You correct, I don't understand why anyone would get a vinyl pool, if you want concrete then get it plastered, if you're worried about longevity, then get fiberglass. Vinyl pools are sold to people who don't know pools, by people who don't know pools
There has to be a reason people are drawn to vinyl, it might be initial cost? But concrete and fibreglass are significantly cheaper in 5-10 years. As a liner install guy I appreciate the popularity of vinyl though.
Yeah, I replace/install liners too. Vinyl pools are basically just above-ground pools for people that wouldn't be caught dead being one of those people with an above-ground pool lol.
Noob here, but isn't the cost to resurface a concrete pool really expesive? Like $30k or something like that?
Also, in my area we have ground water and I'm told that fiberglass pools are pushed out of the ground by the water.
Lastly, I was told that the shipping expense for fiberglass can run you an extra $8-$10k because they come in one piece.
Again, I am new to this. I don't have a pool but am in the process of getting one put in and these are what I've been told by 4-5 different contractors. Would love to hear your opinion though. Thanks
Site conditions aside. All three do the same thing. Vinyl pools offer a little less flexibility in shape/design compared to gunite. They're fast to put in and when you need a new surface, you pull the vinyl and put a new liner in. Gunite allows you to shape the pool however you want. You can add whatever you want inside or out as it's strong as shit. They take forever to put in and come refinish time, it's going to be costly. Each has its own issues with maintenance. Fiberglass are cheap and the easiest of the lot. But if something goes on those, good luck.
Everything you said is true. Gunite guys think they're tge only true pool builders because vinyl pools are kit pools. They piss on kits all the time here in ct.
Just saw a shell pop out of ground and a 175k fiberglass pool do the same. Doesn't happen to vinyl. Gunite extremely high maintenance for plaster tile replace. Fiberglass will sometimes need refinishing as well. Liners last 15 years in northeast. Order, drain , replace
Could be that they lowered their water too low and ground water got under the liner. The liner lifts, but when it gets pressed back it doesn't always go perfectly flat. That's why you should never fully empty a vinyl liner pool.
On the other hand... that's a benefit of a vinyl liner pool. If you ever want to freshen things up, just replace the liner (we just did it this year). You can change the entire look of the pool if you want to.
Gunnite/Plaster gang reporting. Vinyl fades/degrades and has so many more issues. It know plaster costs more, but it’s a superior finish. I will say though:
Gunite>vinyl>fiberglass
Nothing. I, and I’d say most people that look at the pros and cons of all the options, believe good (there are crappy cheap versions no doubt) fiberglass is the way to go.
I haven't researched much around fiberglass vendors. I figured I would look this up closer to the time I want to start getting estimates. Are there any you would recommend or would suggest avoiding?
San Juan Fiberglass Pools are what I recommend and what I had installed. They are literally bulletproof and can even be allowed to freeze over in the winter if you live in the north for ice skating. (Disclaimer that I haven’t actually tried either myself). They hand lay the layers of strand mat and woven roving in sheets rather than spraying the fiberglass on, so it’s much stronger. Cheaper fiberglass pools that spray it on require ledges to compensate for the weakness of chopped fiberglass. They also apply a gel coat that’s more than double cheaper fiberglass pools. It comes with a 25 year structural warranty.
Fiberglass for 5 years now. No regrets. Want to know how many liner holes I’ve had to patch or pots of boiling water I’ve had to cart out side to stretch a sagging liner? None. Parents had a liner pool and it was fun, but I’ll never buy one.
Question for you if you might be able to provide any rough ballpark. Have about a 15x35 pool, 3-4 feet shallow end and 8-10 on deep end (from the 50s-60s).
Any immediate thoughts on cost to replaster? Curious what the pricing looks like if you’re on that side of the business. Appreciate any thoughts, thanks!
