The Most Egregious Fiberglass Pool Warranty I've ever Seen

As most of you are very well aware, the entire purpose of this blog is to educate, and at the same time elevate, the fiberglass pool industry. And because the popularity of fiberglass pools has exploded throughout North America in the past 10 years, it’s critical to us, the writers of this blog, that such a growth curve continues to happen as consumers become more and more informed as to the beauties of fiberglass pool ownership.

But as with anything in life, positive movements can also beckon negative behaviors.  As a perfect example, I was made aware recently, by a consumer as a matter of fact, of a new ‘warranty’ from one of the manufacturers within the industry.  As I’ve talked about before in other articles, there are two components that make a ‘quality’ fiberglass pool:

• The Shell’s Structure
• The Shell’s Finish

Throughout the industry, most manufacturers have a similar structural warranty. But it is with the finish warranties where one can see major differences. And it’s also with these finish warranties that consumers need to be very careful because sadly, some manufacturers seem to be more inclined to play semantic games with customers than to actually be straight forward regarding their pool’s warranty.

The following is a snippet from the above referenced warranty:

“____________________ Pools finish coat or gelcoat is warranted against blistering, staining, excessive fading, discoloration, and surface yellowing caused by material or manufacturing defects for a period of 20 years from the date of the manufacture. This surface warranty is accepted with the understanding that with exposure to the elements and time that some color and surface degradation may occur. The warranty excludes discoloration, staining, fading, hairline cracks, blistering, surface yellowing, cobalting, and roughness due to water chemistry or material characteristics of the _________ finish.”

OK, so let me get this straight—The manufacturer warranties against blistering, staining, excessive fading, discoloration, and surface yellowing but also disclaims discoloration, staining, fading, hairline cracks, blistering, surface yellowing, cobalting and roughness???? Due to ‘characteristics’ of the finish???

What in the heck is going on here? (And no, I’m not joking, this really is the exact warranty as it appears from the manufacturer)

Many of you may want to know who the manufacturer is I’m referring to, but focusing on a single manufacturer is not the goal of this article. In fact, this article has a two-fold purpose:

1. Fiberglass pool manufacturers need to write legitimate warranties.

2. Consumers need to get a copy of the warranty before they buy.

Despite what many may think, most consumers do not actually get the warranty for their new pool shell until it shows up in their back yard…or later. This, as you might imagine(or can at least now imagine), is a very bad thing. It is also for this reason that I propose that every manufacturer in the fiberglass pool industry needs to be transparent with their warranties. In other words, if the manufacturer does not have the warranty listed, word-for-word, on their website, then flags should go up for consumers.

To see an example of a manufacturer going about warranties the right way, visits Leisure Pools’ warranty page, where you can get a PDF copy of the warranty—one that is not chock full of semantic paradoxes. Trilogy Pools is another example of a company being very open about their warranty. I’m sure there are other manufacturers doing a great job with this as well but the key here is transparency, straight-forwardness, and intellectual honesty.

Hopefully everyone understands and appreciates where I’m coming from here. As I mentioned before, I only addressed this subject because I truly care and felt it was time to bring it to light--especially in light of conversations I've had recently with a few consumers throughout the country.

Fiberglass pool warranties will always have some disclaimers—just like any other warranty for any product. This is fine to a certain extent, but the example shown above is down-right egregious and I frankly feel there is no room for it in such a promising and growing industry around the world that brings happines and joy to thousands upon thousands of families each and every year.

Marcus Sheridan

If you have any questions about pool warranties, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts/comments below or contact us directly.

Despite Advances, Some Concrete Pool Companies Still Hanging on to the Past

Just the other day I was speaking with a pool customer in the Maryland area who was debating the merits of concrete vs. fiberglass swimming pools. During our discussion, I became disenchanted to hear some of the concerns this gentleman had—not because he had concerns, but the root of the concerns themselves.

You see, this man had talked with a sales person from a major concrete pool builder in Maryland, a company that has been a ‘Top 50 Builder’ and one that has been doing concrete pools for many, many years. And it was during this conversation with their salesman that he was treated to a plethora of inaccurate statements regarding fiberglass pools.

