anyone?

You didn't mention where in the country the pool is being constructed which has a significant impact with building. We just finished a rectangle pool very similar to your plan with an automated cover. (Is your budget number correct?!) Our pool is very solidly built with concrete but has a pebble finish. The cover keeps it very clean.

Hi 5birdy. I am in NC . Raleigh area. Temperate climate although we do get snow and ice some, but the summers are pretty toasty. My soil is very much a red clay type.

we have about $50k in the budget right now and that appears to be about $5k too short. I am investigating other covers that don't have the power / remote control feature and are manual as they are touted as being 1/2 the cost and that would put us on budget

can you share your cover experience? Happy with the concrete. And pebble finish?

Ah Jannicone, East Coast! I'm from Virginia but now live in Southern CA. One thing is for sure: the soil and prices of everything are far different out my way than yours so I would not be able to help you with construction concerns (we have earthquake issues, no rain then tons, erosion and drainage, etc which require different builds, even the specific lot and fill dirt affects construction). They don't seem to use fiberglass here but that may have nothing to do with using it in NC.

Our cover is the built in automatic kind from a local company (poolsafe.com). The keypad is located near the pool equipment where you see the cover as it is closed so no one is accidentally trapped. It is really amazing how smoothly it opens and closes, helps keep pool clean from debris, saves on chemicals required and water evaporation, and for us even heats the pool up. Now we do not get snow or ice, nor do we "winterize" the pool. When it rains we have to open the cover and the vault has a drain so any excess water will drain down through a buried pipe - avoiding any flooding issues. Our pool builder had all our "wants" built into the pool quote so I do not know what individually the cover or the pebble finish cost.

It hasn't been warm enough to get in the pool yet but very pleased with the gemstone sandstone-type pebble finish. Hopefully someone on the East Coast could assist you more!

We are looking at a rectangle shape fiberglass pool, the whitsunday by Barrier Reef pools. I'm in SE VA, so similar climate. Friends seem to be happy with both fiberglass and concrete, but I'm hoping for low, low maintenance. Just moved from a vinyl pool and replaced the liner twice in 10 years. PIA.

I have designed and sold all three types of pools for 30 years in Florida. All have there pros and cons. The sellers of these three will tell you all the good for the product they sell and the bad for what they don't sell. Questions to ask 1. First thing would be the structure and warranty and who warranties it the builder or manufacturer? 2. The finish warranty and who warranties? All three will need a new finish eventually. Common misconceptions that are presented is that one may use less chemicals, easier to clean less expensive to maintain. All three will need the same amount of chemicals to maintain the same safe sanitation level, all three will need the same amount of vacuuming of dirt or skimming leaves and the need to run the same amount of time to turn the water over for circulation. They will all need a new finish so you might want to ask the cost of replacement liner, or new Gelcoat fiberglass finish or new plaster finish to compare those costs. Hope this helps to sort out which is best for you?

THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you Swimming Pool Steve! I am leaning towards the concrete - mostly for 2 reasons - I am liking the idea of a "sport pool" with the deep end in the middle (for lack of a better description), and - the pool guy is helping us out by letting us use his account for ordering stone and running our port-a-john... AND - our entire house is concrete - it would seem a little odd to have a fiberglass pool when so much of our "theme", if you will, is concrete. And yes - the lack of savings for fiberglass is a head scratcher to me. Lastly - we can make it the exact size we want and I am guessing we will see what that is when we get the 2 buildings in - guessing we'll want to tweak the overall dimensions.

Thanks for your input!

Grew up in CA and always had concrete/gunite pools. Installed one in our TX house, but am living in IA now and leaning towards a fiberglass pool. Still like the look of concrete best, but doesn't seem to make sense in my climate so am considering fiberglass. As much as I want a pool (it's the reason we sold our house and am building a new one), I just cannot imagine having a vinyl liner pool, whether it is sit ting above ground or built into it; for me a pool has to have a solid surface. I'm still a little frustrated over the limited shapes/sizes available, and find that factor is delaying my final choice.

cski13 - A well built inground vinyl liner pool with a cantilever coping stone with a low profile coping track can look fantastic. I think you are picturing an above ground pool from the hardware store when you think vinyl but the truth is that at the high end of the spectrum they can be amazing (and extremely cost effective for their class). Don't get me wrong - concrete pools are amazing but don't completely discount vinyl. Picture a concrete pool painted with a super thick rubber feeling paint...that is what a vinyl pool is like.