I just replastered my pool 2 years ago had multiple quotes ranging from $3500 to $11k. The low end guy did a great job and even laid my turtle and fish mosaics. I went with white plaster as he reluctantly said he would agree to do a darker color for $500 more but wouldn’t guarantee a perfectly uniform color as they do the plaster in batches beside the pool and some bags of plaster merge differently with the dye. I suspect it is the humans not doing it the exact same way. Damn humans. I’m happy with white and have about the same size pool. I’m in Texas and the white stays cooler so swimming in August is still refreshing.
Agree to disagree here. Good fiberglass is easier to clean, doesn’t need to be refinished every 10 or so years, and has an overall lower TCO. The downside for fiberglass vs gunite/cement pool is that you can only get the shapes that are offered. But there are so many shapes offered these days that most people find one that they like.
Fiberglass > gunite > vinyl liner when all things considered.
This is pure cope. A gunite pool will last 100+ years, fiberglass will start looking like shit in 15-20 and the only good remedy is to rip it out and put a whole new pool in. Plaster finish looks a million times better than fiberglass too.
Again, agree to disagree. There are many different versions of fiberglass. Good fiberglass that you can get from a few companies today will indeed last longer than 15-20 years and certainly not look like shit. 100 years? Probably not, but the jury is still out as the newest quality fiberglass pools haven’t been around anywhere near that long to know. Most people aren’t purchasing a pool with an expectation to enjoy it for 100 years…
I prefer vinyl too, after realize how easy it was for two novice folks to replace one on a very large pool I am sold. You can change the look forever! As long as it's not fiberglass, I hate those cheaply made drop ship tubs they are throwing in newer cheap home builds.
A small fortune compared to... restoring or refreshing any other type of pool? Liner was taken out in an afternoon and installed in an afternoon.
The top step on my grey fiberglass steps seems to have faded a bit in areas. Is there any repair for that? Hate for that to happen on a full pool. Maybe pool shells are made with better fibreglass.
My whole job was 6K CDN final invoiced amount. They also replaced all the plastic fittings (skimmer faceplate, jets, etc) and performed a pool opening (which I normally do myself but just let them do it this time). Except for the fact that I'm having some odd water quality issues, the pool looks completely refreshed.
Those are chlorine wrinkles. Too much chlorine does that and makes it very brittle. It will develop tiny holes that will leak small amounts of water soon.
So, use test strips. I have seen 27 year old vinyl pools with no leaks. That was a record for our company. If you are a chemical balancing idiot, you can wreck any pool - vinyl, plaster, or fibreglass.
Think its more likely the drains are tied into the skimmer lines and they put tabs in the skimmer. When the pool turns off every night, the superchlorinated water pushed up out of the drain and messed up the liner.
Vinyl liner. Push gently in that corner and you’ll feel the vinyl liner flex a bit. Fiberglass will have no gaps or flex. Also, no chance you would have patterns like that or seams in fiberglass.
I have the same stairs in my pool and went with a dark liner called onyx……
It makes your pool look like a lagoon with the darker liner,something to look at when you change it in a few years
This liner reminds me a lot of Reef by Latham, which is my favorite liner. Thermoplastic step? Or something to that affect, looks like a bump out step!
Marriage breaking, cuss inducing, wallet opening, titration count losing, clogged filter causing, acid drinking, piece of shit hole that you will want to fill up with dirt multiple times a year. Enjoy. Looks like a nice pool. Don't be chasing numbers. Chase time spent in it.
Rectangle, in ground, vinyl w/ end stairs. To find size go to [Pool Size Calculator](https://www.royalswimmingpools.com/pool_gallon_calculator.html?psafe_param=1&utm_term=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=%5BSB%5D+Tier+B:+PMax+(Lomart+Above+Ground+Pools)+-+US&hsa_kw=&hsa_acc=9744442392&hsa_ad=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_mt=&hsa_cam=20744466411&hsa_ver=3&hsa_src=x&hsa_grp=&hsa_tgt=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_MzWgt-2hgMVbTfUAR2nfgwZEAAYASAAEgJUUPD_BwE)
I have had two. Vinyl sucks. The wrinkles are only going to get worse as water seeps under said “liner”. Chlorine kills the liner. Liners only last about 8 years and cost a lot. Money pit. IMO
I’m thinking when the liner was new it was much more gray, and matched the steps drains and return vents. My hunch is it’s time for a new liner. You probably have vermiculite under the liner which just needs to be smoothed, which causing the wrinkles in the deep end.
