Pools make a fun addition to many properties, giving you the opportunity to cool off on a hot day right in your backyard. Fiberglass 1 pools are one of the more common types of inground pool, requiring less ongoing maintenance and electricity than other materials. Inground pools made of fiberglass can enhance the resale value of your home, making it more attractive to potential buyers.
The average size of an inground fiberglass pool is around 12-feet by 24-feet and costs around $60,000 on average, including all labor and decking.
Like many materials, a fiberglass pool has its positive and negative attributes. Since it isn’t the only material you can build a pool from, it helps to weigh the pros and cons before building.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Fast installation - less than 2 weeks start to finish | Limited sizes - up to 16-feet wide, 8 feet deep |
Maintains color for up to 25 years | Limited shapes - rectangle is the most common |
Lower electricity costs | Repairs may not match original color |
Low liner 2 maintenance | May crack if not installed properly |
Heats up fast and maintains heat well | Can be slippery |
Resists algae growth | May bulge |
There are several factors that determine the ultimate cost of the pool. Size is the one of the biggest determining factors. While fiberglass pools are limited in how big they can get, they can vary in length and width as well as depth, which can impact your final costs.
The pool shell and the excavation of your yard will both be determined by the size, which in turn means that the costs of both of these areas may fluctuate as well. This is also true of the amount of water you will need to fill the pool. If you live in an area where water must be purchased and delivered that will be another contributing factor for the final cost.
The shell of the fiberglass pool will be delivered in one piece. There is usually a delivery charge associated with this service, which can be impacted by how far the delivery area is from the supplier.
Finally, the accessories and features that you add to the pool, such as filters, heaters, pumps 3, ladders, and other items can all have a range of costs, which will impact the final cost of the project.
There are several parts and steps that go into the installation of a fiberglass pool. Each item has its own cost that, added together, make up the total for the project.
Part | Use | Cost |
---|---|---|
Ladder | Entering and exiting pool | $200-$600 |
Dirt hauling | Removing dirt from the excavated site | $300 |
Excavation | Digging the hole your pool will be set into | $1,000 |
Filter pump | Keeping the pump clean and water circulating | $1,005 |
Stairs | Entering and exiting the pool | $1,400-$1,900 |
Heater | Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the pool | $1,800-$2,400 |
Water pump | Circulating water through the pool | $2,100-$3,000 |
Shell/liner | The fiberglass pool itself, which is set into the excavated hole | $10,000-$19,000 |
Unlike vinyl 4 and concrete pools, fiberglass pools cannot be created in endless designs or shapes. Instead, they are limited in what molds a particular company may be producing.
There are still numerous designs to choose from, however. The most common is the rectangle, which can come in many dimensions although it must be under 16-feet by 40-feet in total.
They can be found in “freeform”, kidney, and Roman styles as well. Each manufacturer will have its own mold, so one company’s “freeform” may be different than another. Because the molds are already existing, costs are usually driven primarily by the size of the pool, rather than by its shape.
All fiberglass pools have a gel coat finish that is applied to the top surface of the pool. And this finish can take on a variety of different looks and colors, including flecked, metallic, and solid.
The way that this finish is applied, however, varies between manufacturers. Most manufacturers use what’s called a solid finish, which means that one layer of material is used to create the finish on the pool. Others, however, use a multi-coat finish. This gives you a more interesting finish, because they can apply different tones and finishes on top of one another to give you a unique color and design.
This multi-layer finish can be problematic in the long run, however. All fiberglass gel coats will eventually develop cracks. A solid surface gel coat is easy to repair and get a close match with the original color. A multi-finish surface can be more difficult to match when repairing, which means that the patch will likely show.
You will also pay more for a multi-step gel coat. A solid surface will cost around $10,000, while the same size and shape pool with a multi-coat will cost closer to $15,000 to $20,000.
Your fiberglass pool will need a deck, or a surface area around the pool that can withstand water and provide some grip when wet. Decks can be made of a wide range of materials including:
The cost of each of these materials will vary depending on several factors including the size and shape of the deck, the color, and the exact material. For example, bluestone, slate 6, and limestone 7 can all be used around a pool deck, and each will have a different price point.
The most common pool deck 8 used with a fiberglass liner is concrete. Most pool installers will pour a concrete deck as part of the pool package, and will include the deck along with final grading and leveling 5 of the surrounding area for a total of around $10,000.
Because a fiberglass pool shell is made off site, a lot of the labor in building the pool is in the excavation, dirt hauling, and deck installation. This accounts for anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 of the final cost of the project, depending on how much leveling is needed, how far the transport needs to be, the shape being excavated, and whether or not the deck is being installed at the same time.
