Potential pool build...have questions.

[mrramsey]

Hey all, been a while since I last posted. We currently have an AGP that we installed 4 or so years ago. It was more or less an experiment to test the waters of pool ownership. My wife and I attended the home and garden show last weekend in Cleveland and spoke with a PB that was there. He sells and installs in ground vinyl liner pools. The line is by Fort Wayne Pools. Is anyone familiar or have one of these? I have a ton of brochures that he provided and am a bit overwhelmed by all of it. The PB touts his specialty by offering a 16x32 rectangle, 20 mil print liner, steel wall, vermiculite hard bottom, 2 ladders, white coping, light, pump, cartridge filter, heater,safety cover, 3' concrete surround, electrical, and gas install and permits for $25k. I think that's pretty attractive at least as a starting point. In the info he provided I see that they have steel wall pools and polymer wall pools. Both have lifetime warranties but no clear reference that I saw as to why you would choose one over the other except for the weight and not all of the same shapes are available? The other thing was the entry options, some were fiberglass, some were thermoplastic and some vinyl over steel. Again unsure of advantages and dis-advantages to each.

The PB is coming out next week to look at the site and help us select a design etc. Any details, additional info or things I should be aware of going in would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Phx_Jay]

It sounds like a good deal but you never know until you get a few bids. Don't let him talk you into signing on the dotted line during the consultation. He probably will try to get a $1000 deposit and a commitment. Get at least 3 bids including one for a gunite pool and then see how you feel about it. Also, read as many threads here as possible....

 

[bmoreswim]

I think early on your list to decide is the type of look you want to go with. Using vinyl, you can go what I'll call traditional vinyl which has the aluminum coping (which I think is what he means by white) which creates a form for the cantilever concrete decking, while the white aluminum coping form stays there forever. Then there are styrofoam types of coping forms which the often referred to by the brand name Stegmeier. They are used to create a decorative edge in many different profiles. The form is removed and you are left with a nice exposed concrete coping edge. The third arrangement is to do a coping similar to what gunite/concrete pools often use which is some type of brick, stone or preformed concrete in a ring which is often the most upscale appearance. Here is a great thread on the latter of those 3 options. Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget

Steel walls vs. polymer is a popular subject of many threads here. In the end, there isn't usually much new ground covered and the result is often something like, steel will rust a bit over time, but can be fixed/patched during liner replacements, though the steel usually holds up pretty well. And seems to last the usual lifetime of pool owners owning their houses. One scenario in which I'd be inclined to go with polymer is if you have a high water table. In that case, you'd frequently have water up against the outside of the pool walls which doesn't seem like the best situation for long term success. The inside theoretically doesn't get that wet unless you have liner leaks.

Best of luck with your journey and maybe post up a picture of your starting point in the backyard.

 

[jtburf]

You owe it to yourself to also look at and discuss Fiberglass Pools. We did an AGP as a tester also and we just signed a contract for a FGP pool.


John