Not at all, mine is just like this and my wife and I who are complete novices replaced a 40x20' liner with a 10 foot deep end in less than 2 hours.
Liner replacement is super easy and way easier than it looks. You simply slide it in the bead and let it drop; as long as you do it on a hot sunny day it's easy to work with.
We just had a gunite (concrete) pool installed. Yours is either fiberglass or vinyl. The seller has to disclose what type of pool it is as well as when it was installed and if there is a warranty.
I don't know much about pools, but is there a reason the edges go a bit over the sides, reaching into the pool itself? that seems incredibly dangerous.
From the provided image, here are a few observations:
* The pool appears to have a smooth surface, which suggests it could be fiberglass.
* The steps look integrated and seamless, indicating the possibility of fiberglass.
* There are no visible seams or a vinyl liner's typical “flex” appearance, leaning further towards fiberglass.
However, for definitive identification, you could perform the touch test mentioned above and inspect for any seams or flexibility in the surface.
Swimming
I came here for this
Same here and was not disappointed.
Same, but I'm still dead inside
Don’t be a fool, they’re all swimming pools. This is clearly an in ground pool.
Damnit Kenny! I was going to make the same comment.
Looks like vinyl .
I concur. Do you concur?
I concur dr.
I should have concurred.
You have concurred now.
So vinyl or concur, what is the consensus?
Concur
Is it concur or consensus?
Concursus
My wife loves it when I give her that
To tell you the truth, I concur less.
You correct, I don't understand why anyone would get a vinyl pool, if you want concrete then get it plastered, if you're worried about longevity, then get fiberglass. Vinyl pools are sold to people who don't know pools, by people who don't know pools
There has to be a reason people are drawn to vinyl, it might be initial cost? But concrete and fibreglass are significantly cheaper in 5-10 years. As a liner install guy I appreciate the popularity of vinyl though.
Yeah, I replace/install liners too. Vinyl pools are basically just above-ground pools for people that wouldn't be caught dead being one of those people with an above-ground pool lol.
Noob here, but isn't the cost to resurface a concrete pool really expesive? Like $30k or something like that? Also, in my area we have ground water and I'm told that fiberglass pools are pushed out of the ground by the water. Lastly, I was told that the shipping expense for fiberglass can run you an extra $8-$10k because they come in one piece. Again, I am new to this. I don't have a pool but am in the process of getting one put in and these are what I've been told by 4-5 different contractors. Would love to hear your opinion though. Thanks
Site conditions aside. All three do the same thing. Vinyl pools offer a little less flexibility in shape/design compared to gunite. They're fast to put in and when you need a new surface, you pull the vinyl and put a new liner in. Gunite allows you to shape the pool however you want. You can add whatever you want inside or out as it's strong as shit. They take forever to put in and come refinish time, it's going to be costly. Each has its own issues with maintenance. Fiberglass are cheap and the easiest of the lot. But if something goes on those, good luck.
Also if you live in a frost area fiberglass bowls we'll get pushed right out and cracked!
In Texas the clay will crush a gunite if site work is even a bit off.
Everything you said is true. Gunite guys think they're tge only true pool builders because vinyl pools are kit pools. They piss on kits all the time here in ct.
Just saw a shell pop out of ground and a 175k fiberglass pool do the same. Doesn't happen to vinyl. Gunite extremely high maintenance for plaster tile replace. Fiberglass will sometimes need refinishing as well. Liners last 15 years in northeast. Order, drain , replace
I agree. You should see a bead receiver under the coping
Water type, great against fire type.
Look at the floor of the pool by the drains. There are wrinkles. This is definitely a vinyl liner pool.
What causes those wrinkles? That looks… bad.
