Swimming Pools: Concrete or fiberglass?

[felicity]

Hi Guys, we have bought a old house and soon will demolish to build our new home, we want to put a pool in first. We dont know whether to choose a concrete or fiberglass. Does anyone have any ideas?
Also does anyone know any good pool builders in the northern suburbs of Melbourne?

Thanks Felicity

 

[Jacque]

Hi Felicity

In all my years of house hunting I can always spot a fibreglass pool a mile away- I'm not saying that detrimentally but the cheaper version is often obvious. Though they "may" be easier to maintain, I think the good old custom-made concrete shell looks much nicer. Each to their own of course and it will come down to budget and the look you're trying to achieve. Happy pool-building!

*Tip: Don't bother getting spa jets unless you're having a hot tub built in. Waste of $$$ and bothersome to clean when clogged up I speak from experience having now owned a few PPOR's with pools.

 

[Angel]

The choice will also depend on the soil type at your block of land. Some soils will not take to a fibreglass pool and you will have to get a concrete one otherwise one day the pool will pop out of the ground.

 

[datto]

concrete pools can crack, $$$$$

 

[vbplease]

From a robust/low maintenance point of view I'd recommend a concrete (shotcrete) shell. Yes they can crack but the likelihood of damage is a lot less than a fibreglass or vinyl lined pool. I've seen plenty of fibreglass pools lifted or cracked/bulged/creased and vinyl pools totally collapsed in QLD's recent wet weather.. but no damage to any concrete pools

If you prefer the aesthetics of a fibreglass or vinyl lined pool, when engineered correctly they can be perfectly fine. I'd invest ($500) in a structural engineers report/recommendations which would consider the site factors and the manufacturers details - which they often get wrong.

 

[gottabespotless]

To each their own, but fibreglass pools always look cheap to me.

 

[Tigerboy]

We looked and looked and then couldn't go past a concrete pool. Ours is tiled and the kids love it. Fibreglass and vinyl look and feel cheap. Our pool guy was fantastic and would recommend. Just PM me and I'll send you his details.

 

[felicity]

Thank you, all that took time and the feedback, will go with concrete, i too agree fiberglass looks cheap and never considered vinyl.

 

[toony]

I found this tread as i too an pulling down an old home to rebuild and add a pool. I was looking at a fibreglass, but now may consider looking at concrete.

I am in bayside Melbourne, where its mostly sand. Would this effect the choice of pool. Concrete or fibreglass.

 

[Blueberry]

concrete absorbs stains. if you have a tree that drops overhead you will get ugly stains where the leaves are. Chlorine will bleach it back over the next week or so, but you will always have some marks. Tile it if you can.

 

[Rolf Latham]

Have a fg pool built 1985 ,still hanging in there

needs a repaint with epoxy, and some small structural work

ta
rolf

 

[tom32]

I've spent about 3months middle of last year comparing the two options.

I started 100percent on concrete. Like some of you my first thought was fibreglass looks like plastic.

I wanted concrete with quartzon finish.

Anyway I'm in construction and further been an estimator among other things so priced the trades up and came up with 30k for a concrete L shaped pool that exactly suited my outdoor area. I then got a job and didn't have time to pursue further. My wife wanted fibreglass all along but I insisted she got in a concrete pool builder. I handed him my estimate told him I'd expect he wants 15-20 percent. Anyway he asked me for the original excell for future use which I have him and he said he would do for 35k. This was pretty good value as at the pool show we were told 45k was the start price for a conc pool.

Anyhow then I got reading. Turns out concrete pool finishes like quartzon do not last forever. They need refinishing. I am now a gnats whisker from just putting in a fibreglass pool even though its only 5k cheaper.

there are some local factors though. south of perth where i am you are near guaranteed sand beachside. This geology is perfect for fibreglass. Fine for conc too of course but you don't need concretes strength in sand.

Anyway while the consensus here is concrete I'm just chipping in for the the fibreglass brigade. If you can make a fibreglass pool shape work on your block, my thought is use it. The only reason I can tell for concrete is needing a certain shape or having a infinity edge over water or built at house edge etc.

Edit: tldr; I prefer fibreglass after considering both.

 

[Adrian Cahill]

For me, a concrete one is a lot better.