Despite the fact that I was frustrated such a company would elect to take the road of fear-mongering so as to make a sale, I ended up reflecting upon the experience and came up with two realizations:

1. Swimming pool consumers are more informed than they’ve ever been regarding the incredible merits of fiberglass. Despite the efforts of concrete companies like this on in Md. to fight the tide of positive information regarding a gunite/concrete pool alternative, most consumers are now smart enough to know when sales persons and marketing departments are being dishonest. The pool shopper I mentioned above had just begun his research, and therefore was more susceptible to mythology. But in many cases this past year, I’ve spoken with homeowners that were incredibly turned off by this and other companies that are obviously desperate to hold fast to concrete pool superiority in the marketplace.

2. More and more concrete pool companies have now decided to embrace the 21^st century. The same holds true for quite a few vinyl companies as well. The economy, because of its tough state, has forced businesses to make decisions that they simply weren’t making just 3 years ago. Whether it has been a massive pool builder like Anthony Sylvan or a mom and pop company in the Midwest, gunite companies are accepting the reality that fiberglass pools are now in high demand due to their many benefits, as shown in this incredibly telling video we just released a few weeks ago.

But as I mentioned at the start of this article, there are still a few holdouts. Despite all the facts and signs of the times, there are still some companies like the Maryland pool builder I mentioned that elect not to embrace the future, but instead hunker-down and do their best to misinform. So as to protect those consumers who truly are looking for the pros and cons of fiberglass pools, I’ve listed here 6 of the most common myths a few gunite pool builders are still using:

1. Fiberglass Pools Don’t Work in Certain Soil Conditions: The Md. customer told me this statement the other day and I laughed. The reason for my amusement was simple: I’ve heard this silly myth used by pool companies literally in every part of the US and Canada. If it was up to certain builders, apparently fiberglass wouldn’t work in any soil condition in the world. As I’ve discussed before in other posts, fiberglass pools are incredible strong, flexible, and even repairable—which makes them perfect for any soil condition.

2. You Don’t Have a Pool Unless It’s Concrete: Yeah, and Henry Ford said you didn’t have a car unless it was a Model-T……Frankly, I’m amazed this is still a line used by sales persons. A note to sales guys, what do you say we embrace the technology of the future and not stifle it??

3. Fiberglass Pools are Ugly: 25 years ago, maybe. Today, well, I’ll let you decide—just take a glance at a few of our photos.

4. Fiberglass Pools Float: Alas…..I can only slap my forehead with this one. First of all, any vessel, be it concrete or vinyl, can float. But when built properly, and maintained with water, this should never happen with a swimming pool—as it has never happened with one of the 600+ fiberglass pools we’ve installed during our time in business—many of which were built on the water, hence River Pools and Spas.

5. Fiberglass Pools aren’t Repairable: Huh??? This statement is a laugh, really. Just talk to a boat guy if you want the ultimate unbiased opinion.

6. Fiberglass Pools only Work in Certain Warmer Climates: Again, totally bogus. The fastest growing pool in Canada is fiberglass.

Well there you have it folks—the top 6 myths concrete pool companies are still using to sway consumers. As I’ve mentioned before in other articles, there isn’t a perfect pool out there. They all have their drawbacks. Fiberglass is limited in its shapes and sizes. Concrete is high in maintenance, chemicals, and long-term costs. Despite their drawbacks though, swimming pool ownership is an amazing experience, especially with all the technology advancements of the 21^st century making the process of ownership such a more pleasant one.

But hopefully this article will help some of you that are currently in the process of researching and buying a pool to make the right decision for your situation based on facts, and not on the frivolous and inaccurate statements some will make simply in an effort to get a sale.

As always, happy swimming to everyone (only a month or so left)!

Marcus Sheridan

Northeast Fiberglass Pool Company Wins Award with Impressive Water Feature/Pool Combo

This is part 2 of our efforts here to highlite the 2 fabulous fiberglass pool projects that won this year's Master of Design awards. The pool shown was installed by Cherry Hill Pools in Massachusetts. What's so impressive about the project, as you can easily see, is the dynamic natural water feature that begins at a high elevations and cascades into the free-form fiberglass pool below. Considering myths are often circulated regarding the fact that fiberglass pools don't look good with natural water features, I give quite a bit of credit to companies like Cherry Hill that are changing the perception of fiberglass swimming pools across the country, especially in their Northeast corner of the United States. Also, I've included here a few answers to some questions I sent out to Cherry Hill.

Question: Did the homeowner know what they wanted from the beginning or was this something that Cherry Hill designed for them? 

