What Owning a Fiberglass Pool Really Costs: More Than Just the First Price!
- Karinique Nos Estados Unidos
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
When you’re dreaming about having a pool in your backyard, the first price you see is often what you think about most. And yes, how much a fiberglass pool costs at the start is important. But smart people know that the real cost of owning a pool is more than just that first payment. To make a really good choice, you need to look at how much it will cost to have different kinds of pools over many years. The good news? Fiberglass pools often end up being the cheapest to own over their whole life!
Let’s look at all the different things that can cost money so you can understand the real cost of owning a fiberglass pool.
1. The First Cost: Buying and Putting in the Pool
Fiberglass Pools: These usually cost somewhere in the middle at the start. They often cost more to buy and put in than a vinyl liner pool, but usually less than a concrete pool (especially if it’s a fancy custom one). The price includes the pool shell (which is made in a factory), getting it to your house, digging the hole, putting it in, filling around it, connecting the pipes, and the basic pool parts (like the pump and filter).
How it Compares:Â Vinyl liner pools cost the least at the very beginning. Concrete pools cost the most, especially if you want a special shape or fancy tiles.
2. Keeping it Up: What You’ll Spend Each Year
This is where fiberglass pools really help you save money.
Pool Chemicals: Fiberglass pools have a very smooth surface (called a gelcoat) that doesn’t let algae grow easily. This means you’ll use a lot fewer chemicals (like chlorine, stuff to kill algae, and things to keep the water balanced) to keep your pool clean – often 50% to 70% less than a concrete pool! That saves you a lot of money every year.
Tom W., who has owned pools for a long time, said, "I used to spend so much on chemicals for my old concrete pool. Since I got my fiberglass pool, I spend way less on chemicals, and the water is so much easier to take care of."
Electricity: Because fiberglass pools don’t get as dirty with algae, your pool pump doesn’t have to run as long to keep the water clean. This means your electric bill will be lower compared to concrete pools that need the pump running more.
Cleaning Stuff & Your Time: Less algae and a smooth surface mean less scrubbing and vacuuming. All pools need some cleaning, but you’ll spend less time and money on special brushes or robot cleaners with a fiberglass pool.
3. Big Fixes Later On (Or Not So Many with Fiberglass!)
This is another way fiberglass pools save you a lot of money in the long run.
New Surface for Concrete Pools: Concrete pools need to be acid washed every 3 to 5 years. And every 10 to 15 years, they need a whole new plaster surface. This costs a lot of money – often thousands of dollars each time.
Why Fiberglass is Better Here: Fiberglass pools do not need a new surface. The strong gelcoat finish is made to last for a very, very long time. This means you don’t have that huge extra cost that concrete pool owners have.
New Liner for Vinyl Pools:Â Vinyl liner pools need a new liner every 5 to 9 years on average. This also costs a lot, usually several thousand dollars for the new liner and the work to put it in.
Why Fiberglass is Better Here:Â No liner means no money spent on replacing liners.
Fixing the Pool Shell: Good quality fiberglass pool shells are super strong and don’t crack easily. If you get a small scratch on the gelcoat, it can be fixed pretty easily and doesn’t cost too much. Big problems with the shell are very rare if the pool was put in right.
4. How Much Water You Use
This isn’t a huge difference, but concrete pools can lose more water because it can soak into the plaster or evaporate more easily than with a smooth fiberglass pool. Concrete pools might also need to be drained more often for cleaning or new plaster, which means higher water bills over time.
Adding It All Up: The Cost Over Many Years
When you think about all these costs over 10, 20, or even 30 years, owning a fiberglass pool often ends up costing a lot less than owning a concrete or vinyl liner pool. This is true even if the fiberglass pool wasn’t the very cheapest one to buy at the start.
Think about it like this over 20 years:
Vinyl Liner Pool:Â Costs the least to start + 2 or 3 new liners + medium costs for chemicals and electricity.
Concrete Pool:Â Costs the most to start + 1 or 2 new plaster surfaces + the highest costs for chemicals and electricity.
Fiberglass Pool:Â Costs in the middle to start + the lowest costs for chemicals and electricity + no new liners + no new plaster surfaces.
Maria C., who plans finances and owns a pool, explained, "When we looked at the costs for many years, fiberglass was the smartest choice for our money. The first cost was okay, and we knew we’d save so much on taking care of it and not having big repair bills over the next 20 years."
Understanding the real, long-term cost of owning a pool is very important. The first price you see is part of it, but don’t let it be the only thing you think about. Because you’ll spend less on chemicals, electricity, and cleaning, and because you won’t have big costs like new plaster or new liners, fiberglass pools are a smart and fun investment for your home and family.
Ready to see how a fiberglass pool can be great for your home and your wallet? Contact FPO Solutions today! We’ll give you a free consultation and a quote. Visit our website at https://www.fiberglasspoolsoutlet.com/ or call us.