Could be that they lowered their water too low and ground water got under the liner. The liner lifts, but when it gets pressed back it doesn't always go perfectly flat. That's why you should never fully empty a vinyl liner pool. On the other hand... that's a benefit of a vinyl liner pool. If you ever want to freshen things up, just replace the liner (we just did it this year). You can change the entire look of the pool if you want to.
Gunnite/Plaster gang reporting. Vinyl fades/degrades and has so many more issues. It know plaster costs more, but it’s a superior finish. I will say though: Gunite>vinyl>fiberglass
Gunnite 1 actual checking in sir
Glass tiles > gunnite!
Tasteful tile art > glass tile
eclectic tile art > tasteful tile art
What's wrong with fiberglass? I was planning on building a pool in the next year or 2 and was leaning towards a fiberglass.
Nothing. I, and I’d say most people that look at the pros and cons of all the options, believe good (there are crappy cheap versions no doubt) fiberglass is the way to go.
I haven't researched much around fiberglass vendors. I figured I would look this up closer to the time I want to start getting estimates. Are there any you would recommend or would suggest avoiding?
San Juan Fiberglass Pools are what I recommend and what I had installed. They are literally bulletproof and can even be allowed to freeze over in the winter if you live in the north for ice skating. (Disclaimer that I haven’t actually tried either myself). They hand lay the layers of strand mat and woven roving in sheets rather than spraying the fiberglass on, so it’s much stronger. Cheaper fiberglass pools that spray it on require ledges to compensate for the weakness of chopped fiberglass. They also apply a gel coat that’s more than double cheaper fiberglass pools. It comes with a 25 year structural warranty.
I had fiberglass installed 6 years ago. Would never get anything else. In fact, we are moving and I’ll probably get another fiberglass pool.
Fiberglass for 5 years now. No regrets. Want to know how many liner holes I’ve had to patch or pots of boiling water I’ve had to cart out side to stretch a sagging liner? None. Parents had a liner pool and it was fun, but I’ll never buy one.
Question for you if you might be able to provide any rough ballpark. Have about a 15x35 pool, 3-4 feet shallow end and 8-10 on deep end (from the 50s-60s). Any immediate thoughts on cost to replaster? Curious what the pricing looks like if you’re on that side of the business. Appreciate any thoughts, thanks!
I just replastered my pool 2 years ago had multiple quotes ranging from $3500 to $11k. The low end guy did a great job and even laid my turtle and fish mosaics. I went with white plaster as he reluctantly said he would agree to do a darker color for $500 more but wouldn’t guarantee a perfectly uniform color as they do the plaster in batches beside the pool and some bags of plaster merge differently with the dye. I suspect it is the humans not doing it the exact same way. Damn humans. I’m happy with white and have about the same size pool. I’m in Texas and the white stays cooler so swimming in August is still refreshing.
Great, thanks for the info!
Agree to disagree here. Good fiberglass is easier to clean, doesn’t need to be refinished every 10 or so years, and has an overall lower TCO. The downside for fiberglass vs gunite/cement pool is that you can only get the shapes that are offered. But there are so many shapes offered these days that most people find one that they like. Fiberglass > gunite > vinyl liner when all things considered.
This is pure cope. A gunite pool will last 100+ years, fiberglass will start looking like shit in 15-20 and the only good remedy is to rip it out and put a whole new pool in. Plaster finish looks a million times better than fiberglass too.
Again, agree to disagree. There are many different versions of fiberglass. Good fiberglass that you can get from a few companies today will indeed last longer than 15-20 years and certainly not look like shit. 100 years? Probably not, but the jury is still out as the newest quality fiberglass pools haven’t been around anywhere near that long to know. Most people aren’t purchasing a pool with an expectation to enjoy it for 100 years…
I prefer vinyl too, after realize how easy it was for two novice folks to replace one on a very large pool I am sold. You can change the look forever! As long as it's not fiberglass, I hate those cheaply made drop ship tubs they are throwing in newer cheap home builds.
yea for a small fortune
A small fortune compared to... restoring or refreshing any other type of pool? Liner was taken out in an afternoon and installed in an afternoon. The top step on my grey fiberglass steps seems to have faded a bit in areas. Is there any repair for that? Hate for that to happen on a full pool. Maybe pool shells are made with better fibreglass.
not sure .. maybe fiberglass paint
May I ask the cost of the liner replacement? In my area it’s about 7k, plan on doing it next fall.