The homeowners, like many of our clients had decided that rather than purchase a vacation home, they would invest in their space. The couple, Steve and Kim, own a business together and as such don't have much free time in the summer.

 

Owner Bio:

Jim McGill has been in the outdoor living/home improvement area his entire life.  He started Cherry Hill Pool & Spa in 1999 and has been actively building fiberglass pools ever since.

Pool Excavation: 4 Questions You May Not Think to Ask!

One of our goals with this blog is to nullify what we refer to as the “curse of knowledge” throughout the swimming pool industry.  Pool professionals, and all professionals for that matter, often forget that the common customer lacks the depth of knowledge that they have taken years to acquire.  What results is a breakdown in communication regarding products, services, construction processes, and an overall misconception of what exactly will happens in the backyard. 

I’m certainly not immune to this, as I certainly make the same mistake from time to time with my clients.  So the purpose of this article is to discuss one of the most common pool construction processes that fall under the dreaded “curse of knowledge”:  Swimming Pool Excavation. 

Here are 4 Questions You May Not think to Ask about Pool Excavation:

1.  What if You Hit Rock or Water When You Dig?

Your backyard is like a box of chocolates.  Without a soils test (which 999 of 1000 customers don’t get), pool contractors never really know what they’ll hit when digging in your backyard.  Frankly, none of this really matters to you unless one of two things happen:  your soil condition compromises the structural integrity of your pool, or it costs you more money to install the pool.  The structural component will have to be determined by your pool contractor and is beyond the scope of this article.  However, from a budget perspective, there two primary things a contractor may find when excavating that could result in an unforeseen cost to you:  rock and water.

Options when hitting rock:

1.  Move the pool to an area with less rock:  This one is guess work.  Just start digging some test holes and hope for the best.

2.  Elevate the pool and keep it in the same location:  Work with what you have.  There could be extra cost associated with the elevation change (walls, additional fill dirt, etc.)

3.  Hammer or blast the rock out and install the pool in the original location: minimum cost of $2k just for the hammer rental plus any additional labor the contractor may charge. 

4.  Fill the hole in, pay the contractor for his time, and install a pool at your next houseJ

*Note: We may encounter rock in approximately one in every fifty pools we install.  If any contractor with more experience with rock would like to chime in, please feel free to contribute in the comments section. 

 

Options when hitting Ground Water:

1.  Install dewatering system (which is standard for us anyway), keep the hole dry until the pool is installed, and keep the pool where originally planned.  This option works especially well for fiberglass pools because the pool is installed and full of water in a matter of hours after excavation, lessening the ‘fight’ required to tame the ground water.  When encountering high water tables in conjunction with sandy soil, severe “cave-ins” may occur which increase the amount gravel backfill required around the pool.  In our case, we will allow for one additional load of gravel beyond a normal installation, the customer covers the cost of any additional gravel beyond that.  A load of gravel runs around $400-$500 in our area and it’s very, very rare that we require more than one additional load and have to charge the customer anything.     

2.   Elevate the Pool:  same as when hitting rock. 

Note:  Don’t let these potential unforeseen expenses intimidate you.  Of the 600+ pools we’ve installed, only around 1% have incurred any additional cost due to rock or ground water.         

2.  Exactly How Much Dirt Will There Be?

Part of planning every pool project is determining what to do with the dirt.  Generally speaking, people have no concept of how much dirt actually comes out of a pool excavation……how could you know right?  I usually tell people to imagine how much dirt they would expect and multiply it by 5 or 10.  Your average pool excavation will generate a pile of dirt the size of about five garden sheds.  So, this is significantly more than we can ‘lose’ in a typical flat yard.  The best plan is to haul that stuff out of there so you aren’t stuck wheel barrowing it on the weekends or hiring someone else to come and get it.          

3.  What will happen to my yard?

We haven’t figured out how to haul dirt, gravel, water, and concrete by helicopter yet; so until we do, we have to move all that big heavy stuff in and out of your backyard the old fashioned way…..via the ground.  And we do this with very large trucks.  So the reality is that your access lane and yard may incur some damage.  Say good-bye to most or all of the grass around the pool as well as a 20’x20’ area for piles of material and the entire access lane if through the yard.  Hey, I’ve yet to hear any complaints about less grass to cut!

