Jan 2025 IG pool build in Georgia, need liner re set!!!!

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suzook said:
I guess my biggest issue is will I really be saving money using diy pools. They don't give you an estimate, just claim it would be about $20k cheaper. Cheaper than what? A $200k pool?? Idk, I guess at the end of the day, even if I saved $10k, including what I have to pay them, it would be worth it. The plus is, I get to pick out exactly what equipment I want.
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Suz,
I think I said this previously but maybe in a different thread. My experience with DIY was great and price to get the design and engineering done was about the same for all 3 I got quotes from. The 20K they refer to is compared to using a builder and is in line with estimates we got for a simple pool compared to my estimated cost to build. The percent savings is larger for a more complex large pool than a simple small pool. My experience was that ranges from 20% to over 40%. The amount of savings is partially dependent on your local market. In my location margins are at a peak because demand is so high for quality builders so naturally they move price up. I could have waited for prices to drop but I didn't see an end to that. Also their capacity to build didn't increase so my wait time was over a year. Lastly, even the best builders didn't properly manage construction compared to what I see with industrial construction. So I decided to build myself. Keep in mind, savings don't come without a cost of your time and effort. It is more time and effort than most people think. And can actually be more for people that have little experience in managing subs. To me it was well worth it and I enjoyed the build. I like to build things but I know my limitations as well... I'm not a skilled craftsman. Just a project manager.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris
 
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Appreciate all the advice. Still torn. Such a basic pool, I'd be shocked if I saved much money. Their estimate pool calc on website estimates my build at $85k, yet I have 2 local estimates at $70kish. Idk, a lot to think about.
 
suzook said:
Appreciate all the advice. Still torn. Such a basic pool, I'd be shocked if I saved much money. Their estimate pool calc on website estimates my build at $85k, yet I have 2 local estimates at $70kish. Idk, a lot to think about.
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Initial estimates are often low. When you make final selection of things like pool plaster type and color it's surprising how much the cost changes. There are a lot of things that drive price up from the original quote. And I agree it's a lot to think about. The savings can be reduced a lot if you make mistakes. Maybe you should work with the best builder a little more to see what the actual price will be. It will be hard to get firm pricing from sub-contractors to do a direct comparison without design documents. In my case it was an easier decision because I have a lot of experience managing design and construction. An option you have is to move both options in parallel. Get a design done and in parallel chose a builder and work with them to get a firm contract price (it may surprise you how much higher this cost is). For a simple pool design should be between $500 and $750. Then start process to get your estimates from subs. Once you have this you will be able to build up a good estimate. If you don't like the value proposition have a PB do it. You lost a relatively small $ amount and you learn a lot about the choices you'll need to make.

Chris
 
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DIY was little to no savings for me. The initial price of the steel wall pool kits looked great, but when I added all the extras to match what the PB was building (stairs, thicker liner, diving board, light, etc) it was about $12k cheaper than the PB. Then I needed to hire an excavator, cement truck, plumber and electrician. It would have been to close to care.
 
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Newdude said:
DIY was little to no savings for me. The initial price of the steel wall pool kits looked great, but when I added all the extras to match what the PB was building (stairs, thicker liner, diving board, light, etc) it was about $12k cheaper than the PB. Then I needed to hire an excavator, cement truck, plumber and electrician. It would have been to close to care.
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That's the vibe I am getting. Especially with how basic my vinyl IG will be, I don't see much savings for my build. Maybe If i had a gunite pool with waterfalls, and sun shelfs, and a spa, but a basic IG doesn't seem to offer much in savings, if any at all using DIY.
 
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I wanted a forever pool the 1st time and went with concrete walls for several thousand more. 10 years later, 25 years with a steel wall pool was effectively a lifetime pool so it was back on the table. :ROFLMAO:

Most had abandoned installing steel by me and the ones who still did got every last penny as the concrete wall pool so I went concrete again with #2. Archeologists will find it one day and the liner replacent intervals are the same either way, based upon my chemistry and UV exposure of my yard.

20220422_161737.jpg
 
Newdude said:
I wanted a forever pool the 1st time and went with concrete walls for several thousand more. 10 years later, 25 years with a steel wall pool was effectively a lifetime pool so it was back on the table. :ROFLMAO:

Most had abandoned installing steel by me and the ones who still did got every last penny as the concrete wall pool so I went concrete again with #2. Archeologists will find it one day and the liner replacent intervals are the same either way, based upon my chemistry and UV exposure of my yard.

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They don't do steel or polymer walls down here. Its all concrete. Not sure why, its definitely cheaper doing steel or polymer.
 
suzook said:
They don't do steel or polymer walls down here. Its all concrete. Not sure why, its definitely cheaper doing steel or polymer.
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Georgia has heavy red clay soil. The ground moves and swells like crazy with changes in moisture content. The builders probably found that concrete gives them the least problems … but costs YOU a lot more.
 
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Somebody posted a pic recently of vinyl pool build your neck of the woods (Alabama I think …) and their contractor was going old school and did the walls in wood beams and plywood panels. The floor was concrete, but the walls were wood. Kind of neat looking … and a tad bit cheaper than c-block.
 
JoyfulNoise said:
Somebody posted a pic recently of vinyl pool build your neck of the woods (Alabama I think …) and their contractor was going old school and did the walls in wood beams and plywood panels. The floor was concrete, but the walls were wood. Kind of neat looking … and a tad bit cheaper than c-block.
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My friend’s diy pool was built like this in the 80’s! Had carpet on the walls instead of a pad. Use whatcha got around here lol 😂
 
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Mdragger88 said:
My friend’s diy pool was built like this in the 80’s! Had carpet on the walls instead of a pad. Use whatcha got around here lol 😂
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Oooooooo … now I have a use for all that old shag carpet I have lying around from the 70’s …

Simplify The Simpsons GIF
 
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That's how mine is. Has foam padding over the plywood walls nailed in with roofing tacks with plastic cap. I would not recommend unless there is superb drainage around the pool and the liner never has a chance to float, but it was here when we bought the house. Crazy thing is walls still looked relatively new when we replaced the liner in 2022. Pool was built 2006.
 
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Aubie99 said:
That's how mine is. Has foam padding over the plywood walls nailed in with roofing tacks with plastic cap. I would not recommend unless there is superb drainage around the pool and the liner never has a chance to float, but it was here when we bought the house. Crazy thing is walls still looked relatively new when we replaced the liner in 2022. Pool was built 2006.
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Yea, I don't plan on it. Only poured 10" concrete walls being done down here.
 
suzook said:
Yea, I don't plan on it. Only poured 10" concrete walls being done down here.
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Well that’s why you’ll never find a vinyl pool for less than your $50k budget. The whole point of doing kit pools with prefab walls was to make the structural part less costly and easy to install. If they’re all going to insist on only using concrete for walls then you’re basically half-way to a gunite/plaster pool.

It’ll be interesting to see what that neighbor comes back with …
 
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JoyfulNoise said:
Well that’s why you’ll never find a vinyl pool for less than your $50k budget. The whole point of doing kit pools with prefab walls was to make the structural part less costly and easy to install. If they’re all going to insist on only using concrete for walls then you’re basically half-way to a gunite/plaster pool.

It’ll be interesting to see what that neighbor comes back with …
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I should have an estimate tomorrow. I don't think its going to be any lower than my lowest quote so far, He is saying no 2 foot wall on far edge of pool because of slope. He's saying just a couple feet of concrete decking, and regrading the landscape to drain around the pool with a slope.
 

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