Ready to make a splash into a new in-ground pool?
The process can be confusing and sometimes exasperating as each company is trying to convince you which is the best pool for you. Of course we will try to do the same; in this respect we are no different than other companies. But we want you to be as informed as possible before you make your choice because the most informed a customer is, the happiest he/she will be with the final decision. Hopefully this will help.
SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR SELF
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How do you envision using your pool? Swimming laps, just cooling off, as a centre of social life, diving, how many people are going to be using the pool, are there kids involved...you get the idea.
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What features would you like your pool to have and why? Waterfalls, diving board, slide, heating as so on.
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What is my budget?
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Have you done any research? What have you seen or heard that you liked or disliked?
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How long do you expect to stay in your home?
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What do you envision your pool area to look like?
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What is important to you about the company you are going to purchase your pool from?
THERE ARE THREE GENERAL TYPES OF INGROUND POOLS:
CONCRETE/GUNITE, LINER AND FIBERGLASS.
All pools have advantages and disadvantages. No pool system is perfect. As long as you understand and know the limitations of what you are purchasing, and as long as the installing company delivers as promised, you will be a happy pool owner.
THE TRUTH ABOUT CONCRETE POOLS
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Limitless design capabilities (There are some things that can not be done effectively with other types of pools. For example beach entries and multiple elevations.)
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Animal friendly and can withstand physical abuse.
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The structure is very strong and is self supporting.
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Most expensive pool in our market.
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Most expensive and difficult to clean and maintain.
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Surface is porous and most susceptible to damage caused by water chemistry. High or low ph, hard or soft water, and metal content will damage the pool surface.
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Must be resurfaced every 7-10 years at high cost.
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Expensive to repair as all plumbing is encased in concrete and concrete cracks are very difficult to repair permanently.
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Real tile is beautiful but requires cleaning and is susceptible to freezing damage.
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Rough on the skin.
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Correct installation takes months.
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Being concrete, it is prone to cracking.
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Practically no warranties on pool surface and pool structure.
THE TRUTH ABOUT FIBERGLASS POOLS
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Manufactured in a controlled environment this is beneficial if the manufacturer is reliable and good materials and molds are used.
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Smooth surface is easy to clean and maintain and is skin friendly. Under normal conditions surface will last longer than on other types of pools.
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You can see exactly what you will get.
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Animal friendly to a certain extent.
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Usually have more standard sitting arrangements.
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Very fast installation times.
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Even the largest fiberglass pools are at best average in size. Advertised sizes don’t represent the true size of the pool. If you are looking for a larger pool with large deep ends or large play areas you must choose vinyl liner or concrete.
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Can not be custom designed.
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Surface can be damaged by high water ph.
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When surface deteriorates it becomes very difficult and expensive to resurface.
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Structure is not self supporting and may collapse or buckle if emptied.
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Difficult and expensive to repair and have the potential for very extensive damage.
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If drainage around pool is not properly addressed or if pool leaks or empties out, the shell may float or buckle.
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Short warranties on many color surfaces and no warranties against floating or buckling.
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Real tile if used, is beautiful but requires cleaning and is susceptible to freezing damage.
THE TRUTH ABOUT LINER POOLS
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Pool components are manufactured in a controlled environment and have long warranties.
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Easy and least expensive to repair as pool consists of components. If liner tears it can easily be fixed in most cases.
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When the liner needs to be replaced the cost is a lot less than resurfacing of other types of pools.
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Can be custom designed to any shape and size and in many cases can be made to look like a concrete pool, but at considerable savings.
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Some standard shapes like L-shapes provide a combination of large diving and shallow play areas.
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Many liner designs and color choices.
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Smooth surface is easy to clean and maintain and is skin friendly.
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Quality structures are self supporting.
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Liner can tear or scratch if abused or if animals claw the sides of the pool. If pets use the pool they must be trained to walk out using the pool stairs.
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Liners usually need to be replaced every 10 years.
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If drainage around pool is not properly addressed or if pool leaks out the liner will float or buckle.
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Liner is susceptible to low water ph and can be damaged if chemicals are not used properly.
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Certain types of vinyl pool structures may corrode and become useless or need major repairs.
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YOU SHOULD GET A BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM DESIGNED POOL WITH MANY WATER FEATURES; THE REAL REASON YOU DECIDED ON A CONCRETE POOL.
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A CORRECT INSTALLATION WILL TAKE MONTHS, SO PLAN EARLY
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EXPECT TO PAY $70,000 -$200,000 OR MORE.
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WORKMANSHIP IS EVERYTHING SO THE INSTALLING COMPANY SHOULD BE YOUR MAIN CRITERIA.
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YOU WILL SPEND A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME CLEANING AND MAINTAINING THE POOL, UNLESS YOU HIRE SOMEONE TO MAINTAIN IT FOR YOU. BE CAREFUL WITH HIGH OR LOW PH AND WITH SOFT WATER AS ALL THESE CONDITIONS WILL DAMAGE THE PLASTER OR OTHER TYPE OF SURFACE.
