So after interviewing several pool companies in town, we are now actually considering getting a fiberglass pool instead of the vinyl liner pool we started looking for a month ago.

Is there any problem putting a fiberglass pool so close to the house footings? Our permit issuing dept here in town said we can do it but have to be at least 5 feet from the house/garage. We planned to go with vinyl and be at 6/7 feet out but now if we do fiberglass we'd need to go closer to fulfill that requirement and get a pre made sized pool.

The yard that the pool has to be installed in has drainage easements and a street running on two sides and the house and garage on the other two. We have very specific limitations. It is less than perfect but it is the only way we can make it work to install a pool. So, a bit more info: we are in sandy NC and looking at getting a approx 16 x 30 pool and doing saltwater.

The fiberglass company that we last spoke to thought fiberglass would be great because there isn't any additional digging space needed for footer/braces like with the vinyl. Does that sound correct? Would my house(one story brick in that particular area) be structurally safe to have a pool out of fiberglass that close to the foundation? It looks to be made out of block and a few feet deep at least.

I'd love some advice/opinions. We have hit one to many pool guys who want to install a pool for us but obviously are most interested in just making a sale. Each person tells us something different.

Is one fiberglass pool brand better than another as far as brands? The one we are considering is a Blue Hawaiian- I believe.

If I sell my house does having a fiberglass pool seem more attractive to prospective buyers than a liner pool? It seems like it should but I don't know.

And a couple of other questions-
We have options to use either Pentair or Hayward for the pool equipment. They sell and support both and say that they both cost about the same.

Would a 1 hp pump be ok or should I get variable? How about sand filter? Easy to backwash?

Thank you! I'll document as we go.... Should start soon!! (if we can just decide!!).

I thought i read some postings where there is the potential with water table issues of fiberglass pool starting to "float" but not 100% sure. I have a renovated 20x40 vinyl did everything except hole which has been there 30+ years. concrete walls make it pretty reliable i guess. There are a lot more pool shape options now ith vinyl and if you add cantilever coping it looks as nice as any fiberglass or gunite pool in my opinion. also if you want a "clean" pool stay away from sand DE is the way to go had hayward now have pentair they are both good

There are literally millions of sand filters in the US that do a perfectly fine job of keeping your pool clean. DE and Cartridge filters are perfectly capable as well. If one type was significantly better than another, it would dominate the market.

If you get too close to your house, you may run into inspection issues as far as bonding. You could potentially be required to bond gutters or other conductive materials on the house. I'd also be concerned if you have an asphalt shingle roof with gravel from the roof ending up in the pool.

I had a Viking fiberglass pool installed last year. As I recall, Blue Hawaiian is owned by Viking. I'd be more concerned with the builders experience and reputation. Good pool + bad installer = disappointment

My family was at a swim party recently. The host has just had a new gunite pool installed. My kids came out of the water with bloody knees. I love that my FG pool is smooth as a bathtub! No more pool rash!

There's lots to like about a FG pool. For one, it's water chemistry neutral...less chemicals (and cost) to maintain.

Could you tell me what you mean by "bonding my gutters" to the house? I'm sorry, I don't understand. We do have gutters already installed, they are connected to the house and two drain somewhat near the pool but we have run drainage lines underground from them to further out in the yard with pop up drain tops.

I think with the gutters already in place the shingle roof debris will not be an issue?!

Can't help with fiberglass, but I have had an inground vinyl and above ground vinyl. I like vinyl. For one reason when you have to resurface you replace the liner for a fraction of the cost. Now to your situation. If I were in your shoes - small yard with easements - I would go to above ground and put a nice deck around it. With ABG you have no structural concerns and if you encroach on an easement you can remove if if the easement owner ever needs access. Since the cost is a fraction of an inground, for the same money you can create a backyard oasis that wii really help sell the house if you want to move.

Electrical code requires all metal within a certain distance of the pool to be bonded to a ground halo. If your pool is close enough to your house to be within that zone, then you would have to run grounding wires to metal objects such as gutters, railings, and other conductive materials.

As for the structural question. You really need an engineer. You need to know what kind of footing your house it on, that the loading is, and what type of soil you have,.

Any company that says "it will be fine" without even digging a test pit or performing a bore hole would make me leery. "Sandy" soil is not a soil description. You also need to know where your water table is, and any seasonal fluctuations.

Get a qualified person to look at it. Some operating engineers are excellent and know what they are talking about. Others are just a guy who happens to own an excavator. A PE on the other hand, has a license (and insurance)

-dave