There are many factors to consider, including: your budget, the size of your lot, how much time and money you want to spend on maintenance, and even what part of the country you live in.

Be sure to remember to ask the following key questions for each type of pool you might be interested in:

1. Price: What's it actually going to cost me, including decking, landscaping and options?
2. Maintenance requirements: How much work do I have to do to keep it clean, and what types and quantities of chemicals do I need to buy?
3. Installation: How soon can I really go swimming?
4. Service: Do you take care of what you sell?