As some of you may have seen earlier post about my family doing a vinyl liner pool. I was dead set on vinyl due to the over all value of the pool. I have talk to a local pool builder that says the you cant go wrong with a shotcrete pool. However it is a hard pill for me to swallow because it is double the cost. I would like to get the thoughts of people here. Thanks you in advance for you comments.
Is a shotcrete pool really worth the additional cost.
- Thread starter Dougk30
- Start date
I think so, but if you want vinyl, you shouldn't be swayed by our opinion. Get what makes you happy for your dollar.
Doug, I think it really depends on your financial priorities.
I have a vinyl lined pool that I bought te cheapest possible way -- by buying a foreclosure back when the market was down
Before I started looking for a new house, I looked at building a pool at our existing house. In that particular house and location, I could not rationalize the expense of shortcrete. First, the house had steep stairs, so it was not going to be my "death house." Secondly, the resale value would not have supported that particular scope of investment.
In my current "death home" which is completely age-in-place in features and recently appraised for twice what I bought it for, I could indeed rationalize shortcrete. In my case, I would still not do it.
That's because I get just as much personal enjoyment from my vinyl pool. The liner needed replacement at age 15, as did the heater. If I felt like throwing more money at the pool this year, I'd likely rip out the boring concrete and install flagstone or Kentucky blue, or put a bathroom in the pool house. Or save the money n the event I ever need to do work on the polymer walls or plumbing At the same time, while I sound frugal in these things, I don't mind a bit the expense of a winter dome and heating bills to run it in winter. After 10 years or so of this shenanigans, I might have spen as much as that shortcrete would have cost me in my market.
You can free form, to a degree, with vinyl. If you have a creative PB, you can also add water features and nice cantilevered surround surface. With the cost differential in my market, you could also get a nice outdoor kitchen, fireplace, furniture, landscape, hot tub, automation and more with the difference in price.
From this vantage, vinyl is just fine IMHO
I have a vinyl lined pool that I bought te cheapest possible way -- by buying a foreclosure back when the market was down
Before I started looking for a new house, I looked at building a pool at our existing house. In that particular house and location, I could not rationalize the expense of shortcrete. First, the house had steep stairs, so it was not going to be my "death house." Secondly, the resale value would not have supported that particular scope of investment.
In my current "death home" which is completely age-in-place in features and recently appraised for twice what I bought it for, I could indeed rationalize shortcrete. In my case, I would still not do it.
That's because I get just as much personal enjoyment from my vinyl pool. The liner needed replacement at age 15, as did the heater. If I felt like throwing more money at the pool this year, I'd likely rip out the boring concrete and install flagstone or Kentucky blue, or put a bathroom in the pool house. Or save the money n the event I ever need to do work on the polymer walls or plumbing
At the same time, while I sound frugal in these things, I don't mind a bit the expense of a winter dome and heating bills to run it in winter. After 10 years or so of this shenanigans, I might have spen as much as that shortcrete would have cost me in my market.You can free form, to a degree, with vinyl. If you have a creative PB, you can also add water features and nice cantilevered surround surface. With the cost differential in my market, you could also get a nice outdoor kitchen, fireplace, furniture, landscape, hot tub, automation and more with the difference in price.
From this vantage, vinyl is just fine IMHO
- May 23, 2015
- 25,681
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
With a shotcrete pool built properly, the shell will last forever. Plaster is certainly expensive, but a properly cared-for plaster surface can last 15 years or more, far longer than a vinyl pool liner. And now, with the advent of AquaBright by ecoFinish, you can get a flamed-sprayed thermoset polymer surface on top of the plaster that gives you all the structural integrity of plaster/gunite with the feel and chemical inertness of vinyl.
Given all that, I would say that a plaster pool is definitely worth it in the long term, but only if you have the financial resources to build it. You can certainly get a fine looking pool with decent lifetime for a lot less if you go with a steel-wall, vinyl liner pool. If you have to kill yourself financially to do a gunite pool, then don't, it will only make you miserable. Pool's are about enjoying your home with family, not about getting indigestion every time the bills show up....