4.  Do I really save $ by Digging My own Hole?

Many folks think they can save big bucks doing the pool excavation themselves and have the pool contractor do the rest.  Actually, most pool companies would probably prefer to charge you at least double if you want to dig your own hole, but we’re not quite that generous:).  Seriously though, it doesn’t save much money at all, maybe $500-$1000, because we have to bring our machine to the site anyway to lift and set the pool.  It only takes a couple of hours to dig the hole so we might as well go ahead and do the pool excavation while we’re there.    

 Well, as you can see, there will be some major stuff going on in your backyard (which you can watch in a really cool video here).  But how exciting is a pool....right?  All of this stuff goes by the way-side the first time you and your family relax, play, and laugh around your awesome new pool.  Good Luck!

Jason Hughes

 

Comments and questions welcome as always.

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?"

At first, I could only smile, as it always amuses me to see the extent some swimming pool ‘experts' will go to introduce fear in the minds of consumers in an effort to push them one way or another.

Common Sense

But my answer to this lady was just like it is to anyone that poses such a question-"What do you think?"

The lady thought for a second and then retorted, "I would think fiberglass would be perfect for such a situation."

I smiled at her answer, knowing that common sense had again won over befuddling sales tactics.

You see, when someone actually considers the well known flex-strength of fiberglass, and then stacks it up against the utter inflexibility of concrete, it becomes quite apparent that fiberglass pools are perfectly ideal for adverse soil conditions-especially shrink-swell.

The Most Adaptive Pool in the World

This rule of thumb also applies to just about any other soil type, whether it is sand, rock, or clay. Simply put, fiberglass pools are incredibly adaptive to their environment and are therefore the most versatile pool in the world when it comes to soil conditions.

Now some reading this blog may say that I'm being biased. But for those of you that read the information found herein on a regular basis, you're already well aware of the fact that the purpose of this blog is to bring to light the good, the bad, and the ugly of all types of swimming pools, with a particular focus on fiberglass.

So even though fiberglass does have its own set of drawbacks (size/shapes limits), please don't let soil types be one of them. In fact, the next time you hear a concrete or vinyl pool sales person use this false analysis you can then be rest assured the individual is either a) pretty clueless regarding swimming pools or b) trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

Until the next time.....as always........ happy swimming.

Marcus Sheridan

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.

Top 5 Fiberglass Pool Innovations of the Last 25 Years

1. Vinyl Ester Resins

Without getting too technical here, there are many grades of resins that can be used in the construction of a fiberglass swimming pool. Unfortunately, fiberglass pools a few decades ago were being constructed without vinyl ester resin, which is a tremendous barrier and prevents water wreaking havoc on a fiberglass pool over time. When cheaper resins are used, such issues as cobalting and blisters rear their ugly heads, which was certainly the case with some of the first fiberglass pools. But today, just about every manufacturer in the fiberglass pool industry is using at least a layer of VE resin in their pools, which is a great stride in the right direction.

2. Cantilevered Coping

Maybe the biggest knock on fiberglass pools from pool builders and consumers in the past was their ‘bathtub' and modular-looking appearance. This stigma was mainly a result of concrete patios being poured up to the fiberglass lip versus on top of the fiberglass lip. I've spoken heavily on this subject before (watch a how-to video here), as it still is a subject of debate at times due to antiquated thought on behalf of certain builders and manufacturers, but the simple fact is that cantilevered concrete coping not only forms a powerful bond-beam around a fiberglass pool, but also allows it to rival a concrete/gunite pool in terms of aesthetics.

3. GOOD Color Finishes

Notice I did not write here ‘Colored Finishes'. This is because colored finishes on a fiberglass pool have had a tremendous benefit in terms of aesthetics to this industry, but is some regards these colors have hurt the industry as well. I mention this because like everything else in the world, just because a manufacturer produces a shell with colored finishes doesn't mean it's a quality product. Heck, warranties don't even mean it's a good finish considering some of the semantic games I've seen certain manufacturers play in recent months. Fact is, there are companies out there that are offering great colored finishes on their pools that will last a long time, which is a great thing for the consumer. I can only hope some other manufacturers that are not so ‘quality oriented' will soon follow suit.

