Finding A Pool Contractor | Fiberglass Pool Information | Fiberglass Pool Manufacturers
If you're reading this article, then chances are you're considering purchasing a fiberglass swimming pool. Congratulations, you're on the right track. Now you just need a little more guidance with this process.
After having worked with well over 1,000 people in their efforts to buy a fiberglass swimming pool, I've come up with my top 5 really, really dumb things people do during this important process:
- Believe everything the manufacturer says
- Don't pay attention to finish warranties
- Don't ask for references
- Focus solely on price
- Focus on the short-term
1. Believe everything the manufacturer says
I always find it amusing when fiberglass swimming pool consumers tell me, "I've been spending a lot of time on manufacturer websites in order to know which one is the best."
This statement, or some derivative of it, makes very little sense.
Any fiberglass pool manufacturer can make themselves sound GREAT on a website. Whether it's a bogus statement about the efficacy of "ceramic pool cores" or the use of "carbon fiber for structure reinforcement", consumers need to be very careful as to the claims some fiberglass pool manufacturers will make.
So, do you want to know how to quickly figure out the quality of a fiberglass pool shell?
Well, the answer is simple: If the manufacturer does not list the complete, written warranty of their fiberglass pool shell on the website, then flags should go up, i.e., their warranty stinks.
And remember, this warranty should show not just the structure warranty, but also the finish warranty, which brings me to my next point.
2. Don't pay attention to finish warranties
There is a reason many fiberglass pool manufactures don't talk much about their finish warranties. The reason, of course, is that their color finishes stink.
Yep, that's right. They stink.
As you can see, "stink" is my word of the day ;-)
In fact, I will gladly tell you that any fiberglass swimming pool that has a finish warranty less than 10 years stinks.
And be careful about prorated warranties.
For example, there is a well known manufacturer that boasts of a "7 year" finish warranty. But if one reads this supposed warranty they will see it is actually a 3 year full warranty with 4 years prorated.
Furthermore, if one reads all the disclaimers to this finish warranty, they'll find they have almost no finish warranty at all.
Remember, the colored finish to your fiberglass swimming pool is incredibly important. The last thing you want is a cheap color that fades terribly just after a couple of years and is prone to blisters.
Believe it or not, there are major manufacturers in the fiberglass swimming pool industry with these problems.
3. Don't ask for references
I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say this many, many more times—if a pool dealer does not give you references, and I mean a LOT of references, then you should be highly concerned.
Frankly, you should not even have to ask your pool builder for said references. For example, our company reference list currently holds over 600 customers. Pool shoppers are welcome to call any one of them. So, if a builder tells you that they have no references because their customers refuse to be on a list, they are simply lying to you.
Look at it this way: Would you ever have a problem fielding a few calls a year if your pool guy did a great job in your back yard? Of course not.
4. Focus solely on price
It bugs me that I even need to mention this, but alas...I guess I must.
It always baffles me to hear a customer say they want a great, great super-low price but they also expect great, great quality and service...Huh? Say what?
There is an old saying I once heard. It goes something like this: "All of your customers want you as a business to make money and turn a profit. They just don't want you to make any money on them."
This quote certainly holds true for some shoppers, but I find the majority understand that in order to deal with a reputable, steady company where quality and service are a fundamental component of the building process, then the company must make money. This means on all customers.
Now don't get me wrong. I am not advocating here that pool guys should break the bank on every job and not earn their keep. What I am saying, though, is that there will always, and I stress ALWAYS, be companies available that will build your pool for less.
This is also why so many fiberglass swimming pool companies go out of business.
In all the years I've been in business here in Virginia and Maryland, I have literally witnessed over 20 fiberglass companies start and fold their businesses. And no, that is not an exaggeration.
How would you like to have had your pool installed by one of these companies?
Although price always has and always will be an important part of choosing your pool builder, make sure that it's not your first priority. If it is, then you might find yourself being the next victim of a terrible pool building experience.
5. Focus on the short-term
Whether you are looking at the type, size, price, or any other component of your swimming pool, you need to make decisions based on how long you think you might be in your home, not just on your circumstances today.
There are literally hundreds of examples of this but I'll name a few.
- A customer decides not to get a salt chlorine generator with their pool because they think it costs too much. (What they don't realize is that it will pay for itself within the first couple of years.)
- A customer elects to get a propane heater instead of a heat pump because of the huge initial price difference. (Again, just like the salt generator, the heat pump will cost much less to own over time.)
- A pool shopper settles on a vinyl liner even though they really want fiberglass. They do this because the pool will cost them $6,000 less initially. Over the next 25 years, they end up spending about $8,000 more than they would have during the life of pool ownership because of liner replacements. These residual expenses would have been non-existent had they just gotten a fiberglass swimming pool in the beginning.
Bonus #6: They don't research pools on the River Pools blog before they buy.
...Ok, so I'm biased ;-)
So, there you have it. Those are my top 5 really, really dumb things people do when buying a fiberglass swimming pool. Although I could easily add about 50 other items to this list, this should give you enough to chew on for now.
As always, good luck with your shopping experience and don't forget to subscribe to our blog (upper right hand side of this page) to receive all the best tips, articles, and videos on buying and owning a swimming pool.
At River Pools, we manufacture world-class fiberglass pools for customers across North America. If you'd like to get a fiberglass pool for your home, you can browse our pool shapes, try out our pool cost calculator, or request custom pricing from our team using the button below. Happy swimming!
Up Next:
Should You Buy a Fiberglass Pool? (Infographic)
5 Problems with Concrete Pools You May Not Have Considered
Top 5 Fiberglass Pool Problems and Solutions
Editor's note: This blog article was updated on September 30, 2020.