Which Pool is right for you?

An in-ground pool is more than just a place to swim — it’s the center of your entire backyard experience and the ideal setting for countless hours of family fun. From summertime splash-fights to elegant entertaining, in-ground swimming pools are a valuable and versatile addition to any home, offering beauty, excitement, and escape.

To get the very best experience from your new inground swimming pool, it’s important to choose the right type of pool for you and your family, taking into consideration factors like budget, maintenance, and space.

Common Pool Types

Fiberglass

Fiberglass inground pools are another excellent option for homeowners, depending on your needs and preferences. With quick installation, minimal maintenance, and impressive strength that outperforms concrete, fiberglass is a solid choice for virtually any application.

Vinyl

Vinyl-liner inground pools, which are also called “packaged pools,” are constructed using core components like steps, braces, and wall panels. These components can be mixed and matched to create unique custom designs, depending on your backyard space and personal style preference.

Concrete/Gunite

The primary advantage of concrete is that it’s highly customizable. Concrete pools give you the ability to customize the size, shape, or any other features you may be looking for. Concrete pools are also very durable, like fiberglass is. You don’t have to fear that sharp objects will damage the pool structure, which is a weakness of vinyl liners.

Advantages of Fiberglass Pools

Close-up of a sleek fiberglass pool showcasing its smooth surface and vibrant color. The image highlights the pool's low main

Fiberglass pools are highly durable and very efficient to install. Because they’re pre-engineered, the entire installation process can be completed quickly. Once your fiberglass pool is delivered to your home, you can start enjoying your new pool in as little as three days.

When comparing fiberglass pools vs concrete (gunite) pools can take approximately three to six months to install. Fiberglass is factory-made while concrete pools need to be poured on-site, which can not only increase time to complete, but keep your yard in disarray for a much longer period of time. One of the most time consuming parts of the concrete process is that it requires between 28 to 30 days for the material to cure.

Fiberglass offers homeowners a wide variety of pre-engineered options that are perfect for any backyard need or aesthetic, including:

Customizable Add-Ons: Can add features to customize, including tanning ledges, bubblers, LED lights and inlaid tiles.
Sizes: Available in a wide variety of pre-engineered sizes, comparable to options for vinyl liner pools:

Small pools: 12 x 25 feet

Medium pools: 14 x 30 feet

Large pools: 16 x 35 feet

Shape Options: Available in a variety of shapes, including:RectangularKidney-shapedFree form
Salt Water Compatible: Fiberglass pools are exceptional for salt water systems because there is no corrosion. In comparison, the porosity of concrete pools makes them ill-suited for salt water systems.

Durable: Fiberglass pools can last the lifetime of the home it’s installed in. To put things in perspective, there are fiberglass pools still in the ground that were put in during the 60’s!
Low-Maintenance: Minimal time commitment for maintenance. The smooth, durable finish also makes fiberglass easier to clean and control algae growth.
Low Cost-of-Maintenance: No costly upkeep expenses, such as the acid washing and resurfacing needed to maintain concrete pools. Fiberglass pools also require 30% less chlorine than other pool types to keep clean. In comparison, the 10-year maintenance cost of a concrete pool ranges between $15,000 to $27,000—more expensive than both fiberglass and vinyl liner pools.

Advantages of Vinyl Pools

Vinyl pool with a textured liner, demonstrating its customizability and comfort. The image showcases the pool's inviting wate

When it comes to installation time, vinyl liner pools take a close second to fiberglass. While they may take up to a few more weeks to build and install, you can still have a ready-to-use pool in a matter of weeks vs. the arduous months-long process required for concrete pools.

Sturdy, factory-controlled parts are pre-engineered and designed to fit together. Pre-engineered construction makes vinyl liner pools faster to install than concrete pools, which need to be poured directly on-site and require time to cure before they can be filled and enjoyed. This means you have more time to enjoy your vinyl liner pool once it’s been installed!

In terms of size and shape, inground vinyl liner pools give homeowners plenty of options to choose from.

Vinyl liner pools are highly customizable and offer homeowners an abundance of options to choose from to create the pool of their dreams. Vinyl liners are also soft to the touch and a more comfortable option than the rough texture of a concrete pool.

Customizable Style: Vinyl liners come in a variety of colors and patterns, from solid hues to prints that mimic the look of an elaborate mosaic, tile or seaglass. Replacing your vinyl liner can give your pool an entirely new and refreshed look.
Customizable Add-Ons: You can also choose to enhance your vinyl liner pools with a number of add-ons, including tanning ledges and coping and decking.
Sizes: Available in a wide variety of sizes and dimensions, comparable to prefab sizes for fiberglass pools, including:
- 14 x 28 feet
- 16 x 32 feet
- 16 x 36 feet
- 18 x 36 feet
- 20 x 40 feet
Shape Options: Available in a variety of shapes, including:
- Rectangular
- Kidney-shaped
- L-Shaped
- Free form
Salt Water Compatible: Works well with salt water systems and polymer wall systems.

On average, a vinyl liner pool can last the lifetime of your home. This does not apply to the vinyl liner itself, which will need to be replaced on average approximately every 10 years or longer. However, you can extend the lifespan of your vinyl liner by following best practices such as never fully emptying your vinyl liner pool and removing airborne debris like tree branches that can puncture or tear your liner.
Relatively Low-Maintenance: Vinyl liner pools are easy to maintain, but require regular scrubbing with a soft brush or sponge to keep dirt and debris at bay. Concrete pools, in comparison, require an intensive degree of care (including periodic acid washing and resurfacing) as these pools are more susceptible to algae growth due to their porous nature.
Durable: Vinyl Liner pools wall systems can last a lifetime with routine liner changes. In comparison, a well-maintained concrete or gunite pool can last for decades, but needs to be routinely resurfaced and acid washed approximately every 10 years.