So $3500 for a mesh safety cover and installation. Or $500 for another tarp. Give me the reasons I should do a safety cover? If it lasts 20-25 years I’m still better off cost wise with buying a tarp every 5 years.
Honestly, if every pool decision is purely financially based, then get a bull dozer and fill your pool in with dirt. If you want some better thoughts to justify the cost, I will offer some.
FIrst, I'm not sure how your quote breaks down, but there are multiple suppliers of covers. Loop Loc is highest quality, but highest price. You can get cheaper ones as well. I feel like your size pool should be able ot find an installed one for $2500 or less.
Second, safety covers make your pool easier to open. Leaves adn debris dont fall into the pool. Some sediment with a mesh cover that might make the walls dirty, but the water will stay clear. This means when you go to open, you dont have gallons of super dirty tarp water and month long leave piles falling into your pool. This means fewer chemicals and much less time when opening.
You also will not have critters get into your water. Sure some worms and small bugs get in, but there is no chance that a rabbit, deer, racoon, etc will fall into the pool and rot over the winter months.
Just looking at your pool will look much nicer. The safety covers end up staying clear (except for snow) so anytime you look at the pool, it looks much nicer, as opposed to a tarp that looks like an eyesore.
I would guess that a safety cover will last as long, if not much longer than a tarp cover.
The list of pros for a tarp is basically a list of 1 thing, it is cheaper than a safety cover. The con list is huge such as water gets dirtier, huge safety hazard, looks terrible, etc.