Honestly - that is what we had growing up - the vinyl liner type. It was a nice feeling - I just don't think anyone does them anymore around here - but I can see the "ease" of simply replacing the lining periodically, and with the red clay we have here - as long as it's stable - I would think that it would be a decent substrate!

@Steve...above-grounds don't even enter into the picture for me! I guess I'm a pool snob; but given the almost $90,000 estimate for a Viking Acapulco I just received, I will have to reconsider my preferences and open my mind to things otherwise unfamiliar to me! Thanks for the encouragement in that regard.

You can have a QUALITY concrete, inground vinyl or fiberglass pool. The quality depends on the shell and the company that installs it. I would get quotes on all three, then wade through the sales pitch to the true facts on each one.

$90K?????? Holy crap.

$90k for fiberglass is robbery. The person installing that is taking a 75%+ profit margin.

I personally would never have a vinyl liner pool again. As for Swimming Pool Steve saying that fiberglass and concrete are the same cost, that is certainly not the case around me. We are looking forward to the simplicity and lower cost of a fiberglass install. And I'm certainly not worried if the pool won't be here in 70 years- I won't be either!!

Johnsoro25 - I am saying that fiberglass and concrete should not be the same cost. Are you saying they are or are not the same cost in your area. The previous poster has just received a quote for $90,000 for a fiberglass pool which is ridiculous in my opinion no matter where you are located.

Fiberglass is definitely less expensive than concrete in my area. I was referring to your comment as follows:

If the fiberglass pool was less money - well then you might have a case for comparison.

I also agree that 90k is ridiculous. Even for Southern CA.

FYI, we're in IA, for the record. The shell itself was $58k, add an auto cover, heater, 350 yds of concrete, transportation, excavation...and we're up to 88.78k -- NO Fence. Visited w/a vinyl pool guy today who comes highly recommended and can give me a larger pool (40x20) for 1/2 the cost. Definitely something to think about!

After the shell price sounds reasonable? But 58K for shell? Woo.. I would ask for very detailed itemized proposals to compare apples to apples.

One topic that hasn't come up: Fiberglass can be installed in one day. I know two families who've had concrete pools put in, and the installation has taken FOREVER. One family I only know in passing, but the other is a good friend, and I know she was very frustrated -- the installer gave her date after date, then it was "do this part and wait" ... "do that part and wait some more". She and her husband were doing everything they should, but she said she felt like she was standing out in the yard screaming, "Here is my money! Please come work on my pool!" She has a lovely pool now, and she says it was worth it -- but that's not what she was saying during the process!

Similarly, if you choose, a fiberglass pool can be removed in one day.

Definitely stay away from vinyl liners. I'm thinking about my old neighbors: A deer jumped their fence, got into their pool and tore the vinyl with its hooves ... before dying in their pool. I think this is also a good reason to have a higher fence.

Ok, here is the honest truth about all three pools. They will ALL need a new finish in the future, new plaster or paint, new liner or new Gel coat. If a deer jumped into any of these three it could damage all of them. Find out the cost $ of refinishing all of them in your area. Never listen to a salesman that says you will never refinish A pool!

As for time that may depend on the pool installer and how they manage their schedules? Fiberglass does install the shell faster and it goes in with finish in it so you don't have that process. But you still have to backfill, run plumbing, electrical, form and pour deck, finish deck, set pool equipment and clean up the same as all other types of pools. So construction time will be approximately 5-10 days slower than fiberglass.

Fiberglass manufacturers say swim in a day? yes pool is in, dirty water is in and walk across the dirt and swim in unfiltered unsanitized water is not my idea of swim in 1 day!

Nationally there are more vinyl liner pools, then concrete the fiberglass in the number of units installed.

Well, looks like we're going to give in-ground vinyl liner pools a try...we'll have a 5' fence around the perimeter AND a safety cover that will be closed unless there are people swimming, so hopefully no deer incidents! We found a drowned raccoon in our concrete pool in TX...hopefully we'll avoid those as well!