Ridge Water Pools

Serving North East Georgia
Phone: (770) 231-3367 | Email Us!
Need Financing?: Click Here!

Steel & Polymer vs. Gunite vs. Fiberglass

  Steel & Polymer Wall Pools Concrete, Gunite & Plaster Pools Fiberglass Pools
Warranty Limited lifetime on the panel structure, 20 years pro rated on the liner, 1-3 years by the contractor 1-5 years by contractor. Limited lifetime on the shell, varies on the surface finish. 1 year by the contractor.
Installation Time 3-10 days depending on weather. 3-6 weeks based on many independent subcontractors. 5-20 days depending on delivery of shell and schedule of subcontractors
Soil restrictions Extra attention required for expansive soil Extra attention required when installed in extreme cold climates Extra attention required when installing in high water table areas, in very expansive soil, or in extreme cold climates.
Shapes of Pools Unlimited Unlimited Limited to number of molds at the manufacturer
Sizes of Pools Limited to 1900 square feet of surface area, or about 34'x 55', for factory made liner. No depth limitations Unlimited Limited to 16' wide, and few if any shapes over 6' deep
Appearance choice Over 50 patterns to choose from Unlimited colors and tile choices Limited to 3-5 colors, tile choices very limited
Price of Pools Low - Medium High Medium - High
Estimated Chemical Usage Surface does not alter waters' chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used. Plaster reacts with water to raise pH levels. Uses substantially more acid & chlorine to counterbalance this chemical reaction. Surface does not alter waters' chemical balance. Substantially fewer chemicals used.
Surface Texture Liner is soft and non abrasive. Can become slippery when algae is present. Will become rough over time, causes skin abrasions to feet, hands and swim wear. Surface is hard but non abrasive. Can become slippery when algae is present.
Algae Penetration Non pourous surface is excellent at resisting algae growth. Material is treated with an anti-microbial Algae will grow easily if allowed to bloom. Difficult to scrub from surface. Non pourous surface is excellent at resisting algae growth
Estimated Maintenance Time 1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly 1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly 1/2 - 1 hour per week when pool water is maintained correctly
Major Renovation Replace liner at 7-12 years Re-marcite or re-plaster at 10-12 years. Repair cracks, blisters, and settling at 6-12 years
Stairs and Seating Large number of options at an additional cost Unlimited options at an additional cost Limited options built inside the pool shell
Quality Control Panels and liners manufactured in ISO 9001 factory. Quality of on-site assembly varies by installer. Manufactured on-site. Quality of work varies by installer The shell is manufactured in factory to company quality control standards. Quality of on-site work varies by installer
Type of Coping Aluminum concrete receiver, brick, stone, concrete Brick, stone, concrete Built-in fiberglass, brick, stone, concrete
Loan Acceptance Fair to good Good Fair to good