Fiberglass
A fiberglass pool is manufactured offsite as a pre-fabricated shell. It gets shipped to your home where your pool company will prepare your backyard and install it for you. There are many pros with this type of pool and it is ideal for people who wish for a simple, elegant and low maintenance pool.
PROS:
Low Maintenance – Non-porous fiberglass shell reduces algae growth and amount of chemicals required for sanitation.
Low Lifetime Costs – No liner to replace, no acid washing, no resurfacing required. One installation cost with little maintenance. Fiberglass is strong, flexible and UV resistant!
Long Lifespan – A well taken care of fiberglass pool can easily last 20-30 years!
Smooth Surface – Feels great on the hands and feet!
Built-in Steps and Seats – Fiberglass shell comes with steps and seats already incorporated!
Short Installation Time – 3-5 weeks
CONS:
Limited Shape, Design, Size – Since the fiberglass shells are pre-fabricated, the customer is limited by the selection of molds available with the manufacturer. Since the shells are made offsite, they must be small enough to transport via roads. Most municipalities have a 16-foot load width restriction. This is why fiberglass pools are typically not made wider than 16 feet.
Mismatched Repairs – In the unlikely event that a repair is required, it is possible that the particular finish on your fiberglass pool is not available in a generic patch kit.
High Initial Cost – Fiberglass pools run on par with concrete pools for initial cost, which is at least $5,000 more than your typical vinyl liner pool.
Vinyl
Vinyl liners can be outfitted into an above- or in-ground pool, made into any shape and size you require, and are easily replaced or patched when damaged. They are silky smooth and come in a variety of beautiful natural colours. Vinyl is definitely a great way to go for all styles of pool!
PROS:
Low Initial Cost – Vinyl is typically the lowest initial cost of all three types of in-ground pools.
Unlimited Shape, Design, Size – There are no restrictions on the dimensions of a vinyl liner pool. The depth, width and length are all negotiable!
Smooth Surface – Feels great on the hands and feet!
CONS:
Higher Lifetime Cost – A vinyl liner will require replacing about every 10 years. You can extend the life of your liner to 15 years by taking good care of it. Replacing a vinyl liner will cost roughly $3,000, plus a water refill. Although some liner manufacturers provide 20 year warranties, be sure to read the fine print!
Delicate – Vinyl liners are only 20-30 mil (20-30 thousandths of an inch), which can be torn easily with sharp objects, or even the toenails of your dog! Be sure to take good care of your liner and it will last you a long time.
Lower Resale Value – The first question a potential home-buyer asks you about your vinyl pool, is “how old is that liner?” If it’s more than a few years old, the home-buyer will often ask for you to replace it prior to purchase.
Concrete/Gunite
Concrete pools are the “filet mignon” of the pool world. They look sharp, natural, and are completely customizable to fit your lifestyle and your outdoor living space. Large and bold, or sweet and petite, the sky is the limit when you chose a concrete pool!
PROS:
Unlimited Shape, Design and Size – A concrete pool can seriously be as big as you want, in any shape, size or depth, limited only by your imagination.
Absolutely Gorgeous – There is nothing like a beautiful concrete pool, curvy and round with vanishing edges and a trickling waterfall. Immaculate stonework, using tiles, cobbles, pebbles, flag-stone and field-stone, with brick or stone retaining walls, textured concrete decking, and anything else under the sun! All in perfect harmony with the landscape in your backyard. All electrical and plumbing can be completely hidden in the custom made design of your personal backyard oasis.
CONS:
Higher Lifetime Cost – Concrete pools require refurbishment every 10-20 years or so to keep them looking their best. This can cost a pretty penny ($8,000 or more, depending on the pool)
Higher Chemical Use – Due to the porous and rougher nature of the pool, more algae will grow and as such the pool will require a higher amount of sanitizer and filtration to combat growth.
Rougher Surface – The surface of the concrete will be smooth to the touch… but not as smooth as a vinyl liner or fiberglass pool.
Higher Maintenance – Because the concrete pool is more porous (has a rougher surface at the microscopic level) than other types of pools, more algae will be able to grow and the pool will require frequent sweeping to keep the pool in tip-top shape. A great option for keeping a bright clean pool is to invest in a robotic pool cleaner, such as the Polaris P93 Robotic Pool Cleaner (See section about pool cleaning for more details).
Longer Installation Time – Expect your backyard beauty to take 2-4 months to complete. But trust me, the wait is worth it.
Don’t forget that a beautiful pool deck and a bit of professional landscaping goes a long way to make your backyard look exactly the way you want it to. With all the concrete work and textiles available these days, it’s easy to get something that looks like it was pulled straight out of a magazine!
