@Feernot just had a doughboy hydrosphere installed - maybe he will have some insight on cost etc. as that is the highest priced pool they sell.
www.troublefreepool.com
Install of 12x24' Semi In-Ground Doughboy Pool in Arkansas
Hello everyone! Last weekend we had a simple dry stacked retaining wall completed in preparation for a semi in-ground pool install next week. The semi in-ground pool is a Doughboy Hydrosphere 12x24' oval that will be buried 3 feet with 16 inches sticking out of the ground. We've got a decent...
www.troublefreepool.com
@Mdragger88 i just read through that and looks like his install was 10k so my estimate was totally out there. Thanks for that comparison.
@Newdude I was looking through that on my lunch break today. It was giving me hope for my pool haha. I am scared of the expandable liner. I will need a water truck to fill and have a quarter mile driveway that a semi can’t get down. So water delivery is already going to cost a fortune. Draining it to reposition the liner would kill me inside haha.
If I were you with your experience, I would bite that bullet, get a couple buddies together and put the pool in yourself. I've done many round installs. Set your liner with a heavy duty shop vac before you add water n if it needs adjusted, shut it off n adjust it n then add water.
@Casey I have seen you comments on many threads with great advice. Part of the reason I feel like I can do it. Can you explain the shop vac? How would I go about that with the deep end and expandable liner? Just put the hose behind the liner?
I will give you a more detailed answer later this evening when I get out of prison. 
Selenap
Well-known member
I don’t have a Doughboy. I have a Diamond Star 21x43’ flat. We dug out the side of a hill to install. We did all the work ourselves and trucked in 20,000 gallons of water. Total cost in 2016 was $15,000-16,000. The pool and it’s accessories was $7500. We didn’t need permits. No fence. Rental equipment, laser guide thing, sand, pick ax cause clay, brother in laws beer and pool water made up the balance. 2 years later we started building a partial deck around the pool. 10x10 was all we completed for $1,500 I think. Never got beyond that. Maybe someday.
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I will give you a more detailed answer later this evening when I get out of prison.
When you put the liner in, you want to take the shop vac n put it into the skimmer hole and tape it shut with duct tape. Then take duct tape n tape the return hole shut. You want to create an air tight seal as much as possible. Put the hose down about 3/4th down the wall but not so far as sucking the cove out of the pool. The cove is the area that the wall meets the floor. You can use styrofoam cove or make a sand cove. Now, get at least 2 or 3 people inside the pool barefoot and turn the vac on. You guys are going to go around the pool and start kicking the liner towards the wall. It's best to have your back to the wall and hop backwards with your heels pushing the liner towards the wall It's going to pull all the air and wrinkles out of the pool floor. Go round n round. Once you do this, you'll be able to see where you need more liner or if it's a good fit. If you're needing more liner, shut the vac off n move it. Restart the process. Hopefully you'll get it on the first try. I'm not sure if Doughboy liners are different but I know for a fact that this works for regular liners from overlap to j-hook to beaded liners.
Sorry I missed this in March. My 12X24 fully installed with fiberglass steps and taxes was $23k. Just the pool itself was $16k.
| Hydrosphere Complete Package | $23,044.21 |
| Fill, Concrete, and labor for Patio | $10,000.00 |
| Retaining wall that was mostly unnecessary | $5,200.00 |
| Total | $38,244.21 |
Thanks for the advice. For some reason I didn’t get a notification of your response. I picked up the pool last week. Waiting on equipment now.
Thanks for the price info. I guess mine isn’t totally out of line then. I had sticker shock before but I guess for my size the pool was a fine price. However, I like your install price a lot better than mine haha. I picked up the pool last week. I just about finished clearing trees so the fun will start soon. I really wish I could have found an installer though.Sorry I missed this in March. My 12X24 fully installed with fiberglass steps and taxes was $23k. Just the pool itself was $16k.
Hydrosphere Complete Package $23,044.21 Fill, Concrete, and labor for Patio $10,000.00 Retaining wall that was mostly unnecessary $5,200.00 Total $38,244.21
As a kid we had one of those midsize Walmart pools and after trying to fill that for two days straight the well started putting a little brown water up. We then just start using water trucks. I guess I’m still scared of that event happening at my new house. But we will see since this is an expandable liner and it needs to be set carefully. I’ll likely fill the deep end and a few inches of the shallow end with the well and then truck in the last 3-4 feet of water. I’d rather pay for the water than chance the well. Maybe I’m being over cautious. Did you use a well?
Decoy205
Silver Supporter
There’s a couple of great you tube videos on the liner install process with the shop vac. I learned about it here then watched the videos. It’s just like Casey describes.
I will have to double check that it’s the same process. My pool has the expandable liner for the deep end. From the videos I saw it looked like you stretch it over the top and slowly fill it and drop it in. Maybe I use the shop vac once it’s expanded? I’m not sure but that’s probably 5-6 weeks away still. I have a lot of stumps to dig out, excavating, and a small retaining wall to install first.
Decoy205
Silver Supporter
I’m sure it’s similar. The shop vac is to suck the air out and get you wrinkle free as you work the air bubbles towards the vacuum hose.