4. Gravel Base and Backfill

Another point of controversy here but I'm happy to say that just about every forward-thinking, quality-minded builder and manufacturer (Trilogy Pools was pushing gravel 6 years ago)in the industry has now moved to gravel as the base and backfill to their pools. Having discussed this point in multiple other articles, I'm still at times saddened by the fact that some manufacturers have put up a fight against suggesting gravel as the base and backfill for their pools, which is a clear sign of delusion. In fact, just as vinyl ester is now a standard part of the fiberglass pool experience, gravel will soon be as well, mark my words. Simply put, there is just too much science, evidence,  and common-sense on the side of gravel.

5. The Use of Tile

These days, it's quite common to  see the use of ceramic tile in fiberglass swimming pools. Whether it's tile on the waterline, inlay tile in the steps and seats, or possibly a mosaic in the floor; ceramic tile has allowed fiberglass pools to take one more step in their customization abilities as well as their aesthetic rivaling of concrete pools. Other than the great videos that are available on our site, I'd also suggest you learn from one of the premier tile experts in the industry, Robert Ault, to learn more about the subject.

So there are your top 5 fiberglass pool innovations over the last 25 years. Although I'd could certainly list many, many more, suffices to say that these 5 have been critical to the growth of the industry.

Marcus Sheridan

Viking Pools: New Warranty, Same Problems, Disturbing Photos

Before I get into the meat of this important article regarding Viking Pools and their many current issues, allow me to prelude things with a few thoughts on the direction of this blog, as well as the fiberglass pool industry.

A Comittment on Education

My business partners and I made a commitment about 3 years ago to focus our entire business model on educating others about the swimming pool industry. Along these same lines, we have spent much of our time here discussing the particulars of the fiberglass swimming pool industry, as this is the mainstay of our business.

Along with our basic website, our brand as industry educators for the pool consumer really took off when I wrote my swimming pool eBook, ‘How to Buy a Fiberglass Pool the Right Way, From the Right Company, at the Right Price.' This book was the first of its kind because other than speaking directly at consumers regarding how to buy a fiberglass pool, it also gave my opinions of the various fiberglass pool manufacturers. And because I believe that speaking honestly and frankly is always the best policy when talking to consumers, the eBook raised quite a stir with manufacturers and consumers alike.

The Reactions Begin

But no bigger fuss was made regarding the eBook's contents than Viking Pools. In fact, you can read how Viking, and their owner Todd Stahl, handled the situation here. As I mentioned in that previous article, many fiberglass pool companies contacted me after the eBook came out to address/discuss their issues with some of the things I had said. With each of the manufacturers, I told them that my ratings regarding their product would be adjusted as they made changes, and I was more than ready to change anything negative into a positive as such improvements occurred.(Note: The eBook discussed their quality control issues and how our company had had so many problems with thin pools. The picture you see here is a cut-out of a Viking/CPC Pool. I'll let you be the judge of its thickness.) This being said, in the 2+ years since the eBook first came out, many manufacturers have made some serious positive strides with their businesses and their products. These actions have lead me to update my thoughts on said manufacturers in the eBook multiple times.

Education Taken to Another Level

About a year after the eBook was released, my business partners and I wanted to educate consumers on an even greater level, and thus this blog was born. And because we have been unfiltered in our efforts to point out the good, the bad, and the ugly in the swimming pool industry, the traffic and growth of this blog have been nothing short of phenomenal. During this time, we have taken active stances on such subjects as:

•  Using gravel instead of sand with fiberglass pools

•  Plumbing with hard pipe versus flex hose

•  Ways to buy a pool without getting ripped off

•  Explanations about the science of colored pool finishes in the fiberglass pool industry.

And as we have written in-depth articles regarding these subjects, as well as established a mountain of video on such matters, more and more fiberglass pool builders and manufacturers have made strides to produce the absolute best products, as well as build the best pools, in the world.

Now do we at River Pools take credit for this movement? No, of course not, but we do take great satisfaction in knowing that there are many fiberglass pool manufacturers, as well as builders, that want nothing but the best for this industry. In fact, with such a quality/workmanship focus in the industry, I can honestly say there has never been a better time to be a fiberglass pool consumer, with many great builders and manufacturers to choose from.

