You were the first one I thought of. But I also figured you were doing concrete. :(

Is yours on a flat lot? Or do you have any slope?

Concrete here too - and a flat lot.

I would be concerned about either pool option if you have a to of earth moving that you have to do to level the site.

In my experience, and I can't believe this, but the fiberglass guys want as much as the concrete guys for the same size pool.

Sorry htwo82. I have a completely flat lot.

I know your area very well - my parents lived in Springfield for many years! I think I would favor fiberglass over vinyl. But that's with no experience at all, other than a vinyl liner for a fish pond we built 30 years ago (which is still doing fine!).

We're in Nixa, Anglophilia. Right next door!

I'm worried about fiberglass only because we built on the 2nd highest hill in Missouri. Ok, maybe the 3rd, but whatever... Anyways, our driveway is about 1/4 mile straight up hill and not too wide. I worry about a semi making it up the hill with it, but then I think..we built our house and didn't have a problem?

After a lifetime of gunite/concrete pools we had a in-ground vinyl liner pool installed while our house was under construction. Seriously considered a fiberglass, but we wanted 20x40 (ended up with an 18x38) that was 6' deep in the middle -- and we couldn't get that in fiberglass.

If a gunite/concrete had been an option here (IA) I would have gone with that, but all in all the vinyl isn't that bad. It IS more work than a gunite is, in my opinion. We do have an autocover and I love that -- helps with the heat, evaporation and we use substantially less chemicals than we might otherwise. Also, we have a DE filter this time instead of the cartridge type that we had in our last (gunite) pool.

Good luck and enjoy!

We're going with fiberglass for several reasons:

- We want SMALL and nothing special in terms of shape. This is more do-able in fiberglass because it's easier for them to deliver that big shell.

- I like the idea of it being installed in a day or two. ALL my friends who've built pools have expressed frustrations with lengthy installations. One friend said she felt like she was standing out by the road with her hands full of $100 bills screaming, "Please come take my money!" and no one would answer.

- Although my farm is on the highest point in our county, it is flat as a pancake ... so that excuses us from some installation issues.

- It seems that fiberglass is easier to maintain long-term.

Concrete is cheaper, more stable, and less work, long term. By far. Especially if you get some amateur backfilling a fiberglass one and have to completely redo it when it cracks. Far more potential hacks involved in the fiberglass route as well. Liners need to be replaced every 5-7 years if you have real world conditions of kids and dogs. That is a big ongoing expense that makes no sense if you're planning to be there 20 years.

We just sold our house. We put in a 20x40 (I think) vinyl liner pool with a four sided fence and and auto cover. It was accessed through our walkout basement. Lots of work for proper drainage. If not, water will bubble up under your liner and create wrinkles that are difficult to get rid of. Liner changed before we sold our house at the ten year mark and it was way overdue.

midwest here and small town. Concrete was not available and was $$$$ to hire someone from nearest installer. We did not want to spend a fortune on a pool and did not..I wanted an auto cover on a rectangle so vinyl over fiberglass.

pools are like babies. You have to take care of them every day whether you feel like it or not. Install your pool with the attitude that it is for your enjoyment while living in your home because it will be a gift to your buyer if you sell your home.

with that being said my kids and grandkids loved our pool and I'm glad we had it.

Good luck.

We're meeting with the first of 4 contractors today to discuss options and start preparing design and bids. Lots to think about, I appreciate everyone's input! The more "Pool Kings" episodes I watch, the more I want concrete if at all possible, but I don't think it will be.

My late in-laws in St Louis had a gunite pool. It was lovely but that rough surface was hard on little feet. It was put in back in the 1950's and was still there a couple of years ago. I have no idea what has had to be done to it over the years to keep it nice, but it's still a lovey pool.

But having seen what is involved with maintaining a swimming pool, I'm not sure I would want one. At one time, I thought I did, but they do require daily maintenance and if one is out of town, someone will still have to do it.

Nixa is not that far from Springfield. Join a country club there - Hickory Hills is a lovely club - and let them maintain the pool!

We put in a heated vinyl salt water pool only because our four kids saw the neighbour doing one and we got a better deal doing two at once. Our kids used it for two weeks and lost complete interest thereafter. After we moved, our buyers said the neighbour told them he wouldn't have put one in, but that we convinced him!

Incredible amount of maintenance work, or expense if you have pros doing it.

Both my spouse and I grew up by the Atlantic. (Hurricane Gilbert drove fish into her Caribbean home; where I grew up was inundated by Storm Sandy.) Neither of us has any interest whatsoever in a pool.

Be sure before you sign on the dotted line!

Our neighbors put in a vinyl pool 13 years ago. They used it practically every day in the summer - she was a teacher, so she was home all summer with their two kids. She grew up with a pool, so she knew exactly what the maintenance would be.

We are close enough friends that we get pool privileges!