Swimming pool prices compared by make, model and style - Concrete, Vinyl & Fiberglass
Fiberglass Pool Installation Prices
A basic fiberglass pool installation typically includes digging the hole, the pool shell, crane and shipping services, a pump and a filter. The basic installation price estimated by most contractors only includes the absolute minimum required in order for the pool to function and gives little overall consideration to the user friendliness or functional usage of the pool.
Understandably pool contractors like to minimize the fact that pool upgrade options are very expensive and showcase the basic installation costs. In actuality very few pools are installed without at least a few upgrade options though fiberglass pools more than most are installed with minimal upgrades. Near to as expensive as concrete swimming pools, the price of a fiberglass pool can limit many customers from affording additional upgrades. In essence the step from vinyl liner to fiberglass can be considered an upgrade in a way depending on how you view the reliability and design of fiberglass swimming pools.
Basic Fiberglass Pool Installation Cost
Fiberglass swimming pools, similar to vinyl liner pools, are sold in kits of predesigned shapes. Vinyl liner pools can typically come in 30 or more shapes and sizes where fiberglass pools have even less options due to the immense size and cost of storing the pool shells.The process for building a fiberglass pool is by far the most simple of all swimming pool installations. With proper preparation a fiberglass pool can be installed in as little as three days with a crew of only a few semi-skilled workers. The pool is craned into place and the plumbing is hooked up while it is stationary in the final resting place.
The concept of the fiberglass pool installation is to fill around the outside of the pool with a suitable material like sand or concrete while filling the inside of the pool with water. By adding water and backfill at the same rate you can equalize the pressures acting on the pool walls. A skilled installation will see the pool keeping its original shape without twisting or distorting and most importantly to be level all around.
The pool shell is a primary cost for a fiberglass pool as are the shipping and crane services. A fiberglass pool cost about 15% more than a similar shaped vinyl liner pool and about 15% less than a gunite or concrete pool.
16x32' = $30,000 - $40,000
20x40' = $35,000 - $50,000
There are only a few makes of fiberglass pools available depending on where you live. Many local fiberglass pool installers will be territory dealers for one of the major fiberglass pool manufacturers. Since so much of the pool quality depends on the quality of the pool shell itself it is strongly recommended to choose a more expensive pool shell. Being too frugal with the pool shell on a fiberglass pool can be a huge problem in the future should you experience a failure.