The labor is carried out by the pool manufacturer that you purchase the shell from. While it is possible to hire someone directly to do the excavation, and have the pool company only install the shell, in most cases, the pool company will take care of all labor. It takes roughly 2 weeks from start to finish to have the pool installed from excavating the site, to putting in the shell, to leveling and finishing the deck.
Swimming pools of any material need to be properly maintained to keep them safe to use. This can be done yourself or you may hire a professional pool maintenance company to help keep your pool at its best.
The average homeowner will spend around $250 for DIY pool cleaning each month, while some homeowners will spend an additional $100 to $200 for professional maintenance.
This includes:
Fiberglass is not the only material that you may use for your inground swimming pool. Concrete and vinyl are also options, and each will have its attributes to consider. Below, you’ll find the comparisons for cost, installation timeline, maintenance, durability, maintenance costs, and resale.
Fiberglass | Concrete | Vinyl |
---|---|---|
$60,000 | $75,000 | $32,500 |
Less than 2 weeks | 2-4 months | 3-5 weeks |
Low maintenance Resists algae growth | High maintenance Promotes algae growth Requires more chemical care | Moderate maintenance Promotes algae growth in the seams 9 |
Up to 25 years Gel coat may need resurfacing in 10 years | Can last up to 50 or more years | Needs new liner every 7 years |
Low ongoing costs Lower electric costs | Higher ongoing costs Moderate electric costs | Moderate ongoing costs Higher electric costs |
Adds to resale value of home | Adds to resale value of home | May reduce value of home |
Many inground pools may have water features installed to enhance the landscaping and look of the pool. These may include things like waterfalls or fountains. An average waterfall feature costs around $1,020, but you can find more elaborate versions with lights for up to $20,000.
Your swimming pool will need a cover if it is not used all year. The two most common types of cover are mesh and solid. Mesh covers run around $2,700 and are lighter and easier to install. Solid covers cost around $3,700, and can keep your pool cleaner, blocking algae growth during the winter months.
If you intend to use your pool at night, you may want to invest in pool lights as well. Pool lights may float on the surface of the pool, or you may have them installed right into the walls of the pool itself. Lights cost from $450 for incandescent lights to $1,450 for fiber optic lights.
Waterline mosaics can add a decorative touch to your fiberglass pool. These are small tiles made of glass or ceramic that can be installed just at and above the waterline in most cases, but you can have them cover the entirety of the pool as well. They come in many shapes and styles, and can enhance the look of the pool. Mosaics cost $75-$100 per square foot installed.
If you live in a cooler climate, you may wish to add a heat pump to your pool. Fiberglass pools retain heat well, so they won’t need as much electricity to heat as other pool types. Heaters cost between $1,800 and $2,400.
If you wish to maintain your pool yourself, rather than having someone clean it for you, it’s wise to invest in a pool vacuum. Vacuums clean the bottom of the pool, either manually or automatically, to remove sediment and debris. Pool vacuums cost between $100 and $300 on average.
Enclosures are a popular way to keep your pool safe and clean, and to get more use out of year round. Enclosures may be mesh or glass walled, or they may be as simple as a fence. The average enclosure costs around $22,125 to install.
Fences are integral to pools. They keep the area safe for young children and pets who may wander onto your property. Pool fences can be made of any fencing material and their cost is driven by how large the area is that you are enclosing. The average cost is around $1,120 including the gate.
Because chlorine 10 can be harsh on the skin, many people opt to purchase a salt chlorine system, which is more gentle. Upfront costs are around $750-$2,425, but ongoing costs are about half of what a typical chlorine pool would cost.
If your yard is sloped, a retaining wall 11 can help level the area where the pool will be, while keeping the rest of the yard untouched and nicely landscaped. Retaining walls can be built in several styles, and cost around $13,700 for 50 linear feet.
The average cost of a 12’x24’ fiberglass inground pool is around $60,000 installed.
Fiberglass pools cannot pop out of the ground on their own. They can, however, be lifted out in one piece if replacement or refill of the pool area is desired.
Fiberglass pools last around 25 years on average, but may need a refinishing of the gel coat after 10 years.
The average cost of a 12x24-foot fiberglass pool is around $60,000 installed for an inground pool while an above ground pool has an average cost of $22,500 installed.
Fiberglass pools cost less than concrete pools of the same size - $60,000 vs. $75,000 for the same sized pool.
Cost to build an in-ground fiberglass swimming pool varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.