Fiberglass Pools

I often get asked this question by homeowners who are having a new home built,  “I know I want an in-ground pool, should I have it installed while my home is being built, or wait until after we move in?

The answer is easy. If at all possible have your swimming pool installed while your home is being built! I can think of 5 good reasons right off the top of my head to do this:

1. Simple Financing.                                                                                                                                 Figuring out how to finance a new pool is the biggest obstacle most prospective pool owners face. Not many people have $25-$50,ooo laying around burning a whole in their pocket. To get an idea how much a fiberglass pool costs check out this article. The most common source of funds is a home equity loan. Including your new pool in your mortgage will save you the hassle of taking on another loan.
2. Save Your Landscaping.                                                                                                                        During the time your home is being built your property is considered a construction site. Trucks and machinery in and out day after day. Having an in-ground pool installed is similar, but on a smaller scale. Your lawn will get dug up and your plants and shrubs could take a beating depending on where they are in proximity to your pool.                                                                                                  To have your pool installed while your yard is nothing but dirt makes perfect sense. Why wait until you might do damage to expensive landscaping?
3. Save Your Driveway.                                                                                                                             Just like your yard hasn’t been landscaped yet, your concrete driveway hasn’t been poured yet. The last thing you want to do is take a chance your brand new driveway cracks under the weight of a cement truck delivering concrete for your pool deck or a crane placing a fiberglass pool in the hole. Another benefit of installing during your build.
4. Save On Electrician Costs.                                                                                                              There’s a reason the electrician’s are called in to run wiring during the house’s framing process, no drywall or ceilings to deal with makes there job easier. The same goes for the exterior, if the electrician knows a pool is going to be installed he can take steps to make sure that when it’s time to connect the pool equipment all the pieces are in place.
5. Move In And Start Swimming.                                                                                                          The best reason to install a pool during your home build is to know that when you move into your new home, your new pool will be there ready and waiting for you to enjoy! It doesn’t get any more exciting then that for you and your family!

Home Builder and Pool Builder Working as One

As long as your home builder and your pool builder are on the same page, building both house & pool at the same time should be a seamless process. In most cases the pool installation doesn’t start until about 2/3 of the way through the house build.

It should be timed so that all the exterior work on the house is finished except for the pouring of the driveway and landscaping. This way the pool builder can install the pool without interfering with the house builders schedule.

It’s Your Backyard…Use It, Live It, Love It!

So when is the best time to install a pool?

Depending on who you ask, the answer to that question can be quite different. If you ask a pool contractor the most likely response will be “right now”. The reasoning being that prices will only go up, not down so now is as good as time as any. Not bad logic.

If your in the market for a pool the answer should be “when your ready” and when you can afford the pool you want. But there are other factors and for the purposes of this article the factor we are discussing is what the “best time of year” to install or shop for an in-ground swimming pool is. So lets take a look at each of the four seasons starting with the obvious.

Summer:

June and July are the months when homeowners pick up the phone to inquire about having a pool built the most. This is unfortunate for everyone involved. The weather is hot so it makes sense, but the truth of the matter is any pool contractor worth his salt is booked solid at that time of the year. If you were able to find someone to build your pool three things would happen.

1. You would be paying top dollar.

2. The building process would be taking place during the hottest part of the summer and you will get very impatient because you want to swim.

3. And last your backyard will be in a state of dis-repair for the remainder of the summer.

Fall:

Fall is a good time to install a swimming pool. Summer is over so there is no rush to swim, thus no pressure on the pool builder to complete the project in record time. You might also get a price break at this time of year as the pool contractors workload starts to ease up. It is also the last chance to get the current years pricing as most pool manufacturers raise the price on fiberglass pool shells after the new year. And it gives you until next spring to get your yard back in shape.

Winter:

If you are serious about installing a pool for the next swim season you should absolutely be thinking about your pool project starting in January. This is when you should be thinking about what size, shape and style of pool you want. This is when you should start shopping for a pool contractor. These things take time and should not be taken lightly as a swimming pool is a big investment.