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YOU WILL HAVE TO ACID WASH, PAINT OR RESURFACE THE POOL ANYWHERE BETWEEN 7-15 YEARS.
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A PROPERLY INSTALLED CONCRETE SHELL WILL LAST YOU A LIFETIME BUT EXPECT MAJOR REPAIRS AT SOME POINT.
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POOL SURFACE WILL BE HARD AND ROUGH ON FEET AND SKIN
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A PROPERLY INSTALLED FIBERGLASS POOL
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YOU GET WHAT YOU SEE, SO THERE ARE NO SURPRISES WHEN IT COMES TO SHAPE.
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THE SURPRISE IS WHEN IT COMES TO SIZE. THESE ARE THE ONLY POOLS THAT ARE NOT MEASURED WATER’S EDGE TO WATER’S EDGE. ALL MANUFACTURERS GIVE THE SIZE OF A RECTANGLE THAT WILL FIT THE WHOLE SHELL INCLUDING TOP FLANGES. SO THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE POOL WHEN INSTALLED IS SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN DESCRIBED. BE CAREFUL ESPECIALLY WITH FREEFORM POOLS AS THE DIMENSIONS ARE THE MAX. LENGTH TIMES MAX. WIDTH. YOU MAY GET A POOL DESCRIBED AS 16’ X 35’ TO FIND OUT THAT THE TRUE SIZE IS 14’ X 33’ AND MOST OF THE POOL IS LESS THAN 12’ WIDE. ALSO POOLS LOOK A LOT BIGGER SITTING ON A TRAILER VS INSTALLED IN THE GROUND. ASK FOR THE POOL TO BE LAID OUT IN YOUR BACK YARD BEFORE YOU DECIDE.
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THE INSTALLATION SHOULD BE QUICK, MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
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EXPECT TO PAY $50,000 FOR A VERY SMALL POOL TO OVER $80,000 FOR A LARGER POOL PLUS OPTIONS.
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YOU SHOULD SPEND MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME MAINTAINING YOUR POOL. BE CAREFUL WITH HIGH PH AS IT MAY DULL AND DAMAGE THE POOL SURFACE.
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THE SURFACE IS SMOOTH AND A PLEASURE TO TOUCH.
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YOU HAVE TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH KIDS OR OTHER PEOPLE JUMPING OR DIVING INTO THE POOL BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE POOL, THE DEEP VERTICAL WALLS AND THE VARIOUS STEPS AND BENCHES THAT PROTRUDE INTO THE SWIMMING AREA.
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EXPECT THE SURFACE TO FADE AND BECOME ROUGH THROUGH THE YEARS, BUT GOOD QUALITY FINISHES SHOULD LAST YOU 1525 YEARS BEFORE THEY NEED CARE. COBALTING AND BLISTERING WHICH WAS COMMON TO FIBERGLASS POOLS ARE MORE RARE NOW ON QUALITY POOLS.
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A PROPERLY INSTALLED, GOOD QUALITY SHELL WILL LAST YOU A LIFETIME BUT CERTAIN CONDITIONS MAY DESTROY THE SHELL.
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YOU SHOULD MONITOR THE POOL WATER LEVEL AS A LEAK MAY TURN TO A DISASTER UNDER THE RIGHT ( OR WRONG I SHOULD SAY) CONDITIONS.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A PROPERLY INSTALLED LINER POOL
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DEPENDING ON YOUR WISH LIST YOU HAVE EITHER AN EVERYDAY STANDARD SHAPED BACK YARD POOL OR AN INTRICATE CUSTOM DESIGN THAT MAY RIVAL A CONCRETE POOL IN AESTHETICS.
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INSTALLATION SHOULD BE APPROX. 6-10 WEEKS DEPENDING ON THE POOL AND OPTIONS.
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EXPECT TO PAY $47,000 FOR A SMALL POOL TO $65,000 FOR A QUITE LARGE POOL PLUS OPTIONS.
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YOU SHOULD SPEND A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME MAINTAINING YOUR POOL. BE CAREFUL WITH LOW PH AS IT WILL SHORTEN THE LIFE OF THE LINER.
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THE SURFACE IS SMOOTH AND EASY ON THE FEET.
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PROPER DRAINAGE AROUND THE POOL IS A MUST AS RECURRING FLOATING LINERS ARE NOT FUN.
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YOU HAVE TO AVOID USING SHARP OBJECTS IN THE POOL AND BE CAREFUL IF YOUR DOG INSISTS ON USING THE POOL.
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YOUR LINER WILL FADE THROUGH THE YEARS AND EVENTUALLY BECOME BRITTLE. EXPECT TO REPLACE YOUR LINER APPROX. EVERY 10-15 YEARS.
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A PROPERLY INSTALLED NON CORROSSIVE STRUCTURE WILL LAST YOU A LIFETIME. OTHER THAN REPLACING THE LINER EXPECT MINIMUM REPAIRS.