How To Decide Which Type Of Pool Is Best For Your Home

Swimming pools aren’t just a fun addition to your home, but also add value to your home and in today’s market they can be a real help. Having a swimming pool doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have a large sum of disposable funds. The price range for pools can fit almost any budget as it ranges from $500 to $20,000. The pools that start in the lower range are generally above ground pools, which are great for smaller backyards or for whatever reason do not want to make the pool a permanent fixture in the yard. The higher end of the price range would include Olympic sized swimming pools or pools that have fountains, hot tubs, waterfalls or rock walls built in. The price range can vary greatly for pools of similar size as the materials, shape and landscaping can all affect the total price.

In Ground Swimming Pools

Most people think of in ground swimming pools when they think about swimming pools. While many people may love to have an in ground swimming pool as an addition to their home, it is often out of their budget because the cost to dig the hole and the materials for in ground pools greatly outweigh the cost of an above ground pool. However there is a more cost-efficient version of the traditional concrete in ground pool. This alternative version using a vinyl liner, which is placed into the hole made for the pool.  Should any tears or holes be made in an in ground vinyl pool, they can be repaired relatively quickly and easily and generally do not require that the pool’s water be drained out. If well-maintained a vinyl pool liner can last about ten years, then it can easily be replaced with a new liner.  There are lots of different options when it comes to vinyl pool liners including some that feature prints such as tile or custom designed images. In some cases, vinyl liner manufacturers can even allow their customers to designed custom shaped pool liners.

Another popular cost-efficient alternative to the traditional concrete in ground pool is a sprayed concrete pool. Sprayed concrete pools allow customers to create a custom shaped pools. The concrete spray is composed of two materials: Gunite and Shotcrete.  This is often a good option for homes that experience cold climates and snow as the composition can withstand such temperatures that can sometimes crack traditional concrete. While this is a less expensive option, the total price can vary depending on the desired volume of the pool, your local climate, soil type and drainage issues.

One last cost-efficient alternative to the traditional concrete pool is a fiberglass pool. While this type of liner is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes they come delivered to your property in full size. This means that you will have to have the space to allow a crane to move the pool onto your property and drop it into the hole. Sometimes a fiberglass swimming pool has a concrete or vinyl foundation for the bottom and then fiberglass for the walls. One reason many pool owners enjoy fiberglass pools, is that their smooth surface makes removing algae much easier.  

Above-Ground Swimming Pools

Of course, the cheapest alternative would be an above ground swimming pool. Installing this type of pool does not require any large holes to be dug. You simply just need to clear the area of any grass, sticks or rocks and flatten it. Then an aluminum or plastic siding is put up and reinforced by steel, concrete, wood or aluminum framing. Finally a flexible vinyl liner is installed. These types of pools generally only come in round, oval or square. Two benefits of above ground pools are that they can be assembled without professional assistance and can be taken down and moved if you decide to move to another house.