Every pool type comes with trade-offs.
Read on to learn a little about the differences in upfront cost, customizability, or ease of maintenance between concrete, fiberglass, and vinyl liner pools.
Vinyl Liner
Let's start with the most well-known and common flavour of pool. Vinyl liner pools are attractive to many buyers for their comparatively-low initial cost and familiarity. The installation times are generally fairly moderate, and the regularly-touted pool advice you'll get from friends and family will likely work well enough for long-term maintenance.
The downsides of a vinyl liner pool include the lifetime cost (time and money) in liner replacements, which is complicated by the inconsistent liner quality between companies. A good way of mitigating against this drawback is to seek out liners that are cut to fit the shape of your pool, which limits stretching and damage during the installation process.
This makes vinyl liner pools a good option for a homeowner with a limited initial budget and who isn't looking for any incredibly exotic customization options.
Concrete
If you're looking to maximize the customization and durability of your pool, concrete is the way to go. A concrete pool can be virtually any shape or size and can even be creatively integrated into your existing backyard landscaping.
The downsides of a concrete pool are primarily the cost and required maintenance effort. Unlike other pool surfaces, concrete provides many crevices for algae to grow. For this reason, your water chemistry is of even higher importance with concrete pools than with vinyl liner alternatives.
We may be biased, but to maximize the customization benefits of a concrete pool is to really bring your backyard to life. Concrete pools do offer a bit of a maintenance challenge, but the juice is worth the squeeze.
One last thing to know about concrete pools is that the installation process can take some time. If you're considering a concrete pool installation, getting the process started early is key to enjoying your pool in the Summer.
Fiberglass
Finally, perhaps the least-common variance: fiberglass pools. These pools are generally quite easy to maintain and can offer unique built-ins, such as seating areas and water features.
However, this convenient, hard shell comes at a cost (literally!). Fiberglass pools can be very expensive and are limited in size. With that said, the initial cost can be largely offset by the very limited cost of long-term maintenance on most pools of this style.
When weighing these factors, it's likely that a fiberglass pool is good for the buyer who is looking for a modestly-sized option with minimal maintenance, and who is able to afford the initial cost of acquisition.
Where to Start
So, that's our short summary of a few factors for you to consider when you're choosing a new pool. Now, you can request a quote to start preparing for your backyard renovation.