Hi All,
This is good stuff. There have been some concerns addressed on this thread about fiberglass pools that are legitimate but might benefit from some clarification.
1. Aesthetics: There is no question that fiberglass pools
can look cheap, but frankly there's no excuse for them to with the technology available today. The stigma that fiberglass pools are stark white "bath tubs" slapped in the ground along with some broom finish concrete has gone the way of the dinosaur. Colored finished, cantilevered coping, elevated spas, stamped concrete, etc. are all part of many of our pool projects. My partner Marcus wrote a great article "
Do Fiberglass Pools Look Like Bathtubs: A Prevention Guide". You could also see some pics of modern fiberglass pools our site
www.riverpoolsandspas.com.
2. Soil Conditions and Pop-ups: Poor soils do not effect fiberglass pools. Colder climates don't either; in fact they are the most durable pool one can own because of the capacity that fiberglass has to move and flex. Can bad stuff happen if they are drained without taking proper precautions (which sound's like what happened above)? Absolutely, but the same can and does happen to gunite pools. If there's more water on the outside of the pool then the inside, the hydrostatic pressure tends to cause problems. Two really popular articles that I've written regarding the effects of soils and ground water on fiberglass pools are "
7 Deadly Sins of Fiberglass Pool Installations" and "
Top 5 Fiberglass Pool Problems and Solutions".
3. Considering today's economic climate, I would strongly encourage anyone considering the purchase of a fiberglass pool to do a thorough investigation of any fiberglass pool manufacturers they are considering. It would be time well spent.
4. Oh yes, the original question: A southern Cal builder. I'll see what I can up come with for you.
Jason