River Pools & Spas Blog
The most educational swimming pool blog in the country, providing fiberglass pool articles and videos, as well as information on inground concrete and liner pools.
Cost and Pricing | DIY Fiberglass Pools | Installation & Construction
So you're thinking about doing a DIY and installing a fiberglass pool kit yourself, eh? It's interesting how often we get asked about self-installs here at River Pools. In fact, we usually sell 3–5 of these kits every year to homeowners. That's why I wanted to discuss today some of the problems and considerations that must be made before you simply buy a kit and start digging.
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Cost and Pricing | Fiberglass Pool Information | Fiberglass vs Concrete vs Vinyl Liner | Finding A Pool Contractor
Yes, that’s right, fiberglass pools are better than concrete (gunite) pools, at least in most applications. Are there exceptions? Sure, no doubt, fiberglass pools are not for everyone due to some of their size and shape limitations, but the fact that they are exploding in popularity all over the world, especially in the US and Canada, one must no longer see fiberglass as a distant 3rd to concrete and vinyl in the swimming pool industry. But the main question is why? Why so much growth in popularity? Here’s the short answer:
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Don't blindly wonder if a fiberglass, concrete, or vinyl liner pool is right for you. Our educational ebook does a deep-dive comparison of the 3 types, all while noting the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Cost and Pricing | Finding A Pool Contractor | Installation & Construction
Ok, pools and cars are both seen as status symbols…they’re both relatively expensive…and they both come with a wide array of bells and whistles. There’s a lot in common there. So you should go about purchasing them the same way right?...Nope!
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Many people naturally assume that all pool companies close during the winter (I guess the idea of installing a swimming pool in January does seem a little odd.) However, many pool companies, like ours for example, install inground pools year round. We have this love/hate relationship with the winter months. It’s a chance to catch our breath from the rush of the pool season, but because people aren’t exactly thinking about swimming when it’s 30 degrees outside, they aren’t beating the doors down to buy pools. Hence, the highly coveted winter discount.
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Cost and Pricing | Installation & Construction | Patio and Coping | Pool Design Guides
One of the most under-utilized options for fiberglass pools (in my opinion) is the coping material. Many people assume that cantilevered concrete coping is the only alternative…simply not so. The purpose of this article is to outline the two most popular types of coping on fiberglass pools (at least in our area). These are paver coping, or what could be considered brick coping, and cantilevered concrete coping. We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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Cost and Pricing | Fiberglass Pool Information | Installation & Construction
One advantage of being a pool guy working at a Home Show is the opportunity to answer literally hundreds of questions about fiberglass pools. It just so happens that most people have the same questions. After attending dozens of such shows and fairs over the past ten years and answering literally thousands of these pool questions, I figured it would be beneficial to take a moment and cover the basics for those just beginning their quest for the perfect inground swimming pool.
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Cost and Pricing | Installation & Construction
What does it cost to wire a swimming pool? Every inground pool project comes with certain peripheral costs that need to be figured when calculating a budget. In many cases, one such cost is electrical hook-up. This article is a guide to provide inground pool shoppers with a "ball-park" idea of what to expect to spend to have an electrician wire all of the components of their pool. Please keep in mind that swimming pool electrical hook-up cost may vary widely between regions.
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Cost and Pricing | Installation & Construction | Options and Accessories
Potential swimming pool owners often times wonder how much they'll spend on a monthly basis for electrical/power usage with their new swimming pool. Such a question makes quite a bit of sense. Long-term costs on a pool should certainly factor into one's purchasing decision. Unfortunately, every pool is different in terms of how much electrical it uses, and therefore the monthly costs can vary significantly as well. So keep this in mind, as these are general guidelines.
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Cost and Pricing | Fiberglass Pool Information | Finding A Pool Contractor | Pool Design Guides | Retaining Walls, Fence, and Landscaping
We see homeowners frequently asking questions about why pool builders charge such wildly different amounts for the same project. Comparing proposals can be challenging and sometimes exasperating, especially when it feels like you're comparing apples to oranges. Heck, sometimes it's even difficult to spot or even understand the differences between proposals. But how do you know that a proposal covers everything needed? In many cases it's very tempting to move forward with the cheapest proposal, but these situations can lead to surprise expenses for you, the homeowner. While surprises can be fun in situations like birthday parties or gifts, they're not fun when they come in the form of unexpected or hidden costs in the middle of your pool project.
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Cost and Pricing | Finding A Pool Contractor | Pool Design Guides
Ok, so you've finally decided this is the year for a swimming pool in your back yard. Great! As I sit here at my kitchen table and consider the words for this article, I want you to know this article is specifically written for you, the inground pool shopper.
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