Resisting Positive Change

Unfortunately though, not all manufacturers have jumped on this self-improvement train that so many have decided to ride in the industry. Sadly, while so many other companies are elevating the industry, Viking Pools continues, in my opinion, to stick to old and antiquated manufacturing technologies and business practices. For example, Viking Pools has,:

• Stated they would not warranty pools that are backfilled with gravel

• Attempted to trick consumers into thinking they were River Pools (See Viking's shocking websites here, here, and here) (Of course, I'm sure they won't have the guts to leave these sites up once this article is published and consumers realize what type of business they are)

• Continued to utilize, in my opinion, the worst colored finish in the fiberglass pool industry

• Produced, in my opinion, the Poorest Quality Shells of any Fiberglass Pool Manufacturer (see photos)

And although I'd love to discuss all of these issues with the important readers of this blog, I want to instead focus my thoughts at this time on their unbelievable insistency on using ‘Crystite' as their colored pool finish as well as their poorly constructed pool shells.

More Gimmicks

I was quite disturbed this week when I saw that Viking had come out with a ‘New and Improved' warranty on the finish of their pools. Frankly, earlier this year I thought that Viking was actually going to drop their flawed Crystite in favor of the colored finishes that most other forward-thinking manufacturers have adopted these last few years. But instead of dropping this antiquated product that's so well known for its off-colored repairs(picture to the right shows a good repair) and other issues, they took a finish that had a 7-year warranty (3 years full) and turned it into a 20 year warranty. Yep, 20 years. Except they have yet to show the actual written warranty on their website, with the prorated portions of the warranty as well as the loads of disclaimers that come with it. I can only ask myself if such an action is a means of counteracting the negative press they've received since their bankruptcy announcement late in 2009.

Now don't get me wrong here my fellow readers. I am all for manufacturers of pools elevating their standards. In fact, anybody that regularly reads this blog understands that it was to this end that we created the blog in the first place. But what I have no tolerance for, as I've mentioned in other articles, are gimmicks that are meant to semantically trick consumers into thinking they are getting something they really are not. This is bad business and it only hurts the industry.

But what also hurts the industry even more than Viking's colored finishes is their general shell construction. Based on personal experiences that I've had, as well as the photos and emails that I receive on a weekly basis from consumers all over North America, it is my opinion that Viking makes the thinnest shells in the fiberglass pool industry. In fact, I've received a rash of photos and concerns from homeowners and pool builders alike recently regarding their fiberglass-starved shells. And this thinness (fiberglass pools should be at LEAST ¼" thick, the one shown in these photos are almost exactly 1/8" ), as shown clearly in these photos, has lead to a serious case of cracked Viking Pools across the country (again, see photos).

Where do They Go From Here?

Although I have no faith that they'll actually do it, I'd suggest to Viking that they stop with the gimmicks, stop with the efforts to falsely portray themselves as River Pools (or whomever else they may have a beef with), and start producing a pool with a finish that isn't terribly flawed and as thin as the work-order it was written up on. Believe it or not, at one time Viking was a pretty decent company. They did do many things to elevate the fiberglass pool industry. But sadly, those days are gone.

So for you, the consumer, allow me to again stress the positives of the fiberglass pool industry. Please understand that there are many great manufacturers out there producing quality pools that will last a lifetime in your backyard without maintenance or repair issues while providing years of joy and happiness for you and your family. But because this blog is looked upon by so many as the consumer advocate of the fiberglass pool industry, I felt it was finally time to shed further light upon this unfortunate subject. Hopefully though, my next article regarding this company will have a more positive subject matter.

 

If you have any questions regarding Viking Pools or other manufacturers, please don't hesitate to leave them below. As always, we thank you for stopping by and suggest you enter your email in the upper right hand portion of this page for further articles and updates on the swimming pool industry.

Marcus Sheridan

Boats Vs Swimming Pools: Which is a Better Investment For My Family?

By Jim Spiess, Co-Owner, River Pools and Spas

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.

Some other questions that homeowners are confronted with:

• What would be more fun?
• Which would get used more?
• Which holds its value better?

Personally speaking, I have owned both a swimming pool and a boat. Both are certainly fun and exciting but in this article I wanted to relate to the readers my experiences and thoughts relating to the pros and cons of boat ownership.

 

My Experience

I owned a smaller 15 ft tri hull with a walk through bough and a 75 horsepower Evenrude motor. Needless to say this boat could move and served several purposes-- fishing, skiing, tubing, hydro sliding and just plain relaxing on the water. Because I live within a quarter mile of the Rappahannock River and in a community that has a boat launch and boat slips, I had the best of two worlds. I could put my boat in a slip when I was done or I could pull it out and bring it home.