This is when pool contractors schedules start filling up and you want to get on the calendar as early as possible. If you can get your pool installed by March or April it will give you time to get your landscape in shape by the time the weather and water temps scream “everybody in the pool!” To me, this is the best time of year to start your pool project.

Spring:

Many people feel that if they start the pool buying process in the spring that they have plenty of time to have a pool installed and have a full swim season. In most cases this will work out and you can have a great summer. For me the official start of summer is Memorial Day weekend. That’s the first big party of the year and that’s when you want your pool in full working order.

So if you’re going to wait till spring make sure it’s early spring. Do your due diligence beforehand and get on the calendar as soon as you can. Then, all you need to do is kick back and enjoy the perfect summer!

It’s your backyard…Use it. Live it. Love it!

The first question on every homeowner’s mind from the moment they start thinking about installing a new swimming pool is how much will it cost. The reason for this is obvious, in many cases the price of the fiberglass pool is the make or break factor that will determine if you will actually purchase a new swimming pool for your home.
There are many factors that go into determining the price of installing a swimming pool in your backyard.  Do you want a vinyl liner pool? A fiberglass pool? Or a concrete pool? For the purpose of this article we’ll focus on fiberglass but since we install all three types of pools we’ll touch on them all a little bit.

Fiberglass:
People who aren’t familiar with fiberglass pools tend to think that they are limited in what they can choose from but fiberglass pool manufactures have made amazing strides in the last few years in regards to sizes, shapes and colors.
To say a fiberglass pool is going to cost you x amount of dollars is impossible. You have to start somewhere and usually that somewhere is size. You can get a pool as small as 8’ x 14′ or as big as 16’ x 42’ and the price is directly related to size. An 8’ x 14’ with 4’ of concrete decking, 1 LED light & a salt chlorinator can cost as little as $17,000. A 14′ x 30′ might cost about $33,000. A 16’ x 42’ would be closer to $40,000 – $45,000.

Options, Options, Options!
Here are some of the variables that can drive a price up or down depending on if you include them or not:

• Salt Chlorine Generator: Like the fiberglass pool, Salt Chlorine Generators have become very popular over the last few years. They have a higher upfront cost but much lower yearly chemical costs. Prices can range from $750 – $1500 depending upon pool size.

• Concrete Deck: A beautiful concrete deck is almost as important as the pool itself. Many homeowners make the mistake of treating the deck as an afterthought. You will spend as much time on your deck as you will in your pool. Most pool builders will include 4’ of concrete deck (with a cantilevered edge) in the cost of your pool. Chances are you will want more deck than this and it will cost you per square foot. Decorative stamped concrete, integral colored concrete, flagstone and pavers are all deck options that can dramatically enhance the beauty of your pool deck and the cost as well.

• LED Lights: Multi-colored LED lights are a great addition to any pool and could cost from $400-$600 per light.

• Waterline Tile: Waterline Tile will make a pool look stunning, especially on a white shell. You pay for the tile by linear foot so depending on the tile chosen and the size of your pool the cost can be from $1300 – $2000.

• Water Features: Deck Jets, Spa Jets, Sheer Decents, Waterfalls, etc. The price depends on what you do and varies greatly.

• Automatic Pool Cover: Open and close your pool with a push of a button. Keeps, leaves, critters & the neighborhood kids from falling in your pool. Can cost from $8,000 – $13,000 depending on the size of the pool.

• Safety Cover: This cover is anchored to your deck and goes on in the winter and off in the spring. Usually about $1,500 – $3,000

• Heat Pumps or Gas Heaters: $2,000 – $5,000 plus electrical and/or gas connections.

• 2 Speed or Variable Speed Pump:  These are a great energy saver and offer a 1-2 season pay back on the initial investment. $350 – $1,200 (above base pump price).
These prices are by no means written in stone but it should give you an idea of what a new fiberglass pool installation will cost you as you begin the pool buying process. I hope this has helped and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. Happy Swimming!
It’s your backyard. Use it. Live it. Love it!