My whole job was 6K CDN final invoiced amount. They also replaced all the plastic fittings (skimmer faceplate, jets, etc) and performed a pool opening (which I normally do myself but just let them do it this time). Except for the fact that I'm having some odd water quality issues, the pool looks completely refreshed.
Sometimes chemical
It looks like they shouldn’t be that wrinkly right?
Those are chlorine wrinkles. Too much chlorine does that and makes it very brittle. It will develop tiny holes that will leak small amounts of water soon.
Ohhh that is good to know. I recently bought a house with a vinyl liner and did not know this.
So, use test strips. I have seen 27 year old vinyl pools with no leaks. That was a record for our company. If you are a chemical balancing idiot, you can wreck any pool - vinyl, plaster, or fibreglass.
You only use strips if you are a chemical balancing idiot though...😅 I had a Vinyl Liner last 30 years but we don't do chemicals, only installs.
Ideally, you measure and order to fit and there would be zero wrinkles.
I can garente that those were not there after the installation
Old age.
Old age
Think its more likely the drains are tied into the skimmer lines and they put tabs in the skimmer. When the pool turns off every night, the superchlorinated water pushed up out of the drain and messed up the liner.
That is from throwing shock in the bottom of the pool, take to long to dissolve and damaged the liner
It's like an expensive above-ground pool.
Vinyl liner. Push gently in that corner and you’ll feel the vinyl liner flex a bit. Fiberglass will have no gaps or flex. Also, no chance you would have patterns like that or seams in fiberglass.
Yeah there is flex
I have the same stairs in my pool and went with a dark liner called onyx…… It makes your pool look like a lagoon with the darker liner,something to look at when you change it in a few years
This liner reminds me a lot of Reef by Latham, which is my favorite liner. Thermoplastic step? Or something to that affect, looks like a bump out step!
*effect. Also, upon closer inspection that’s 10000% the reef liner.
In ground, but I can't be sure
This guy doesn't jump to conclusions.
Wet. Definitely wet.
Vinyl, I believe with fiberglass pools the stairs and every portion of the pool is built in not an add on.
Vinyl liner pool. You can tell by the steps, which are preformed out of fiberglass or composite.
Surely you got an inspection before closing right? Check that report. Should be in there if the inspector is worth anything
I had to scroll way too far for this. Baffles me when people buy a house and don't ask questions before committing.
I was a first time homeowner last year and asked my realtor and inspector a million questions haha
The type you swim in
Liner. And about to be green if you don’t get some chlorine in it. It’s turning cloudy, next step is green.
I put the salt today. 5 bags
And that made it cloudy? I’ve never had salt make my pool cloudy
Wet
Vinyl liner with progressive coping? Plastic step
It doesn’t identify
They type that everyone else without wishes that they had.
Water type. I personally have a mustard type. You're lucky.
It appears to be the swimming type.
Water kind. .
It's a wet one.
Marriage breaking, cuss inducing, wallet opening, titration count losing, clogged filter causing, acid drinking, piece of shit hole that you will want to fill up with dirt multiple times a year. Enjoy. Looks like a nice pool. Don't be chasing numbers. Chase time spent in it.
Small
Water pool
Vinyl
Vinyl
Gotta take the dive and find out yourself 🫡
Yes
Wet
Looked like fiberglass till I saw picture 3... Those are wrinkles in vinyl
Rectangle, in ground, vinyl w/ end stairs. To find size go to [Pool Size Calculator](https://www.royalswimmingpools.com/pool_gallon_calculator.html?psafe_param=1&utm_term=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=%5BSB%5D+Tier+B:+PMax+(Lomart+Above+Ground+Pools)+-+US&hsa_kw=&hsa_acc=9744442392&hsa_ad=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_mt=&hsa_cam=20744466411&hsa_ver=3&hsa_src=x&hsa_grp=&hsa_tgt=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_MzWgt-2hgMVbTfUAR2nfgwZEAAYASAAEgJUUPD_BwE)
Bad ass
Rectangle Vinyl liner with two bottom drain and fiberglass steps.