I used the boat quite a bit; I was single and had the spare time to go out on the river on the weekends. I was doing construction at the time and I had a job on the river so I would take the boat to the job on some days. I was making good money and a single dad with two kids so spending a hundred dollars on the weekend pulling skiers and such was not that big a deal.

Boat Maintenance

Owning a boat does come with maintenance issues like any expensive toy. The maintenance issue I found to be the most cumbersome was the need to clean the bottom constantly. I did not paint the bottom because you lose around 5 mph when you paint a boat bottom. The reason I had to clean the bottom was because in salt water if you leave the boat in the water for any length of time you will get a buildup of slime and barnacles. I tended to leave my boat in the water because it was easier than pulling it out after each use. Of course, that was until the automatic bilge pump did not work during a big storm and I received a call saying my boat was almost underwater. Bailing a boat out in a huge storm is no fun, and then I had to pull it out and take it home. It was then I decided it was not worth keeping in the boat slip, so I would bring the boat home each time I would use it. Such was a pain but it came with the territory.

Times Change

The kids liked the boat, but my son learned that being on the river in the fall can be very cold and decided fishing was not worth the cold. They enjoyed the skiing and tubing parts of the boat, not the lazy days on the river or fishing. So sometimes they went and others they didn't. Although it was not a large boat it seated six people comfortably. I then got married to a young lady that had four children living at home with her. My new wife and family moved in and the boat seemed to stay parked in the yard. I also started a new business which was a pool business, and guess what went in the back yard? Yep, you're right, a swimming pool. The boat did not make one trip out after the pool went in. So I gave the boat to my son in law. I could have sold it and taken a huge loss, so I decided that my son in law would enjoy it and it would be nice for him and his family. They used it a couple of times but then it sat in his yard. That boat with a perfectly good engine sat and went to waste because it was less fun to take care of than it was to use.

The Difference of Pool Ownership

Now for my experience with the pool. On the first day the pool was being used by my son and his friends, my wife was looking out the kitchen window and said "it doesn't get any better than this-- the kids using the pool and I can watch them right here from the kitchen window."  I also thought it was great because I didn't have to haul the pool to the water for the kids to use it and I did not even have to be there. We could have friends, family, and neighbors all swimming at once and have a blast. The work was minimum-- around a half hour a week and the cost of operating a pool for season is less than the cost of operating a boat for a couple of weekends.

 Now please understand, this is in my case, and not everyone's experience is the same with a boat. For example, it is certainly less expensive if you just fish or anchor and relax. But I had kids, and fishing and relaxing will only go so far as they wanted skiing and action, which gets expensive.

 The Joys of Children

What I enjoyed about our swimming pool was that when I was mowing the grass and doing yard work all I had to do to cool off was jump in. I also enjoyed coming home in the evening and just climbing into a float and relaxing (at times too much because I would fall asleep). One of my biggest enjoyments was watching the grandchildren call out ‘PePe, PePe watch me!', and they would jump into the pool without any swimmies. (Those are the floats that go around their arms to help them learn to swim.)

 

 It is amazing how fast children learn to swim when you have a pool. At the public pool my step son was terrified of letting go of the wall and was not interested in wearing swimmies, but when we had our pool he quickly adapted and wanted to jump in and swim. The pool would bring our children back home with the grandchildren, so they could swim and that was always a pleasure. My wife could use it with or without me, so could the kids, so could the grandkids, none of that was possible with a boat.

When it comes down to it, the pool was all about low maintenance, low operating cost, and high fun. And oh yeah, the people who bought my house bought it because of the swimming pool. So pools do add value to the home, do not let the real estate company fool you. I did not plan the day the people showed up at my house to look at it, but it could have appeared that I did. My step daughter showed up with the van full of my grandchildren and their friends who all jumped out yelling and carrying on while they ran for the pool. House Sold. I never missed the boat at all, and that is why they say it is better to know someone who owns a boat than to own one yourself. In my opinion swimming pools win hands down.

