When you have to make practically any decision in life, you need to think through at least a couple of things. With regard to in-ground swimming pools, things you have to take into consideration are the location of your house in terms of climate, your long term plans considering the house you live in, as well as the amount of money you plan to spend. Can this project be seen as a smart investment?
Climate
Think about the annual number of warm days you could spend enjoying your swimming pool. If you live in colder areas, usually you only have summer time, 90 days maximum, if you are really lucky and there are no summer storms. Therefore, you should think twice if the investment is smart. On the other hand, living in warm and sunny area could triple the number of potential swimming pool days, making your decision substantially easier. But even if you live in a colder climate, there are certain things you can do to perfect your pool that will allow you to use it for a prolonged period of time.
Plans
Think long term. If you plan to move in not too distant future, think about how having an in ground pool could influence the value of your property. If you live in a neighborhood where private swimming pools are a common facility, investing in one is bound to increase the value of your house. On the other hand, if having a pool makes you stick out from your surroundings, it is very likely that you will end up losing at least the money you invested in your swimming pool, to say the least. However, if your long term plans do not include moving and you and your family enjoy swimming and are willing to invest smartly into choosing the perfect swimming pool, you should proceed to the next paragraphs to learn something about the available types.
Which One to Choose?
According to renowned Sydney-based swimming pool builders there are three major types of in-ground to choose from: concrete or gunite, fiberglass and vinyl. Again, there are a number of factors you should bare in mind when choosing the proper one for your needs. Let us name the most important ones: speed and cost of installation, customization, maintenance and durability.
Concrete pools are the most expensive ones and take the longest to build. They have the highest level of customization, you can build any size and shape and they are the most durable of all categories but maintenance costs are the highest.
Vinyl pools are usually the least expensive and take shorter to build and install than concrete ones. They are prefabricated, and even thou additional features can be added later, you are rather limited when it comes to customization, especially dimension wise. Also, vinyl pools are the least durable of all three types and moderately expensive to maintain.
Fiberglass pools, when you consider the building and installation costs, fit just in the middle of concrete and vinyl ones, but they take shortest to install. Additionally, they are least expensive to maintain and are highly durable.
Regardless of the type you choose, you can upgrade your pool with certain stylish features that are likely to further strengthen your investment.