Royal Pools?

[Rsf507]

Hey guys,

Just got a quote on a vinyl liner pool, it's a Royal Pool which is made by Imperial Pools. I don't know much about them and didn't find much with a quick google search. The guy said the liner was meant to last 12-17 years and is very reasonably priced to replace. We were not planning on going vinyl liner but the price of fiberglass and gunite is crazy, and a decent semi-inground pool is not far off from this vinyl option.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ajw22]

@jimmythegreek you have any thoughts about Royal Pool made by Imperial Pools?

 

[username3]

If you don't mind sharing, roughly what was the difference between vinyl and fiberglass/gunite? I know prices can change greatly from region to region but just curious. I haven't gotten quotes yet but I should probably expect sticker shock.

 

[sktn77a]

12-17 years is optimistic for a vinyl liner. I'd figure more like 7-10 years and ~$5000 to have one replaced, depending on the local market.

 

[jimmythegreek]

Dont know much about them. Average liner is 7 to 8 years. Many change them due to fading. Keeping pool covered over off season is best defense to the UV. Anybody telling you 15+ years is selling snake oil. Liner pools are great and less cost overall and after too. You get 2 liners for less than a plaster job

 

[Saturn94]

Dont know much about them. Average liner is 7 to 8 years. Many change them due to fading. Keeping pool covered over off season is best defense to the UV. Anybody telling you 15+ years is selling snake oil. Liner pools are great and less cost overall and after too. You get 2 liners for less than a plaster job

Wow! We must be very lucky with our liner. It’s the original liner installed in early 2004. Yes, it’s faded, but isn’t leaking or showing signs of losing elasticity. It is covered when closed (early Oct to early May), but no cover during swim season.

 

[jimmythegreek]

If you have great water chemistry amd UV protection you can get 15yrs out of older liners. They don't use the same materials and dyes anymore. It's the old they dont make em like that anymore with liners

 

[Saturn94]

.....they dont make em like that anymore with liners

Ugh! That’s discouraging.

 

[Rsf507]

If you don't mind sharing, roughly what was the difference between vinyl and fiberglass/gunite? I know prices can change greatly from region to region but just curious. I haven't gotten quotes yet but I should probably expect sticker shock.

We are in the New England market, and gunite looks like it would be around 65-75k total, fiberglass was about the same which really shocked me, and vinyl liner we're hoping to do somewhere between 40-45 with 50 being the most we'd go (which is still insane to me!).

Started off with a simple above ground or semi above ground pool, things got out of hand quickly....

 

[jimmythegreek]

Even in strong markets 50k should get you a nice liner pool. The grade is the biggest issue. Any retaining walls or site issues drives the cost up alot

 

[Rossterman]

Vinyl chloride Was restricted for use in the early 2000s by the epa. That required vinyl manufacturers to reformulate their chemicals for creating the liners. My guess is the 2004 liner was a pre-epa version as They hold up much better than today’s versions. Fiberglass has it’s own unique problems compared to gunite which is really the best of all worlds (and normally the most expensive). Unfortunately around my area, fiberglass pool vendors are pricing pools in the same range as gunite and getting sales from those less educated on it’s inherent weaknesses.
My recommendation is build what you can afford but just understand the full costs 10 or 15 years down the road. Sometimes you’ll be surprised that the more expensive option now is actually cheaper in the long run. For example pebbletec (and it’s imitators) seem darn near bulletproof and 17 years later ours still looks like the day it was installed. It was a few thousand more expensive than traditional plaster but looking back was probably the best $2k I’ve ever spent.