Fiberglass Pool Selection

[FiberPoolLover29]

Well this is build is basically over (for now).
It was a short one. I'm still amazed how quickly we went from blank backyard to swimming oasis.
The pool was started up exactly 4 weeks after digging commenced and the kids were swimming in clear blue water a week later.
Then we got all new sod, beds with mulch, star gravel, and 10 Holly trees. Still need to plant in the rectangle mulch areas.
May add waterline tile next year and possibly a heater at some point.
Is it big and fancy? Not at all. Does it do everything we hoped for? Absolutely. We've wanted a pool our entire lives and now with 50 approaching and two young kids we finally got it.

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Hi there, I'm new to this forum and have been talking to some FGn pool builders and feeling so torn on which one to go with. Here are the specs. Please help me out, you pool experts .

Aviva Pool ( New and contemporary - established in 2019)
Model - Ovation 30 (12.5 x 30) in Exuma Silver or Maldives Blue.
Backfill material - Gravel
No bubblers sadly because the tanner ledge is too deep, about 17" but builder can do streamers

San Juan Pool ( been in the business for years - over 60 years)
Model - Wylela beach ( 12 x 30) in Sully Blue
Backfill material - Washed concrete AKA Sand I believe
Bubblers (which I absolutely love) because tanner ledge is about 6"

Sales person for both were fantastic. competitively priced.

Please help and guide me based on yout personally experiences so I can make the best judgement call. I'm planning to extend the concrete area beyonf the standrd 3ft they offer for the deck area.


Thank you so much for your insights!

 

[kimkats]

Hi and welcome to TFP! What a fun and scary time in your life!

do streamers

Best to skip these. They are more of a "party trick" that don't get used often AND they and be very picky about working in they can get clogged fairly easy

If you get bubblers make sure to get ones with lights in them that you can turn on and off with and without the bubblers going.

Sales person for both were fantastic

Well they are sales people..........................what you want to REALLY look at is the install crew! How long have they been with the company? How many pools have the put in? What have been their biggest problems AND how did it get resolved?

Make sure to get at least 3 references on the INSTALL crew.

 

[Newdude]

Hey FPL and Welcome !!!

It's all way too subjective with the models. You might like the color of one and the style of the other and the builder is a 3rd wild card. Best of luck pulling the trigger.

Knowing nothing else about the models/builders, I'd go with the 17" tanning ledge. Are you even a tanner ? I'm not, so I would sit on the shelf like a bench with my legs dangling into the pool and 6 inches probably wouldn't even cover my lap.

 

[FiberPoolLover29]

Hey FPL and Welcome !!!

It's all way too subjective with the models. You might like the color of one and the style of the other and the builder is a 3rd wild card. Best of luck pulling the trigger.

Knowing nothing else about the models/builders, I'd go with the 17" tanning ledge. Are you even a tanner ? I'm not, so I would sit on the shelf like a bench with my legs dangling into the pool and 6 inches probably wouldn't even cover my lap.

Thank you. I guess my concern is more about the backfill material which has been a controversial topic for a while now. I wonder if there is anyone who has used both and would advise on the better route to go

 

[mknauss]

A good review on Fiberglass pool items.

Fiberglass Pools - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[FiberPoolLover29]

Hi and welcome to TFP! What a fun and scary time in your life!


Best to skip these. They are more of a "party trick" that don't get used often AND they and be very picky about working in they can get clogged fairly easy

If you get bubblers make sure to get ones with lights in them that you can turn on and off with and without the bubblers going.

Well they are sales people..........................what you want to REALLY look at is the install crew! How long have they been with the company? How many pools have the put in? What have been their biggest problems AND how did it get resolved?

Make sure to get at least 3 references on the INSTALL crew.

Thank you. What are your thoughts on the backfill material?

 

[kimkats]

See the above link Marty shared with you.

This is from the above shared link:
"Never use excavated material as fill or backfill in the hole; the material will settle. We suggest sand or ½” clean gravel compacted thoroughly (a plate tamper is needed for the pool base). The fill material used for the pool base must also be used tobackfill around the sides of the pool shell. In the case of significant over excavation on the sides of the pool or in seasonal highwater or poor drainage areas, you may want to mix 10% Portland cement with the backfill for stabilization."