I would suggest that for ease of maintenance, to go with a saltwater system. It makes life easy.
TFP recommends the system sized for twice the capacity of the pool. For example, if you have a 20, 000 gallon pool, get a system rated for 40,000. It will last years longer and cost difference between them is not much.
Over a period of just a few years, you save hundreds of dollars by going with a bigger unit.
Regarding the pool walls, concrete with vinyl liner is out. Too expensive and really nothing to gain. If you want concrete because of the flexibility of benches, tanning shelves and such things, I wold suggest to go with conctete pool with plaster finish. Usually several or more 1000 dollars above cost of vinyl lined pool.
Steel walls have been around a long time. Eventually though, they do rust (takes years) and can potentially need repairing at some point down the road which is usually at the same time as a liner replacement. Salt system will exasperate the rusting on a steel wall, which means more extensive repair to it -eventually.
I would recommend to consider a
Polymer wall. They are super strong, yet light, they do not deform and they absolutely will never - ever rust.
Its a couple of hundred dollar upgrade vs steel, but IMO, its well worth the money.
Plumbing, - go with the independintly plumbed option with valves for each pipe at the equipment pad. You will love the flexibility of that and its not much more, if any, dollars added to the cost of the project.
Please post up more of the specifics of the pool and equipment being offered and we'll be glad to give you further advice.
If you dont have an equipment list yet, then tell us the shape and size of the pool, and how far you esitmate from the pool to pump and filter location and we can make recommendations to consider. (the options are MANY), so ask away and become familiar with the equipment and the pros and cons before making a firm commitment.
You only have 1 chance to get a swimming pool right, so that its easy to maintain and enjoyable over a LOT of years.
So, now is not the time to be shy. We are glad to help however we can.
Thank you for the quick response and I am really excited about the new pool. Okay, some additional questions:
Steel Wall Construction with vynal liner or Concrete walls with vynal liner. Both companies have been doing pools for 20+ years and very reputable.
There a few differences in perks, ideas for stucture (tanning shelves and steps).
The biggest difference I have seen so far is the pluming of the pools, one wants to install 3 skimmers and use 2 inch pluming and the abitlity to switch on and off all systems indepently, while the other uses 1.5 in plumbing with only two skimmer that work on the same system and cannot be indenently turned off without plugging the skimmer.
what are some other questions I can ask the builders that will better inform me on who to use?