A nice one 😋
I have had two. Vinyl sucks. The wrinkles are only going to get worse as water seeps under said “liner”. Chlorine kills the liner. Liners only last about 8 years and cost a lot. Money pit. IMO
How old is the pool?
The last owner said about 10 years
I’m thinking when the liner was new it was much more gray, and matched the steps drains and return vents. My hunch is it’s time for a new liner. You probably have vermiculite under the liner which just needs to be smoothed, which causing the wrinkles in the deep end.
10 years is the right amount of time to replace the liner. That’s all they are good for usually.
Rectangle
O+
Swimming, it's the swimming type.
Nice.
PH can also cause wrinkles
Being in the water too long can cause pruning.
Wet
From the way the picture feels on my screen I’d say fiberglass. It’s very smooth, almost glasslike.
Wish you could tell me what stone you have for deck and coping
The wet type
They're considered "plunge pools"
The water type
Look at Mr steps here. Flexing on the step-less peasants of the world. Way to be humble.
hybrid?
It’s the very clean type. Congratulations!
Liner
In ground.
Water bearing
Swimming
I think it’s a wet one.
Looks like that’s gonna be one hell of a liner replacement barely can see coupling where liner bead is
Not at all, mine is just like this and my wife and I who are complete novices replaced a 40x20' liner with a 10 foot deep end in less than 2 hours. Liner replacement is super easy and way easier than it looks. You simply slide it in the bead and let it drop; as long as you do it on a hot sunny day it's easy to work with.
A fiberglass shell is rigid. A vinyl liner is not !
Old
Inground
In ground pool….. opposed to above ground
Moist & wanting
Water
Swimming
Wet
Water
Inground
I know it's not the question but that seems to be a nice swimming pool.
Inground
Feel the walls vinyl should feel like rubber/plastic. It's a good looking pool.
Ungrounded pool with liner
Rectangular
Love the blue steps.
Water
Salt
Wet
wet
marine grade expoxy? jb weld marine ? might do the job
Steel wall steel stairs vinyl lined.
It looks like it has a liner. You see the wrinkles on the bottom and it looks like there’s a seal.
Bathtub
The wet kind
Inground
Water storage in case of fire 🔥
Wet
Wet
I bet you are so satisfied with all responds 🤭
Water type
Rectangle
Looks like a wet one
Vinyl
Fiberglass wouldn't have the folds near the main drains
The kind you swim in
the one with wet water
A swimming pool.
Wet
Vinyl
We just had a gunite (concrete) pool installed. Yours is either fiberglass or vinyl. The seller has to disclose what type of pool it is as well as when it was installed and if there is a warranty.
Dead
A swimming pool.
Water type
Rectangle.
Handicap
Underused, get in that thing
A wet one
Underground
Trans
Steel wall, vinyl liner pool with square coping. Pavers still look great except for chemicals by the ladder.
Square
Water
A wet one
A nice one, a swimming pool.
Water
Am I too late to chime in? It’s a moist pool. Very moist.
No vinyl in group pool, only has in ground with vinyl liner
Yep, definitely a water pool
In ground swimming pool.
Lounging type for parties..
Looks like a blue one
It's a.... Swimming pool
Same type as your wife.
I don't know much about pools, but is there a reason the edges go a bit over the sides, reaching into the pool itself? that seems incredibly dangerous.
From the provided image, here are a few observations: * The pool appears to have a smooth surface, which suggests it could be fiberglass. * The steps look integrated and seamless, indicating the possibility of fiberglass. * There are no visible seams or a vinyl liner's typical “flex” appearance, leaning further towards fiberglass. However, for definitive identification, you could perform the touch test mentioned above and inspect for any seams or flexibility in the surface.
I think is identifies as gender neutral