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Steel & Polymer Wall Pools |
Concrete, Gunite & Plaster Pools |
Fiberglass Pools |
Warranty |
Limited lifetime on the panel structure, 20 years pro rated on the liner, 1-3 years by the contractor |
1-5 years by contractor. |
Limited lifetime on the shell, varies on the surface finish. 1 year by the contractor. |
Installation Time |
3-10 days depending on weather. |
3-6 weeks based on many independent subcontractors. |
5-20 days depending on delivery of shell and schedule of subcontractors |
Soil restrictions |
Extra attention required for expansive soil |
Extra attention required when installed in extreme cold climates |
Extra attention required when installing in high water table areas, in very expansive soil, or in extreme cold climates. |
Shapes of Pools |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
Limited to number of molds at the manufacturer |
Sizes of Pools |
Limited to 1900 square feet of surface area, or about 34'x 55', for factory made liner. No depth limitations |
Unlimited |
Limited to 16' wide, and few if any shapes over 6' deep |
Appearance choice |
Over 50 patterns to choose from |
Unlimited colors and tile choices |
Limited to 3-5 colors, tile choices very limited |
Price of Pools |
Low - Medium |
High |
Medium - High |
Estimated Chemical Usage |
Surface does not alter waters' chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used. |
Plaster reacts with water to raise pH levels. Uses substantially more acid & chlorine to counterbalance this chemical reaction. |
Surface does not alter waters' chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used. |
Surface Texture |
Liner is soft and non abrasive. Can become slippery when algae is present. |
Will become rough over time, causes skin abrasions to feet, hands and swim wear. |
Surface is hard but non abrasive. Can become slippery when algae is present. |
Algae Penetration |
Non pourous surface is excellent at resisting algae growth. Material is treated with an anti-microbial |
Algae will grow easily if allowed to bloom. Difficult to scrub from surface. |
Non pourous surface is excellent at resisting algae growth |
Estimated Maintenance Time |
1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly |
1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly |
1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly |
Major Renovation |
Replace liner at 7-12 years |
Re-marcite or re-plaster at 10-12 years. |
Repair cracks, blisters, and settling at 6-12 years |
Stairs and Seating |
Large number of options at an additional cost |
Unlimited options at an additional cost |
Limited options built inside the pool shell |
Quality Control |
Panels and liners manufactured in ISO 9001 factory. Quality of on-site assembly varies by installer. |
Manufactured on-site. Quality of work varies by installer |
The shell is manufactured in factory to company quality control standards. Quality of on-site work varies by installer |
Type of Coping |
Aluminum concrete receiver, brick, stone, concrete |
Brick, stone, concrete |
Built-in fiberglass, brick, stone, concrete |
Loan Acceptance |
Fair to good |
Good |
Fair to good |