New Member with AG pool and handicap lift questions

[PoolDoc]

Forgive me if I'm presuming, but I gather your budget is pretty limited, so I'm offering options based on that assumption.

1. Sams Club is currently selling an Intex-type 18ft x 48" round pool for $399. I doubt you can do better than that.
2. If you want to go larger, you might look at something like this Intex rectangle, but it's going to cost 3x as much.
3. A lift is a tough problem. The ones I've seen have been commercial, and don't work so well, and are very expensive. You can take a look at these at InTheSwim: handicap lifts .

Some aspects of the handicap lift expense are unavoidable. For example, the portion of the pool deck where the lift is mounted must be built very stoutly and durably. But, if I were in your situation, I'd 'roll my own' using components like this hydraulic jack. I put a sketch below.

However, I have a lot of tools, and am pretty handy. So I don't know if you'd have the resources for something like that.

The design below is concept only; it's not a complete design. You might be able to use 2.5" and 3" pipe, instead of 3" and 4", but you'd want to make sure it wouldn't buckle. Also, the swinging chair design makes it hard to enter from land. Again, you might be able to make a wooden landing for the chair, which would stabilize it. But, something like this could probably be built for less than $600, which is a lot better than $3,000 - $7,000.

If you, or family members, have the skill to fabricate something like this, there may well be folks here who could help you work out a complete design.

[Rubber Duck]

Thank you so much! Yes we are on a very limited budget since all of our money went to a new house, new foundation, new decks and wheelchair ramp on the front of the house. Building a new house can get expensive! lol....
I had looked at the Intex one's and 399 for the 18 foot doesn't sound bad at all. We thought about going that route and putting most of the money into a lower deck first. And then next year work on a better above ground pool.
One thing we have learned, since the old pool was put in by the former owner of our property is to NEVER put decking over the filter system. That was the biggest pain ever! Trying to change out filter sand, replace hoses, and once had to replace the pump housing under a deck only four feet in height!!