Price Tags of Vinyl Liner Pools vs. Fiberglass Pools

Vinyl Liner Pools vs. Fiberglass Pools

While the decision to install a new pool was likely a major one for you to make, quite possibly the next biggest decision in this regard will be to choose the material. Vinyl and fiberglass are both very common choices, and they both come with their own price tags. Which one will you choose? Let’s help you decide:

Fiberglass Pools

Fiberglass pools come pre-formed, lowered into the excavated hole on your property. You’ll spend more on these than you will vinyl – about $10,000 to $15,000 more on average. However, you won’t ever have to replace a liner like you would with a vinyl pool. That makes the long-term value of a fiberglass pool very high, perhaps more economical in the long run. With vinyl liner pools, you are facing replacement every 8 to 10 years.

Fiberglass is a wise investment if you can spend more in the beginning. However, don’t forget about the money you’ll spend on cleaning the pool – specifically, scrubbing the algae growth from the sides of the pool. That’s because the porous fiberglass material is prone to harboring algae and other growth over the summer.

Fiberglass pools are thought of as a permanent home improvement, which means you can generally get more money if you were to sell your home. Homebuyers are more inclined to take on the responsibility of a higher quality pool than a vinyl one, mainly because of the added costs of liner replacement.

Vinyl Liner Pools

The other option is a vinyl liner pool, the most affordable option in terms of initial costs. At the lower end of the budget at $20,000 to $30,000, vinyl liner pools entice many homeowners because of the initial cost. That being said, liner replacement will cost you quite a bit over the years.

With rips and tears occurring easily, you will find yourself having to replace the liner at least a few times over your pool’s life span. This can cost more than $4,000 each time. And while you can patch up small rips on your own, the large ones necessitate complete replacement. You may be able to get 35 years out of the structure of your vinyl liner pool, but plan to replace the liner at least every eight or so years.

Fading is another real concern for vinyl liner pools, giving a very unsightly appearance year after year as the UV rays of the sun do their damage. When it comes to interest from potential buyers, you won’t get as much money as you might with a fiberglass pool.

Yes, you save money initially with a vinyl liner pool, but you’ll shell out thousands later for liner replacement costs.