You are one step away from your final decisions and start of the pool building project. You narrowed your choices to two, concrete or fiberglass and cannot make up your mind. The difference in material used is obvious and that is where the knowledge on the topic usually ends. The following categorization should help you reach your decision easier.
Budget
This category is twofold. The prime one is the initial costs, the total you will have to pay to build your swimming pool. If we talk about similar, usual size pool dimensions, the cost difference between fiberglass and concrete pools is neglectable. On the other hand, the long term costs, including maintenance are strongly on fiberglass’ side. They practically require no repairs whatsoever, which is not the case with concrete pools. You need to resurface them or replace the tiles at least every two decades and it will not be cheap.
Installation and Maintenance
If you follow the path of ‘time is money’ philosophy, fiberglass pools are the winners again. They are factory made, delivered to your home and take less time to install. Site preparation and cleaning after installation is easier and faster. On top of that, they are easier and cheaper to maintain. Unlike concrete pools, they are not prone to algae since they have almost nonporous surface and require less use of chemicals to keep the pH of water normal.
Another advantage the fiberglass pools have is their durability when it comes to possible earthquakes. They would probably outlive your house in case of strong ones, which cannot be said for concrete ones. Even those of the smallest scale would probably cause cracks which require immediate repairments. If you live in an area where earthquakes are frequent or at least occasional, you should take this into strong consideration too.
Customization
Concrete pools are the clear winners in this category. They are not limited in size and depth and other accessories you wish to combine later are practically infinite, depending solely on your ideas, desires and requirements. You can blend them in almost any environment and they easily become part of the scenery, regardless of the location or the position they have. In a recent conversation with renowned concrete pool builders, I discovered that virtually any pool shape can be constructed and any color pattern used. You will be amazed by the choices offered.
Beach-like entries, invisible borderlines, diving boards are just a few. When it comes to fiberglass ones, being a one piece mold their maximum size is limited by the transportation options. Additionally, you are generally stuck with what you originally ordered, very little can be done, changed or added later.
Hopefully, now you have enough data to make a clear decision. There is a number of factors you need to take into consideration but make sure you invest enough time thinking through each and every one of them. Most importantly, enjoy the results, take care of your swimming pool and may it serve you well.