| |
Above Ground |
Concrete |
Fiberglass Shell |
Steel-Walled,
Vinyl Liner |
|
| Cost |
Initially, the least expensive but a deck to create a “full use” swimming area quickly escalates the price. Above-ground pools are more difficult and costly to heat. |
Concrete pools, usually built only for public and institutional settings, are generally not considered by homeowners for reasons below. |
Sometimes competitive but often more costly when comparing apples to apples. |
Competitive. |
| General Aesthetics |
Without raised decking to conceal the structure, above-ground pools usually detract from aesthetics. |
Surface is rough. |
Surface is smooth. Color options are few, and decorative tiles around the top are costly. |
Surface is smooth and soft. Liners offer many options for design and color. |
| Design Flexbility |
Circular, oval and rectangular above-ground pools may be able to change residences when you do. |
Any shape. |
Virtually any shape but generally preset depths for each shape offered. |
Any shape and depth, though rectangular is favored for maximum swim area. Additional aesthetics can be achieved through decking, fencing and landscaping. |
| Climate Compatibility |
Because heat in above-ground pools is more difficult to build and retain, swimming season is limited to the warmest days of the season. |
Concrete expands and contracts, making it susceptible to cracking. |
Because fiberglass molds are rigid, they may crack or bow with freezing and shifting ground. Imperfect backfilling creates opportunity for frost to damage water/filtration pipes, forcing re-excavation. Beware manufacturer warranties.. |
Steel won’t crack and the pool joints absorb stress without damage. In addition, steel-walled pools are tailored to the physical site (vs. fiberglass molds) and are more durable in areas of high groundwater. |
| Major Maintenance Concerns |
Monitor integrity of the walls. |
Refinish surface every 5 to 7 years. |
Refinish gel coat surface every 5 to 7 years. |
Replace vinyl liner every 12 to 15 years, on average. |
| Downtime for Major Maintenance |
Damage may not warrant repairs, rendering the pool useless on a permanent basis. |
Repairs must be made during consecutive dry, warm weather – peak swimming time! Drained pool could be out of commission for a week or more. |
Could be a week or more because repairs must be made in dry, warm weather – peak swimming time! Additional drying time is required between coats. |
2 days, regardless of weather. |