Given all that, I would say that a plaster pool is definitely worth it in the long term, but only if you have the financial resources to build it. You can certainly get a fine looking pool with decent lifetime for a lot less if you go with a steel-wall, vinyl liner pool. If you have to kill yourself financially to do a gunite pool, then don't, it will only make you miserable. Pool's are about enjoying your home with family, not about getting indigestion every time the bills show up....
Like Matt, I'm from California where Gunite and shotcrete pools dominate the market.
Properly constructed and maintained a vinyl pool can last many many years. But they do require more maintenance that a concrete pool. Because the water in the pool provides a large part of the structural support for the pool unless its a concrete structure you need to be very careful when draining the pool so the walls don't collapse or otherwise move. Metal walls will eventually corrode. You must keep groundwater out of the area surrounding the pool.
You must not play mumbly peg in the pool.
But concrete pools require more attention to chemical balance and their surface does not last forever either.
Your call --- Is it worth the price do those concerns mean much to you?
Properly constructed and maintained a vinyl pool can last many many years. But they do require more maintenance that a concrete pool. Because the water in the pool provides a large part of the structural support for the pool unless its a concrete structure you need to be very careful when draining the pool so the walls don't collapse or otherwise move. Metal walls will eventually corrode. You must keep groundwater out of the area surrounding the pool.
You must not play mumbly peg in the pool.
But concrete pools require more attention to chemical balance and their surface does not last forever either.
Your call --- Is it worth the price do those concerns mean much to you?
I really think you go with your gut on that and stay within your means. Vinyl is a great value and I have seen some really beautiful vinyl pools. But also keep in mind the long term costs associate with liner replacement around every 10 years. Also, how much is it going to cost if the sub-structure fails or corrodes? I have no clue, but talk to your builder about those things and be prepared to pay for them in the future. Also, try to compare the total costs of Shotcrete vs vinyl over a 30 year period. How much is a re-plaster? Can pebble last 30 years with proper water balance? Probably. So if you have to get 3 new liners in 30 years the costs start to even out a bit. And by the time pebble needs replacing your house will be paid for. If you are financing I would say what is the monthly payment difference between the Shotcrete pool with pebble vs the vinyl (adding in the monthly savings account needed for new liners). That might give you a better idea as to the real cost difference.
Great discussion thanks guys. For us finance was not an issue as we are selling our motorhome ( our portable vacation) to pay for our back yard vacation. So after meeting we are PB today I think we have finally decided to go with shotcrete. He was able to tent the project so he could work through the winter and possibly still have a spring swim and also his price was a little closer to vinyl. Close enough to make the decision easy. We are very excited for our new pool how ever I am a little nervous because all this chemistry seems a little confusing. Again I thank you all for your opinions.
Don't worry about chemistry! There are plenty of people here that will hold your hand through your build and beyond until it becomes second nature. No worries!
Last edited:
I am confident that you will be happy with your choice. We bought our home four years ago and the pool was 40 years old at that time. We knew we were 2-3 years from a resurface and we did a full replaster last year. After sandblasting away the old plaster, the shell looked as if it had just been poured (perfectly clear of even minor cracks - and we're in Chicago). The plaster we removed was installed in 1998, 17 years earlier. Our installer handled the first 30 days of maintenance post-replaster, which was also well worth it for us.
The one thing I would suggest looking into is an automatic cover. That will limit your configuration options but will pay for itself over time in terms of reduced maintenance, heat retention and security.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
OK kids, there's a key to the house with the will. There's just one condition for your inheritance. You must maintain the pool according to Trouble Free Pool Care.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,392
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
There's a lot of fine-tuning discussion, but you'll find that maintaining good basic water chemistry is straight-forward. If you stay in the TFPC ranges you'll be in great shape, and lots of people here to help get the most from your plaster.
