What type of inground pool is right for you? Check out our following articles, Videos, and Testimonials to see for yourself!
Fiberglass vs. Vinyl Liner vs. Concrete : Your guide to pool happiness!
Well, by this point you probably already know that there are 3 main types of inground swimming pools: fiberglass, vinyl liner and concrete (often referred to as gunnite or shotcrete).
We have taken the opportunity to compare these pools for you so that you may make an informed decision on your pool purchase. Although we strictly install fiberglass pools it's important to know that there are times where we feel that a vinyl liner or concrete pool may be a better option for you. Keeping this in mind we have tried to be as unbiased as possible.
Now lets check out our Fiberglass vs. Vinyl Liner vs. Concrete chart
As you can see from the chart above, Fiberglass Pools offer some distinct advantages over vinly liners and concrete. They have their disadvantages also. Lets discuss both here.
Fiberglass Advantages:
Low Maintenance
Fiberglass pools are inherently low maintenance because of the fact that the surface is not porous. Because of this seemingly simple characteristic algae and other stains are not able to embed themselves in the surface. This will reduce your chemical usage and time by about 75%.
Speed of Installation
Because fiberglass pools are manufactured in a factory and delivered in one piece they typically take 2-3 days to install. Compared to 3-6 months for a concrete pool or 2-3 months for a vinyl liner and we're talking about a huge difference in the time that your yard is in dissaray.
Durability
Because fiberglass pools have no liner to replace you need not work about unexpected costs and downtime associated with holes in your liner. At the low end a Liner will cost $4-$5K to replace. This can happen from any number of reasons, pets getting in the pool, tree branches, patio furniture blown in the pool, you name it.
Compatibility with Salt Systems
Salt Systems or Salt Chlorine Generators by their proper name are proven to be low maintenance. They work great for a fiberglass pool but are not so great with concrete (gunnite). Just as salt used for melting the ice on your walkway will destroy concrete so will salt water destroy a concrete pool. Vinyl liner pools have their own issues with salt. Most vinyl liner pools have at least the bead receiver (the part that holds the liner) in contact with the water. This bead receiver is usually aluminum and hates salt. The pool wails are also constructed of either steel or aluminum and if your liner leaks you can kiss the pool walls goodbye as well.
Low Lifetime Cost of Ownership
Check out the following chart to compare what the average pool owner will expect to shell out over a 10 year period.
Fiberglass Disadvantages:
Initial Higher cost than Vinyl Liners
When purchasing your pool money is always a factor. While you can save money initially by going with a vinyl liner and even a gunnite pool (in some circumstances) you will save money in the long run by buying a fiberglass pool. The chart above doesn't even take into account heating your pool.
Shapes and sizes not customizable
OK. So you cannot mess with the shapes and sizes or depths offered in the catalog, that is one huge disadvantage right. The question becomes can you find a model that you are happy with? We've found that about 95% of our customers find a pool that meets all their needs. It turns out that fiberglass manufacturers realize that they can only have so many shapes available - the molds are expensive to build and take up space at the factory. Because of this they have to think about shape very carefully. They simply cannot afford to build any duds. On the other hand a gunnite builder will often allow themselves to be talked into building what the customer says they want without letting them know the downsides to inefficient shapes. It is possible for a builder to make a pool for you that is more prone to algae simply because of the shape. See, if water doesn't flow correctly throught the pool there will be issues.
Feeling certain that a fiberglass pool is for you, click here to contact us for a quote.
Not there yet? No problem, take a minute to check out the following library discussing fiberglass swimming pools.
