Hi Everyone. I'm new to the forum and starting the pool building process. I'm just in the planning stages. It has been a struggle to decide between gunite vs vinyl liner. Both have their pros and cons. I would like a free form shape 24x42., with a tanning ledge. I don't like anything with patterns, and I know vinyl pools can pretty much look like gunite these days. There's just something holding me back. Gunite is SO much more expensive, but the sales guys keep saying how much longer, and how much more of a better product gunite is. This is such a big investment, I just don't want to make a mistake. Thanks.
Pool Construction
- Thread starter sbigott
- Start date
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
If you can stretch to gunite, I would do so. They last forever (sure, you need to replaster every 20 years or so). Vinyl pools need liners replaced every 7 years or so, are prone to puncturing and leaking and, when they do leak, cause problems with the wood or metal wall structure and floor.
We had the same dilemma 20 years ago and ended up with a fiberglass wall, concrete floor hybrid pool which was cheaper and could be built faster than a gunite pool. Well, it actually took much longer to build and for the last 5 years was a mess (blistering gelcoat walls, leaking, etc). We were lucky to find someone who could build a gunite pool inside the old one without too much loss in dimension. Cost was $25,000 on top of the original cost of the pool. The cost increment for gunite originally was $7000.
Live and learn!
We had the same dilemma 20 years ago and ended up with a fiberglass wall, concrete floor hybrid pool which was cheaper and could be built faster than a gunite pool. Well, it actually took much longer to build and for the last 5 years was a mess (blistering gelcoat walls, leaking, etc). We were lucky to find someone who could build a gunite pool inside the old one without too much loss in dimension. Cost was $25,000 on top of the original cost of the pool. The cost increment for gunite originally was $7000.
Live and learn!
Skippy and I went with fiberglass. It was in the range of plaster, but Skippy had just had major surgery and we couldn't invest the time it would take to deal with a plaster pool's need for attention. The watering of the gunnite, the daily brushing, etc.
You have to be aware of this at the up front as it *will be* a commitment which will go a long way in assuring you of a long lasting finish on your pool.
Just a heads up....
Maddie
You have to be aware of this at the up front as it *will be* a commitment which will go a long way in assuring you of a long lasting finish on your pool.
Just a heads up....
Maddie
MeowMeow724
Well-known member
- Jun 2, 2019
- 337
- Pool Size
- 16200
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
We are in a similar boat. We have gotten quotes on both, still waiting on one, though.
Gunite has been running about $10k more than vinyl.
Builders we've spoken with that do both have not really said anything that is like "you must do this one because of this..."
Even the ones that do gunite only don't REALLY advocate one way or another, except they throw out random numbers of installation cost of liner replacement cost. One gunite guy told us vinyl liner cost replacement was $10k. He was about 3x off.
Upon my research I was against gunite for a bit and leaning towards vinyl because:
-Gunite is porous; loss of temperature. If you are heating, this can be important.
-Gunite is porous; loss of chemicals--- requires more chemicals to maintain the same levels.
-Gunite is expensive to re-plaster/re-finish.. $10k every 10 or so years?
-Cost to install is quite higher.
Pros for Liner over Gunite:
-Now have free-form shapes you can get like gunite.
-You can get brick coping, which gives a more custom look and less "cheap" feeling than the standard aluminum or white coping.
-Flexible to change water color by changing the liner. (not that we want to spend the $ to change the liner, but maybe one day it'll be worth it if we want to change the color. OR at liner change time, we can if we want. Not so easy with plaster/diamond brite/pebble-tec).
-Flexible accessory colors for steps, drains, skimmers, etc.
-Not porous... less chemicals.
-If you decide you want it deeper, more shallow, or add a sun-ledge or anything you can do that more easily (at remodel/liner change time, typically).
-Less cost to install.
The argument about wood/metal walls of vinyl liner pools deteriorating or rusting are moot if you do a polymer form, which is what we've been quoted.
A pro for gunite is that it will add more value to your home overall, if you were to sell it one day. But to me, a pool is a pool... and I can see pros and cons to either one being on the land of a potential home I am looking to purchase. New liner... replastering.. both are $$ but one is less than the other.
There are pros and cons for both, and the above mentioned things by others can be true..
But I am also wondering myself if the old-age gunite is the same as now-a-days when you have the diamond brite or pebble-tec finishes. If you have these finishes, do you still have to scrub the walls all the time? Do you lose as much temperature, or chemicals into the porous concrete if you have one of these finishes? Depending on the answer to that, some of my points above may be less valid.
We are currently on the fence ourselves, on which one we'll ultimately do. Where we live (northwest Florida) the water table could be a potential issue which is what I am currently a little hung up on not knowing if that is an issue or not with our specific property.
Gunite has been running about $10k more than vinyl.
Builders we've spoken with that do both have not really said anything that is like "you must do this one because of this..."
Even the ones that do gunite only don't REALLY advocate one way or another, except they throw out random numbers of installation cost of liner replacement cost. One gunite guy told us vinyl liner cost replacement was $10k. He was about 3x off.
Upon my research I was against gunite for a bit and leaning towards vinyl because:
-Gunite is porous; loss of temperature. If you are heating, this can be important.
-Gunite is porous; loss of chemicals--- requires more chemicals to maintain the same levels.
-Gunite is expensive to re-plaster/re-finish.. $10k every 10 or so years?
-Cost to install is quite higher.
Pros for Liner over Gunite:
-Now have free-form shapes you can get like gunite.
-You can get brick coping, which gives a more custom look and less "cheap" feeling than the standard aluminum or white coping.
-Flexible to change water color by changing the liner. (not that we want to spend the $ to change the liner, but maybe one day it'll be worth it if we want to change the color. OR at liner change time, we can if we want. Not so easy with plaster/diamond brite/pebble-tec).
-Flexible accessory colors for steps, drains, skimmers, etc.
-Not porous... less chemicals.
-If you decide you want it deeper, more shallow, or add a sun-ledge or anything you can do that more easily (at remodel/liner change time, typically).
-Less cost to install.
The argument about wood/metal walls of vinyl liner pools deteriorating or rusting are moot if you do a polymer form, which is what we've been quoted.
A pro for gunite is that it will add more value to your home overall, if you were to sell it one day. But to me, a pool is a pool... and I can see pros and cons to either one being on the land of a potential home I am looking to purchase. New liner... replastering.. both are $$ but one is less than the other.
There are pros and cons for both, and the above mentioned things by others can be true..
But I am also wondering myself if the old-age gunite is the same as now-a-days when you have the diamond brite or pebble-tec finishes. If you have these finishes, do you still have to scrub the walls all the time? Do you lose as much temperature, or chemicals into the porous concrete if you have one of these finishes? Depending on the answer to that, some of my points above may be less valid.
We are currently on the fence ourselves, on which one we'll ultimately do. Where we live (northwest Florida) the water table could be a potential issue which is what I am currently a little hung up on not knowing if that is an issue or not with our specific property.