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Price Your Pool

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.

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Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Installation & Construction  |  Pool Design Guides

Do Fiberglass Pools Work with Shrink/Swell, Clay, and other Soil Conditions?

Although there are certainly quite a few myths out there regarding the drawbacks of fiberglass pools, one of the most amusing has to do with its ability to deal with adverse soil conditions. For example, just the other day, I had a lady ask me this question after she had sat down with a concrete pool salesman. "So I hear fiberglass pools do not work well with shrink-swell soil conditions. Is that the case?"

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Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Pool Design Guides

Getting Ready to Choose a Pool Contractor? Think with Logic, NOT Emotion

This article may sound a little self-serving, but trust me when I say that it is not. In fact, it may be as important as any ‘How to buy a pool' article we've ever written because it discusses one of the most common errors I witness each and every year from consumers around the country with regard to their pool purchase.

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Comparing Fiberglass, Concrete, and Vinyl Liner Pools in the Modern Age Ebook.

Comparing Fiberglass, Concrete, and Vinyl Liner Pools in the Modern Age

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.

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Cost and Pricing  |  Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Pool Design Guides  |  Retaining Walls, Fence, and Landscaping

The Top 7 Hidden Costs of a Swimming Pool Project

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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DIY Fiberglass Pools  |  Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Fiberglass Pool Manufacturers  |  Fiberglass vs Concrete vs Vinyl Liner  |  Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Installation & Construction  |  Pool Design Guides

Top 5 Fiberglass Pool Innovations of the Last 25 Years

When one looks back on the fiberglass pool industry over the last 25 years or so, it's truly amazing the amount of progress the industry has made as a whole. Upon reflection on these changes, I figured it would be a good thing to look at this time period and mention the innovations that have made their mark on the industry.

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Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Pool Design Guides

The Top 15 Reasons Why Moms Love Swimming Pools

First of all, let me preface this article by saying that I'm not a mom nor am I a woman, so by no means am I speaking here as if I'm an expert on the subject of "Mom stuff." Notwithstanding, my wife is a mother of 3 and upon discussing the subject with her, as well as having informal discussions with our substantial customer base of mothers here at River Pools, I decided to come up with the following list, which I think is pretty cool. So here goes:

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Cost and Pricing  |  Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Pool Design Guides

5 Things Every Pool Shopper Should Know BEFORE They Receive an Estimate

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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Fiberglass Pool Manufacturers  |  Pool Design Guides

Large Fiberglass Pool (16'x40') Design Awards for 2010

A few weeks ago, I posted an article called Small Fiberglass Pool Design Awards for 2010, which has been received with tremendous response. Considering the article has already been read over 1,000 times in such a short period of time, I figured we ought to discuss as well the ‘Big Boys' of the fiberglass pool industry and give out awards to the designs that are at least 16'x40' in size. As with the previous article, I have analyzed all the fiberglass pool manufacturers in the industry to come up with awards. As always, the information herein is my opinion, and just because I like or dislike a design does not mean it should totally influence your decision as a fiberglass pool shopper. But like everything else found here on this blog, this article is meant to educate and enlighten consumers so that they are able to make the best decision possible for their family when it comes to purchasing a fiberglass swimming pool. So without further ado, here goes:

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Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Pool Design Guides  |  Pool Maintenance

Boats vs. Swimming Pools: Which Is a Better Investment for My Family?

Should I invest in a boat or a swimming pool? Such a question I've heard over and over again from customers over these past 9 years of owning a swimming pool company in a part of the world (Virginia) where boats, in many ways, are a major part of the life and culture.

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Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Fiberglass vs Concrete vs Vinyl Liner  |  Finding A Pool Contractor  |  Pool Design Guides

Fiberglass Pools Gain More Market Share with Educated Consumers

Having been in this business for over 10 years now, it's absolutely unbelievable just how much the inground swimming pool market has changed during this time. This trend was made even more evident to me when I recently sat down with a customer in Baltimore, Maryland, who, by all intents and purposes, was a self-taught fiberglass pool expert.

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Fiberglass Pool Information  |  Fiberglass Pool Manufacturers  |  Pool Design Guides

Small Inground Fiberglass Pool Design Awards for 2010

One of my favorite parts of maintaining a blog about the fiberglass pool industry is the chance I have to look at the unique designs that manufacturers are coming up with as the industry progresses. Last year, we posted another very successful article regarding the top fiberglass pool designs of 2009 but this year I wanted to break things down even further and take this opportunity to solely focus on the ‘little guys' of the industry and analyze what makes some of these small inground pools (anything less than 30' in length) such a unique design.

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