 A Final Review

• Boats depending on use can be as much as $50 dollars a day to operate; this does not include gas to get the boat to the launch site.
• Fiberglass Swimming Pools cost $1 a day to operate; this includes chemicals and electricity.
• Boats are limited as to when you can use them due to time restrictions.
• Swimming Pools are unlimited with use; they are there when you are ready to jump in.
• Boats are limited on how many can go out at any given time.
• Swimming Pools the whole family and friends can enjoy together.
• Boats have high maintenance; cleaning boat each time it is used, taking to launch site, pulling boat out of water can be as much as one hour if you live within one mile of the water.
• Fiberglass Swimming Pools are less than one hour a week.
• Boats lose value very quickly.
• Fiberglass Swimming Pools increase the value of your home.
• Boats are very costly on long term maintenance, the motor and the interior components of the boat like the fabric on the seats and electronics. Over a 5 year period over $2000 that is why they say it is a hole in the water you throw money into.
• Fiberglass Swimming Pools very low cost of long term maintenance, the pump and electronics. Over a twenty year period maybe $2000
• Boats will last you between 5 and 10 years
• Fiberglass Swimming Pools will last you a lifetime

Fiber Glass Pools Gain More Market Share with Educated Consumers

Having been in this business for almost 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 fiber glass pool expert.

For the sake of privacy, I'll refer to the lady as ‘Renee' in this article.

Intense Research

For many months now, Renee has been scouring the internet doing research on swimming pools. Recently, when her and her husband finally decided it was time to actually have a pool installed, they focused even further on what type of pool to choose and with whom they wanted to entrust their backyard. And with such an outstanding amount of research, Renee knew that a fiberglass pool would clearly be her choice for this important investment. And what brought her to this conclusion? Well she thoroughly understood her goals for this swimming pool project would be as follows:

• A pool that would last forever without big expenses down the road
• As little maintenance as possible
• A visual enhancement to her backyard that would be consistent with her home's aesthetics

And because she was looking for a small to medium size, Renee understood overwhelmingly that fiber glass was going to be her choice. At that point, it was just a matter of choosing the right manufacturer and the right builder.

More Consumer Tools

In the past, most consumers didn't necessarily know how to research fiberglass pool manufacturers as well as builders. But today, with more and more educational consumer blogs popping up all over the internet, as well as a significant amount of pool/spa forums designed to promote conversation on the product, consumers are now light years ahead of where they were just a few years ago.

In the past, I would meet with a homeowner and spend most of my time teaching them the differences between Vinyl, Fiberglass, and Concrete Pools. Now, instead of teaching, I'm listening to them tell me what they want, why they want it, and how they want it to be done. And let me tell you, this type of informed consumer really, really gets me excited.

For example, my friend Renee not only knew she wanted a fiberglass pool, but she also knew that she wanted it to be backfilled with gravel, not sand. (In fact, she finds it hilarious that some slower-minded individuals in the pool industry still subscribe to a sand base and backfill). Renee was quite aware of the differences in pool color finishes, materials, and patio options. And finally, Renee was well cognoscente of what manufacturers have shown financial stability, as well as the ones that have experienced financial disaster due to poor business models and management practices.

Seeing the Big Picture

All this being said, Renee was really the exact type of customer I get excited to work with when it comes to a swimming pool project-informed, able to see the big picture, and concerned enough to do all the necessary leg work(research).

But getting back to my original point, the experience with Renee was perfectly analogous to the great movement that is happening within the swimming pool industry. No longer do consumers simply base their decisions on initial price, what their neighbor has, or what their parents had growing up. Yep, today's swimming pool consumer chooses their own path through diligent research and an understanding of the good, the bad, and the ugly of all their possible choices. And by so doing, they are able to, just as Renee did, make a decision that will bring them joy and happiness for many years to come.

Marcus Sheridan, PoolSchool

How to Pour Concrete Coping around a Fiberglass Pool Video

Fiberglass Pool Coping: A How-To Video

One of the biggest factors in the success of a fiberglass pool project is the proper forming and pouring of the concrete patio. The absolute best way to achieve maximum structural integrity, as well as aesthetics, is to use cantilever forms. But as we've talked about many times in this blog, the reality is that many fiberglass pool builders have not yet fully grasped this construction technique.

This is why we at River Pools and Spas are so excited about this video, as it is, at least far as we're aware,  the first of its kind. We hope that this video will be a tool for novice and even experienced fiberglass pool builders around the world to help them refine their trade and in-turn elevate the entire industry. We also hope this video will be utilized by homeowners attempting to bite off the huge task of building their own fiberglass pool from scratch in a DIY project.

If anyone has any questions regarding this unique skill, feel free to email Jason Hughes, who produced and narrated this entire video, at riverpoolsjason@gmail.com ... 

Also, we invite all to leave comments, questions, or thoughts below.